Saskatoon man receives typewriter from actor Tom Hanks’ collection

Earlier this summer Thom Cholowski wrote a letter to fellow typewriter enthusiast Tom Hanks, now he’s adding a new piece to his private collection courtesy of the award-winning actor.

“It was definitely a surprise and I’m very honoured,” Cholowski said about receiving a typewriter from Hanks. “It’s a real treasure.”

(Thom Cholowski/Facebook)

The 1940 Remington noiseless model seven typewriter arrived at his Saskatoon home after Hanks told him to contact his office in a note.

“They wanted to know my address and contact information to make sure that the machine that Mr Hanks selected could wind up on my doorstep,” he said.

For the last 30 years, Cholowski has worked with typewriters. He started his curated collection about ten years ago.

“I have over 300 different machines ranging in ages from the 1870 all the way up to the 1970s. I have several very historic and important machines, but this one is definitely a centrepiece,” he explained.

Cholowski is tight-lipped about what the machine is worth, saying to him it’s priceless.

“It’s a valuable typewriter, it’s a very good machine, very well manufactured and of course the novelty of it coming from a celebrity,” he said.

He describes the experience as surreal.

“Of it all, I just have to smile because this whole interaction just re-affirms what a stand-up guy Mr Hanks is,” Cholowski said.