{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1240673"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1240673/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW5290/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021MW5290/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2021MW5290","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW5291","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW5292","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW5293","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW5294","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2021MW5295","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1240673/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1240673","accessionNumber":"FE.186-2011","objectType":"Typewriter","titles":[{"title":"Chinese typewriter, Double Pigeon, DHY-d series","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Typewriter","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Shanghai Typewriter Factory","id":"AUTH315635"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28674"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"steel","id":"AAT133751"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel","categories":[{"text":"Tools & Equipment","id":"THES48883"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2021MW5290","2021MW5291","2021MW5292","2021MW5293","2021MW5294","2021MW5295"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"74","id":"THES49720"},"free":"","case":"CA002","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Typewriter","id":"AAT189134"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Shanghai","id":"x29883"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1980","earliest":"1980-01-01","latest":"1980-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"45","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"51","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Chinese typewriter, Double Pigeon, DHY-d series, Shanghai Typewriter Factory, Shanghai, 1980. ","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Mechanising office work\r\n\r\nThe typewriter and duplicator were both designed to improve standardisation in the workplace. In 1929, the British manufacturer Gestetner approached American designer Raymond Loewy to enhance the appearance of their duplicator, a machine similar to a photocopier and printer. He streamlined the bulky machine, making it less cumbersome and more appealing to use. The Double Pigeon typewriter was designed to mechanise the writing of the Chinese language. To overcome the complexity of Chinese script, it features over 2000 loose characters which typists could easily rearrange to speed up their work.\r\n\r\nHand-operated copying machine \r\nDuplicator, Model 66, 1929\r\nDesigned by Raymond Loewy \r\nManufactured by Gestetner, UK \r\nMetal mechanism with rubber elements, wooden cabinet\r\nGiven by Gestetner International Ltd \r\nMuseum no. W.47-1981\r\n\r\nChinese typewriter with loose characters \r\nDouble Pigeon, DHY-d series, 1980 (manufactured 1984)\r\nManufactured by Shanghai Typewriter Factory, China \r\nSteel and plastic \r\nMuseum no. FE.186-2011\r\n\r\nThe object sits in the 'Automation and Labour' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.","date":{"text":"2021","earliest":"2021-01-01","latest":"2021-12-31"}},{"text":"This Chinese typewriter illustrates the uniqueness and complexity of Chinese typography. It does not have a keyboard, but instead uses a tray that contains over 2000 characters, arranged according to 214 groups of meaning classifiers (the building blocks, or <i>bushou</i>, of characters). Several thousand more would be available on a second tray.\r\n\r\nThe typist first aligns the tray and then presses a key, which makes an arm pick up each desired character in turn and strike it against the paper, a time-consuming process.","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["FE.186-2011"],"accessionNumberNum":"186","accessionNumberPrefix":"FE","accessionYear":2011,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-13","recordCreationDate":"2011-09-16","availableToBook":false}}