Pellegrino Turri (1765–1828), an

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

inventor, invented a mechanical typing machine, one of the first

typewriters A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an inked ribbon selectively ...

, at the start of the 19th century (conflicting accounts suggest 1801, 1806 or 1808) for his blind friend Countess Carolina Fantoni da Fivizzano. He also invented

carbon paper Carbon paper (originally carbonic paper) consists of sheets of paper which create one or more copies simultaneously with the creation of an original document when inscribed by a typewriter or ballpoint pen. History In 1801, Pellegrino Turri, ...

to provide the ink for his machine. According to another version, the machine was invented in 1802 by Agostino Fantoni from Fivizzano, nephew of the Italian poet Labindo, to help his blind sister, while Turri merely improved Fantoni's machine and invented the carbon paper in 1806. Although not much is known about the machine, some of the letters written on it by the countess have survived. The 2010 novel ''The Blind Contessa's New Machine'' by Carey Wallace is based on their story, although it is a semi fictional account which portrays them as lovers despite the surviving letters making no reference to any affair. The letters address Turri as "my dear friend", and discuss her progress in learning to use the device.

References

Adler, Michael H.: The Writing Machine, George Allen and Unwin Ltd, London, 1973, p. 162 et seq. Adler, Michael : Antique Typewriters from Creed to QWERTY, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen PA, 1997, p. 26 et seq.

External links

History of Science 2, Pellegrino Turri of Italy
* .................................................................................................. 18th-century Italian inventors 19th-century Italian inventors 1765 births 1828 deaths {{Italy-engineer-stub