Erika Model 3 (1911)

This is a wonderful typewriter, an Erika Model 3, around 1911.

It's from Seidel & Naumann, a German company founded in 1868 in Dresden. They produced sewing machines, bicycles, jukeboxes, and also typewriter of course.

This is the easily transportable typewriter Erika model 3, produced for the first time in 1910.

The name Erika derive from Naumann's only granddaughter Hermine Marie Erika Naumann. So Naumann wanted to give the name of his granddaughter to a typewriter. You wouldn’t say a German industrialist of 100 year ago can be so passionate, but it’s true.

You can also see it in the history of his company. Bruno Naumann created many social institutions for his employees. There was a factory health insurance for workers and their families, insurances for long periods of illness and disability funds. In the factory there were cloakrooms, toilets, washrooms and dining rooms.
Quite advanced for the period.

This typewriter has also been sold in England and France with the brand names "Bijou" and "Gloria".

It's a foldable typewriter, here you can see how it works,