The serial number is decoded with a letter and the first number. The letter indicates the month (A=January, B=February, etc.) The number is the last digit of the year. (This serial number is D8930656, meaning it was made in April, 1968. It is also the 930,656th Brother typewriter, as all Brother typewriter serial numbers are sequenced in the same list) Even though the serial number plate says Remington, it is a Brother. (For the most part, any typewriter manufactured in Nagoya, Japan, is a Brother typewriter.)
This is a typewriter that I have wanted for a long time. I couldn't have found a better example, either. This typewriter came with its original case, manual, and warranty card (which was left blank). I bought it at an antique shop/jeweler in Bothell, WA for an exchange and $8. It works incredibly well, and is incredibly easy to use. It is also the first Brother typewriter that I have had that is equipped with a keyset tabulator, and the second-smallest typewriter that I own that is equipped with a keyset tabulator (the smallest being an Olivetti Lettera 22). Unlike other Brother portable typewriters, the backspace key is on the left. It is also slightly larger than the typical Brother portable (see Remington 333, below). Its knobs are much larger than that of the Akio Kondo-designed Brother portable (which is the most commonly found portable typewriter in the world, after the Hermes Baby. Ten million examples were made between 1961 and 1980.)
The Remington 666 is a rebadged Brother Opus 895. Brother began manufacturing typewriters in 1961, and began exporting them in 1964.
The Remington 666 is a rebadged Brother Opus 895. Brother began manufacturing typewriters in 1961, and began exporting them in 1964.
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| The Brother Opus 895 |
The Remington 666 was a result of badge-engineering. Remington realized that it would be cheaper to import typewriters than to make their own. However, the 333 and 666 are very fun to use, and very durable. The Remington 333 was the lower-priced Remington portable.
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| Remington 333 portable, circa 1968 |
The Remington 333 is an excellent example of Brother's standard portable, which made its debut in 1961. While the Remington 666 was rarely advertised (except for small towns in the Midwest), the Remington 333 was advertised in many major cities. The Opus 895 and Echelon variant were advertised more than both of the Remington versions.
The Seattle offices of Remington-Rand were located at 2720 3rd Avenue:
The Seattle offices of Remington-Rand were located at 2720 3rd Avenue:
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| Remington-Rand's Seattle offices, 1958. This building was recently demolished, and is now the site of the Mosler Lofts. |
From The Seattle Times, November 14, 1968
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| From The Oregonian, March 11, 1970 |
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| From The Seattle Times, August 15, 1968 |
The Remington 666 is very similar to the Brother Activator 899:
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1972 Brother Activator, Courtesy of The Typewriter Database. Strangely enough, I love this color combination, and the way it plays off of the woodgrained panel.