https://reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1vajqs7/olympia_sg3_question/

Olympia SG3 typewriter with an optional carbon ribbon set up?

My guess:

Is it just a holder or is there some sort of drive mechanism associated with it? Is the other side a mirror version of it?

I have seen a handful of custom machines (all of them standards) in the late 50s/early 60s that had dual ribbon set ups: one being the standard cloth ribbon mechanism and the second, usually in a "Princess Leia's hair bun" configuration on the sides of the machine (similar to your photo) in which a secondary carbon ribbon was stored for secondary use when/as necessary. I've never seen one on an Olympia however.

It could also potentially have been used for white correction tape as well.

Here's an example of a Royal FPCP with such a feature: https://www.facebook.com/groups/705152958470148/posts/1203433725308733/

It could be the passive holder side for an optional carbon ribbon that is then threaded to the spool on the left side which does the pulling. Typically most carbon ribbons are single use only, so you wouldn't need/want an auto-reverse mechanism.

Congratulations and welcome to the club! Definitely the machine of a serious writer or novelist. These were the workhorses of newspapers and magazines through the 70s and 80s. In my mind, it's the last truly great manual typewriter ever manufactured.

Well known users of the Olympia SG3 included: Ingeborg Bachmann, Jimmy Breslin, Paddy Chayefsky, Philip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Michael Ende, Howard Fast, Jim Lehrer, Elmore Leonard, William E. Leuchtenburg, Terrence McNally, James Michener, Dudley Randall, and Wallace Stegner

Robert Redford used one in the movie ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN.

If you need a manual: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-manuals.html

Ribbon is still easily found: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-faq.html#q1

The Olympia SG3 uses 1/2" wide (12.7mm) typewriter ribbon, which has been standardized as DIN2103, in combination with the Group 1 spool, designated as DIN 32755. (Doesn't need eyelets.)

Other useful resources available at: https://boffosocko.com/research/typewriter-collection/

reply to u/Prudent_Highway_1855 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1tdy2eu/my_first_typewriter/

via M. Höhne at https://typewriter.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?pid=27528#p27528

https://typewriter.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=3521

Olympia SG-3 German Typewriter, Replaced Paper Injector Broken Handle, Remove Platen Knob<br /> by [[Phoenix Typewriter]] on YouTube<br /> accessed on 2026-03-03T02:20:00

Users of the Olympia SG3 included:<br /> - Ingeborg Bachmann<br /> - Jimmy Breslin<br /> - Paddy Chayefsky<br /> - Philip K. Dick<br /> - Harlan Ellison<br /> - Michael Ende<br /> - Howard Fast<br /> - Jim Lehrer<br /> - Elmore Leonard<br /> - William E. Leuchtenburg<br /> - Terrence McNally<br /> - James Michener<br /> - Dudley Randall<br /> - Wallace Stegner

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1qr703r/identification_help_needed/

https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1muy8n1/an_olympia_sg3_makes_an_appearance_in_mi_the/

Olympia SG Typewriter Platen Knob Shaft Bent, Repaired, Straightened<br /> by [[Duane Jensen]] of [[Phoenix Typewriter]]<br /> accessed on 2025-08-18T08:17:57

Typewriter Video Series - Episode 173: Olympia SG-3 by [[Joe Van Cleave]]