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Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Universal Auto Co., interior." Our second look at this Ford dealership at 1529 M Street. National Photo Co. View full size.
I have one on my desk that I still use, which still has the name label I had to put on it as a freshman (cadet) in college, 37 years ago. Mine's the modern version with a vacuum base.
The carousel on the desk with the rubber stamps has also disappeared from 21st Century desks. I always marveled at the way they were used. The smaller the person using them, the harder they struck the document with the stamper.
In the glass-faced cabinet to the right of the calendar, there appears to be a liquor bottle. I, myself, would place that out of public view. For the younger Shorpy visitors: the small appliance mounted on the very corner of the desk in the foreground is a pencil sharpener. I can't recall the last time I saw one of those.
[Your flagon, I think, is a bottle of ink. - Dave]
I have one exactly like that Underwood that is sitting on the typing table. It has probably been in the family since about the time this photo was made.
Way back in the late 50's and early 60' I would use it to do school reports. Before that I would explore the mechanics of the contrivance to figure out how it worked.
Too many memories there, I just can't bear to part with it.
Is that a cuspidor somewhat discreetly hidden underneath his desk? Good reason to make one consider a pricey Scripps Booth instead of The Universal Car. And I certainly wouldn't want to fetch anything from his bottom right-hand desk drawer.
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