Exhibition in Denmark, 2015.
- The opening ceremony was witnessed by some 200 specially invited guests and they were treated to a speech by the Museum Director Jens Breinegaard, where he eloquently related about their preparations and paid a distinct tribute to Malling-Hansen and his writing-balls!
- This was followed by an equally interesting presentation by the curator Louise Skyggebjerg. Her design and creativity has lent a very interesting touch to the exhibition, and in my view it is highly interesting , engaging various age segments of the public, especially because of the interactive elements!
Report from the President of the Society, Jørgen Malling Christensen.
All photos: Jørgen Malling Christensen.
On October 6 the Danish Museum of Science and Technology, situated at fabriksvej 25, just south of Helsingør (Elsinore) officially opened its long awaited special exhibition "SKRIV" ("WRITE"/"SCHRIEBEN"/"ESCREVERE"), where they show the gadgets involved in the writing process, from the goose pen and until the age of the computer.
The typewriters obviously occupy an important role in this context, and the museum is presently, for the first time in many years, exhibiting eight of its wonderful Malling-Hansen writing balls! One of them was recently restored by Dieter Eberwein - as always carefully, meticulously, lovingly and respectfully - always the case when Dieter lends his expert hand to restoration projects!
We could also feast our eyes and fingers on a wonderful animation prepared by Felix Herbst, whereby we could experience the sensation of typing on a writing ball and see the printed result displayed! Superbly done, Felix!
The opening ceremony was witnessed by some 200 specially invited guests and they were treated to a speech by the Museum Director Jens Breinegaard, where he eloquently related about their preparations and paid a distinct tribute to Malling-Hansen and his writing-balls! This was followed by an equally interesting presentation by the curator Louise Skyggebjerg. Her design and creativity has lent a very interesting touch to the exhibition, and in my view it is highly interesting , engaging various age segments of the public, especially because of the interactive elements!
So: From my side a great hand of applaud to Jens Breinegaard, Louise Skyggebjerg and their colleagues for a job exceeding well carried out! The exhibition will run until August 14, 2016 and may it be well attended, because it certainly deserves so!
The formal opening was by the voice of the grand old lady of Danish litterature, journalist and author Lise Nørgaard, 98 years young, who spoke about her relationship with typewriters since her first journalism job in 1935 until today - never abandoning the typewriter! In my view she deserves a writing-ball - with the very much superior keyboard layout, far better than qwerty! But, so do we all! We would all have been better off if the Malling-Hansen keyboard had prevailed!
I took the chance to present Lise Nørgaard with a Malling-Hansen T-shirt, illustrated with the most beautiful photos of the 1878 model of the writing ball.
I attended as a specially invited guest together with Lars Mathiesen, and after the formal speeches we toured the exhibition for well over an hour, on several occasions acting as museum volunteers, since we could provide detailed information about the writing balls and about Malling-Hansen.
All in all, a glorious event! I encourage every friend of Malling-Hansen and everyone interested in the history of writing to visit this wonderful exhibition!
The light conditions were not ideal, but nevertheless I attach some of my amateur photos from the evening!
Very best regards from
Jørgen Malling
President
The International Rasmus Malling-Hansen Society
www.malling-hansen.org
- The first official model, patented and presented in 1870.
- This big flatmodel was first built in 1871. It was used by telegraph stations to writing and making cipoes of telegrams.
- The first model without the use of electric batteries was built in 1875. This specimen has been restaured by our viceprecident, Dieter Eberwein.
- The museum in Elsinore owns two specimens of the 1878 model of the writing ball.
- This Version was first launched at the World Exhibition in Paris and was equipped with a colour ribbon.
- The very last of the Writing Ball models, developed by Malling-Hansen's mechanic, August Lyngby, and exhibited at the large industry, agriculture and art Exhibition in Copenhagen 1888, and received the first prize medal.
- This model for paper strips was exhibited for the first time in Paris in 1878, and received the first prixe medal.
- One og the many letters that Malling-Hansen wrote on his writing ball.
- This top of a writing machine from an other Danish inventor, Jacob Ahrend Peters, is of highly interest for us Malling-Hansen researchers. It was claimed in 1925 that RMH had copied this machine. But though this top has some resemblance with RMHs Writing Ball, there are also great differences. And it is not known when this machine was built.
- Part of the presentation of the Writing Ball, as it was presented at the Exhibition in Elsingore. We can only urge anyone who has the opportunity to visist this great event.
