The IBM Selectric (a portmanteau of "selective" and "electric") was a highly successful line of electric typewriters introduced by IBM on 31 July 1961. [1][2]

The IBM Selectric was the most successful electric typewriter in history. With its distinctive type element — a spinning, bobbing mechanism often likened to a golf ball — it improved the …

The IBM Selectric was introduced in 1961 (just like me!), and was revolutionary, in that the platen does not move, but instead the type element moves. The single type element (ball) has 88 …

IBM introduced its Selectric typewriter on July 31, 1961. The Selectric used a type ball instead of a basket of individual typebars that swung up to strike the ribbon. The ball was developed by a …

For more than 25 years, the Selectric was the typewriter found on most office desks. With 2800 parts, many designed from scratch, the Selectric was a radical departure even for IBM, which …

The IBM Selectric is a machine unlike any other. Compared to the typewriters that preceded it and the word processors that followed, there is nothing that comes close to the Selectric’s …

Discover vintage and modern IBM Selectric typewriters, including the IBM Selectric III and IBM Selectric II. Shop now on eBay for the best writing tools!

Its body is gently curved and was designed by Eliot Noyes, drawing inspiration from Italian Olivetti typewriters. These are one of the quintessential typewriter designs of the 20th century.

The introduction of the IBM Selectric fundamentally altered the typewriter industry. It quickly became the standard for businesses worldwide, largely displacing older typewriter models.

Industrial designer Eliot Noyes created the Selectric’s sleek, die-cast case in eight color options. Now considered a legendary design, this machine visually modernized the office landscape. …