The wondrous Diskret typewriter from 1899.

The German Diskret, from 1899, is a beautifully designed index typewriter with a special ability, the means to send a coded or cyphered message in addition to operating as a regular typewriter.

The Diskret is lavishly adorned with cast Art Nouveau motifs. In Germany the Art Nouveau movement was called Jugendstil (youth – style) and combined floral ornaments and flowing lines. The members of the movement were reacting against the neo- classicism of the official art and architecture. Art Nouveau artists sought to integrate art with the everyday, producing beautiful objects to elevate people’s lives. With these Jugendstil decorations adorning the Diskret, the Diskret is elevated to an exceptional object of functionality and art.

You can read more about the Diskret and see my antique typewriter collection at antiquetypewritrers.com