The ‘greatest typewriter collection in the world' set to be auctioned off in California

A Los Angeles man will soon part with a unique collection.

Steve Soboroff owns what the New York Times says may be ‘the greatest typewriter collection in the world’ and on Friday in Texas, that collection will go up for auction.

“These things are just incredible conversation pieces,” Soboroff said. “It’s a collection of typewriters that were owned by just incredible people”.

It’s a story that started 21 years ago when Soboroff first purchased a typewriter used by famed LA Times Sportswriter Jim Murray. But as time went on his collection grew in size and fame.

“Ernest Hemingway, The Unibomber, Jack London. Ray Bradbury,” Soboroff said. “Truman Capote, Harold Robbins”.

“The idea of sitting at a typewriter, at something that was part of the thinking of Jim Murray, or Ernest Hemingway, or John Lennon,” he added. “You’re not sitting at a Typewriter, you’re sitting at an engraving machine in their personal bubble”.

Actor Tom Hanks collects typewriters too. Steve once spoke with Tom about the difference between their collections.

“So I’m going ‘Ok, Tom. I only collect typewriters of people who have been on the cover of ‘Time Magazine’. You collect them for the typewriter. I collect them for who they were and what they did on the typewriter,” Soboroff said with a smile. “He stops everything, he comes over to me, and he puts his face I don’t know 6 inches away from my face, he says ‘I was on the cover of Time twice’. I said ‘I’d take your typewriter -- I’d put it in my collection. He sent it to me the next day with the two Time Magazines.”

Soboroff’s collection eventually grew to 40, but he donated one to a LA museum and 6 to the Smithsonian.

“Because I didn’t feel worthy of owning them,” Soboroff said. “One of them was Maya Angelou’s. One of them was John Lennon’s”.

But now after two decades collecting, Steve has decided it’s time to say goodbye. On Friday, Heritage Auctions in Texas will auction off the remaining 33 typewriters.

“On the way to the interview I stopped at the bathroom twice, I’m nervous. I’m nervous. I want them to get in the right hands.”

You may recognize Steve’s last name. His son Jacob is a NBC News Correspondent. Part of the proceeds will go toward the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation for Journalism Students.

If you are interested in buying a typewriter, starting bids begin around $1,000 and go all the way up to $24,000 for Ernest Hemmingway’s. You can find more information by searching ‘Typewriter’ on the Heritage Auctions website, https://www.ha.com/.