Underwood noiseless typewriter, c.1930

The Underwood family, a successful manufacturer of ribbons and carbon paper, entry into the world of typewriters began with supplying ribbons to the Remington Typewriter Company. When Remington began producing their own ribbons, Underwood bought the patent and manufacturing rights of German-American inventor Franz Wagner and his “Wagner” typewriter and Wagner designed the Underwood Model One typewriter, the first of many typewriters sold by Underwood Typewriters. By the early 1900s, Underwood had emerged as the premier typewriter design, most recognized today and most imitated at the time.

The Underwood 5 series became the standard for office machines for many years and secured Underwood's legacy. Later, Underwood re-engineered the basic design of the Underwood 5 and enclosed the whole assembly to quiet it down and the Underwood Noiseless Standard was born.