I can't think of a commercial or legal term for which it would be the symbol. I like the theory that it was for a kerned or superscript r. so you wouldn't have the unsightly monospaced combo (which could be mistaken for a period) in abbreviations like Mr. or Dr. or Fr.
-
-
Replying to @mrdowntownchi @mwichary and
My new theory is that it is a weird cursive percent sign. Compare the character to the right of the "O" in two illustrations in https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/c9/63/55/c736166f64a17e/US339129.pdf …. In one it could be mistaken for a cursive "r," and in the other it is clearly a percent signpic.twitter.com/aAgT3SCoPP
1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @enf @mrdowntownchi and
You mean someone misread it once, and then it propagated?
3 replies 0 retweets 0 likes -
This would make perfect sense in that it only occurs a few times, and it was totally unfamiliar to you. If it were common or standard in the slightest, it should be easy to find other layouts with that “key.”
2 replies 0 retweets 1 like -
I may have missed some of the thread. Do we have a repository of all the r. art? I did find this one in a 1905 patent, dunno if it’s been mentioned. https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/e4/d6/04/91303306f5b059/US1035409.pdf …pic.twitter.com/lK1zzNf8zJ
1 reply 0 retweets 1 like -
Replying to @ironicsans @GlennF and
I started here: https://aresluna.org/typewriters-r/ – I will update tonight and include links
1 reply 0 retweets 1 like -
Replying to @mwichary @ironicsans and
Here we go! This collates it all we’ve found so far: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1utmf3297XMC0HHY3VhnkRHBHd6DK1wJEORaKszDfj9A/edit … Thank you so much for your help!
1 reply 1 retweet 4 likes -
Replying to @mwichary @ironicsans and
OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD RED ALERTpic.twitter.com/RDEBDFyMn6
2 replies 0 retweets 4 likes -
Replying to @mwichary @ironicsans and
(Source: https://www.ebay.com/itm/192547971278 …)
1 reply 0 retweets 0 likes -
Replying to @mwichary @ironicsans and
OK, that settles it! But sure doesn't clear up the intended use
1 reply 0 retweets 1 like
Marcin Wichary Retweeted TypewriterType
Yeah, there is also this version:https://twitter.com/TypewriterType/status/986921942849589248 …
Marcin Wichary added,
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.