Jackson hoped it was an old record player, but when he opened the case, a filthy 1954 Remington manual typewriter was inside. The keys still worked though. "It was intrigue at first sight," he said.

To clean and restore old typewriters, Jackson charges $75 to $100, and an additional $25 an hour if the job’s complicated. The most expensive typewriter he restored and sold for $535 is a 1952 ...

But in recent years, demand for old typewriters — specifically non-electric manual typewriters — has clicked up, according to Soderbeck.