The Copying Revolution: Before and After the Xerox 914

In the days before the Xerox 914 came onto the scene in 1959, making copies of documents was a far cry from the effortless process we know today. Various methods were employed, but they all had their limitations, making the quest for efficient duplication a challenging endeavor.

The Challenges of Pre-1959 Copying Methods

• Carbon Paper: One of the earliest methods for making copies involved using carbon paper. While it allowed for multiple copies, the process was cumbersome, and the quality often left much to be desired. Mistakes were difficult to correct, and legibility could be an issue.
• Mimeograph Machines: Mimeographs were a common sight in offices and schools. They were reliable for producing multiple copies, but the final product was often bluish and had a distinctive smell due to the ink used.
• Hand Copying: For important documents, copying was often done by hand, a painstakingly slow process that relied on the skill of scribes or clerks.
• Photostat Machines: Photostat machines used photographic techniques to create copies, but they were large, expensive, and not readily available to the average person or small business.

The Xerox 914: A Game-Changer

In 1959, everything changed with the introduction of the Xerox 914, a photocopier that would revolutionize the way we duplicated documents. Developed by the Xerox Corporation, this groundbreaking machine was the first commercially successful plain paper photocopier.

The Xerox 914 made it possible to create high-quality copies quickly and easily on plain paper. It eliminated the need for messy carbon paper, costly mimeograph supplies, and the laborious task of hand-copying. It was a true game-changer for businesses, offices, and institutions worldwide.

This revolutionary device used a process called xerography, invented by Chester Carlson in the late 1930s, but it was the Xerox 914 that brought this technology to the masses. It transformed the way we work, communicate, and share information, setting the stage for the modern office environment we know today.

As we look back at the era before the Xerox 914, we can appreciate just how far the world of document duplication has come. From the limitations of the past to the convenience and efficiency of today’s photocopiers, the Xerox 914 stands as a pivotal milestone in the history of office technology.