The
Sholes and Glidden typewriter (also known as the
Remington No. 1) was the first commercially successful
typewriter. Principally designed by the
American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes, it was developed with the assistance of fellow printer
Samuel W. Soule and amateur mechanic
Carlos S. Glidden. Work began in 1867, but Soule left the enterprise shortly thereafter, replaced by
James Densmore, who provided financial backing and the driving force behind the machine's continued development. After several short-lived attempts to manufacture the device, the machine was acquired by
E. Remington and Sons in early 1873. An arms manufacturer seeking to diversify, Remington further refined the typewriter before finally placing it on the market on July 1, 1874.