Typewriters ... Any Interest?

[Wolverine1]

I have 3 typewriters. The first is a Olivetti Lettera 32, which a friend gave me. It is an Italian made machine, which my friend had recieved as a high school graduation gift in 1963 or 1964. It was in mint condition, and all it needed was a thorough cleaning and lubing, to get rid of the accumulated dust when I recieved it in 2006. Second machine is an Olympia SM-9 Deluxe, from 1964 or 1965 that I got from an elderly Professor a few years ago, before I had my strokes. I and a few friends had helped him and his wife clean up their home, as they were moving to Arizona to enjoy their retirement, and the typewriter was going to be given to a thrift store. So, I asked, and he gave it to me, along with a couple of 1950s era Parker 51 fps. And, from another former Professor, I got a Olympia SF machine. It is in good condition, all it needs is a good cleaning and lubing, since it hasnt been used since about the early 1980's. I have called a local office machines business and they said that they dont work on typewriters anymore, but, they would clean and oil my machines if I dropped them off this Saturday.

Dick- you sure do have a wonderful collection of machines. I like the fact that you have the Groma machines, i have never seen one available for sale in local shops. You would have thought that with a big university like the Univ. of Michigan in town, a lot of typewriters would be available in the trift stores, 2nd hand stores, antique stores, etc., but that is not the case. One antique store downtown now has a Olympia SM-9 Deluxe with a price tag of $499, and a Olympia SM-3 listed at $399. Of course, at those prices, the machines have been sitting there for over a year!!!

Edited April 3, 2018 by Wolverine1

[Dickkooty2]

Wolverine!,

 

You certainly have a very nice selection of three. AND you use them!

 

If you do become interested, ebay always has some stuff. I find ebay.de to have more German/European brands available, The thrift store prices you mention don't sound very thrifty to me.

 

Thank you for writing about your typewriters!

 

Best,

 

Dick

[Wolverine1]

Thanks, Dick. I have sent you a PM through the FPN system.

 

I have been able to use my pens, thanks to the exercise that my got from my using the typewriters. I think, I would have lost my ability to write with my pens, use a kitchen knife, etc, if not for the exercise that the manual typewriters gave me. I am very thankful for that!!!!:)

[Zookie]

I picked up a Remington Quiet - Riter Saturday at a rummage sale. It's in very nice condition, but also very dirty. Came with the original case, no paperwork however. It has that hammered green metal finish that says late 40s early 50s.

I was thinking some before and after pics would be appropriate.

Anyone know of these?

 

BTW, I paid 2 Dollars for it

[Dickkooty2]

TWO DOLLARS!

 

 

Here is a restored 'Quiet-Writer'. You can print out a manual with this url:

 

https://www.com/manual/1012671/Remington-Quiet-Riter.html

 

And here is a quick guide to some fast and not-too-tech tips on cleaning that $2.00 find:

 

http://www.noahsnet.com/how-to-clean-a-manual-typewriter/

 

Finally, a review of the 'Quiet-Writer':

 

https://typewriterreview.com/2015/02/16/remington-quiet-riter-eleven/

 

I agree with the styling review and have a couple of big bulbous US beauties to make the point beside the ultras of the time that were coming out of Europe and the Japanese Brother that broke the back of the US industry. Well, not as much as the computer.

[fountainpagan]

Your typewritters are beautiful.

 

I keep using mine (less the Regmington and the Perkeo), even if not everyday.

I prefer portable typewriters.

 

Here are some of mine

 

Remington Reporter

Foldable Perkeo

Japy P68 (one from the 40's and one from the 50's)

Groma Kolibri especialy made for Portugal

and

The Rolls Royce of typewritters (personal opinion, of course) HERMES 3000

 

I also have an extra flat Rooy, and another Kolibri, but they are being cleaned.

 

 

[Dickkooty2]

@ Fountainpagan (above)

 

Have you got some great typewriters! I have a Kolibri, the 3000, and a Rooy (Roxy) but need a part to get it typing. I agree on the design appeal of portables. I am going to hold the line at 25.

 

Thank you for the great pictures.

 

Dick

[LazarusShort]

I inherited my father's collection, and a few others, so I have everything from an Oliver (early 1900's) to a word processing typewriter with a CRT.

[zslane]

I grew up with an intense fascination and love for typewriters as a kid in the 1970s. I was fortunate enough to have touch typing as a compulsory class in junior high, as that gave me a real leg up when I got into computers a couple of years later.

 

Currently I own two typewriters: a Hermis Rocket and an IBM Selectric II. The former mostly as a collectible, and the latter because I always wanted one of my own, even though it is not nearly as practical as a writing device as my computer or my iPad.

