Hermes Featherweight (1930s)

Hermes typewriters were designed in Switzerland, the home of precision engineering, and were built with all the Swiss passion for moving mechanisms and solid craftsmanship. The Hermes compact portables were no exception. The machine weighs in as the worlds lightest portable typewriter, according to one of the company's publications. Compactly designed with all-important features, the Hermes compact portable is an ideal typewriter for students, occasional typists and people on the road.

First launched in 1935, the Hermes Featherweight was the predecessor of the famous Baby model that garnered a loyal following among stylish writers of the day. The ultra-low profile Featherweight is a very compact portable, no taller than a large box of matches and weighing less than 8 pounds. Despite its size, the machine has all standard features and the smooth, accurate function of a larger portable. The first laptop!