Adler J-5 (1973) • Hanttula

Brand: Adler

Model: J-5

Made In: 1973 (Western Germany)

Serial No.: 15071231

Status: Permanent Collection

Typeface: Esquire, Pica, 10cpi

Shift Mechanism: Segment

Keyboard Layout: QWERTY

Size Category: Portable

Power: Manual Electric

Carriage: 10"

Machine Dimensions (W×D×H): 14.5 × 14 × 6.5"

Machine Weight: ≈13.4 lbs.

Case: Yes

Adlerwerke built typewriters in Frankfurt from 1898 through the end of the 20th century, and the J5 represents the company near its peak as a portable typewriter maker. The all-plastic shell is easy to dismiss, but these West German portables are well-engineered machines. They deliver solid, responsive typing feedback that rivals any portable of the era.

The J5 came in a range of typefaces. This one carries the Esquire, Adler’s name for the Ransmayer & Rodrian No. 88 face, listed in foundry catalogs as “Bruxelles.” It’s a proportioned, legible serif face with clean letterforms and good character spacing. If you find an Adler J5 in the wild, check the type slugs. The slug markings will tell you the foundry designation, and the typeface name stamped on the machine or listed in the manual is often a manufacturer rebrand of a different foundry name.

The plastic housing is prone to surface scuffs but rarely cracks; the mechanism underneath is durable.

Adler and Triumph merged in the late 1950s, and by 1968 the combined company was ranked sixth-largest office machine manufacturer in the world. The J5 was a product of that period of strength. Later production shifted and quality varied, so a confirmed West German unit from the early-to-mid 1970s is the one to look for.

Serial Number Location:

Underneath the carriage on the left side of the machine (viewable through a small port in the body) Serial Number Location Image

Accessories / Ephemera

Dust cover, manual, warranty/registration card (dated 5/16/1973)

Features

Special Characters ¢½¼
Tabulator
Ribbon Selector Bichrome + Stencil
Variable Line Spacing
Margin Release
Copy/Impression Control
Paper Support
End-of-Page Indicator
Carriage Lock

Condition Report

Restore

Fair

Good

Very Good

Superb

✓ Exterior / Aesthetics

Some small scratches, smudges, and stains but overall quite good

✓ Action / Feel

Very smooth typing

Provenance

Accessioned: October 28, 2025

Location: Primary A

5/16/1973 – 2025: Barry D. S. of Los Angeles
Purchased from Olympic Office Machine Co., 1391 Westwood Blvd., LA, CA 90024

Related Resources

Adler J5s on the Typewriter Database
Adler J5 (and J2) Manual (via Richard Polt)
1964 NOMDA Blue Book of Adler Typewriter Font Styles (via Theodore Munk)
1961 Adler Typewriter Type Font Styles (via Theodore Munk)
Triumph-Adler Wikipedia Page
How to use all functions on a 1972 Adler J5 vintage portable typewriter (via Brooksaw Antiques)
How to use all functions on a 1975 Adler J5 vintage portable typewriter (via Brooksaw Antiques)