 

Still, I love typewriters, and I'm always looking for ways to bring the typewriter aesthetic into my computer experience. That's why I have both a Qwerkywriter and a Penna keyboard. I also customized a Vortex Pok3r keyboard to look like this:

 

 

And I am working with MassDrop to bring a Hermes-inspired custom keyboard to market that I call the Mercury Rocketeer:

 

 

[pajaro]

I remember using my father's Selectrics for papers when I was in college. My father was a court reporter and had several of them. I wish I had one again.

[magnus919]

I have an Olympia SM9 and a Royal Quiet De Luxe, both in good working order.

 

They don't get much use these days. I mostly use them when they lend themselves to writing poetry. I no longer use them for prose.

[Zookie]

I've been seeing quite a few selectrics lately. All have been reasonably priced too.

Maybe it's because ibm was a local company.

[Retro-user]

For those who favor typewriters, what is the ideal desk height in terms of ergonomics? I always use for a computer keyboard a pull-out shelf, but the angled keyboard of a typewriter is a different animal. I see the old metal typewriter tables were mostly 26 inches in height, or thereabouts. What arrangements work best with modern furniture?

Here's an interesting video in which this collector tasks about the 26-inch desk height being inadequate for some typewriters models.

 

https://youtu.be/tFbZrcYSboc

[sandy101]

Here are my three. I acquired them over ten years ago, and spent the week-end writing stuff on them. They all work - the TippaS (1977) takes longer key strokes to function - and the tab key moves the carriage along at a savage pace. The Monica (manufactured 1968) is the most restrained. It needs a bit of effort to move the keys, but they don't need to be punched as far, and the font is rather delightful. It has got Namibia stamped on the back of it for some reason - and it's going to need some oil. It's rather large compared to the other two, so it is not as portable. The Imperial (1968) is from Japan and has a level which varies the pressure you need to type. On one setting it's like the TippaS, on the other it's like the Monica.

 

When I bought them, they cost no more that 99p each on e-bay, plus postage (which was around £10). So, you could buy a machine for £11, a new ribbon for £3 and a ream of paper for £3 and have a fully functional writing machine for £17, including postage.

 

Prices in the UK seem to have increased. It is still possible to buy cheaper machines, but a lot of retro and vintage stores seem to have got in on the act, so now machines seem to be selling for £40 plus.

 

 

[Dickkooty2]

@ Sandy (above)

 

Thank you for sending in the pictures of these great machines. And for the pricing available in the long-ago! Shipping alone seems to run between $30 to $60 per depending on country. And the machine prices are x100 in many cases. I have found ebay.de to be a good source.

 

A note on the Tippa: Gössen, the originator sold the rights to Adler. And Adler further refined the Tippa into the award-winning S model.

[ac12]

An Olivetti and Royal portable.

As much as I want one, I have no room for a desk model.

The portables can be put away.

[Dickkooty2]

An Olivetti and Royal portable.

As much as I want one, I have no room for a desk model.

The portables can be put away.

AC12,

 

Can you tell us (OK, me) which models?

 

And even if you can put them away, 26 portables is still a long line. I was going to stop at 25 but just had to have the 70s Hermes 3000 with the straight lines to compare with the classic Hermes 3000 with the 60s bulbous automobile lines.

[ac12]

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AC12,

 

Can you tell us (OK, me) which models?

 

And even if you can put them away, 26 portables is still a long line. I was going to stop at 25 but just had to have the 70s Hermes 3000 with the straight lines to compare with the classic Hermes 3000 with the 60s bulbous automobile lines.

 

I "think" they are

- Royal Companion, only 1 color ribbon, and no case.

- Olivetti Lettera 33

 

Oh don't take me down that path.

I'm an "accumulator." And I do that in most of my hobbies.

[Dickkooty2]

Yo, ac12,

 

Ahhh, those Frostian paths!

 

You have two great designs, probably don't need another few!

 

The Royal Companion from the 60s:

 

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And the Olivetti Lettera 33 ... another beauty from Olivetti! The 33 is probably a new case design on the Lettera 32. I have the 22 and the 32 and am now thinking about adding just one more to my increasing typewriter-lined path ...

 

[url=https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/imgs/fpn_1529341524__golivetti-underwood__2064_1391898923.jpg][/url

... notice the one red keypad, the hallmark of this series!

[ac12]

Yes, when I saw the Lettera, I decided that I wanted one.

I'm more for the angular designs rather than the rounded ones.

 

When I can get around to digging them out of the garage, I will take a pix.

Edited June 18, 2018 by ac12