- Jan 2025
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I only tend to give my typewriters "names" once they're fully cleaned and generally restored and have used them for a bit to know their "character". An example here is my 1950 Royal KMG (Keset Magic Gray) which I call "Sterling" after the Mad Men character Roger Sterling; I also cleaned the the interior with bourbon as an homage.
Many I refer to by year of manufacture and model name ('55 Clipper or '48 Clipper, for example), particularly when I have several similar looking ones from the same time period. A few have names based on writers who I know have used the same models from roughly the same time period (so I have a '49 Royal QDL I've named "Nabokov"). My '48 Royal QDL I call "Dreyfuss" in honor of the typewriter's industrial designer who lived a few miles away from me.
Others are referred to by shorthands featuring unique characteristics, so I have one called "The Vogue" and another I call the "Math SM3" for it's unique math symbol characters. My Remington 666 is variously either "El Diablo" or "Robert Johnson", whose music I listen to while typing on it. I have a German Orga which I call the "Wonka Machine" as one of its brethren appeared in Willy Wonka's office in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (1971).
A few I call by the first names of their prior owners as an homage to their history before I became their caretakers.
I call my Royal HH the "HHE" as that's the serial number prefix for my machine which has an elite face.
What you call your own is entirely up to you.
More on typewriters and naming: https://boffosocko.com/2024/05/25/collective-nouns-for-typewriters-and-typists/
Reply to https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1id4y49/how_to_refer_to_a_typewriter/ by r/ich_mag_frettchen
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- Dec 2024
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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what's your deserted island typewriter? (if I had to pick 5 typewriters...)<br /> by [[Just My Typewriter]]
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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Some interesting typewriter hunters:<br /> - Joe Van Cleave<br /> - Richard Polt<br /> - Michael Hoehne<br /> - Robert Messenger - Ted Munk<br /> - Ian Brumfield - Sarah Everett (aka JustMyTypewriter) - Mei Travis<br /> - Currie Russell - Otto Koponen - Marcin Wichary<br /> - Martin Howard - James Grooms - Chris Aldrich
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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On the value of typewriters
As a hobbyist, you'll easily obtain several hundred dollars worth of potential diversion and satisfaction out of your alluring typewriter by cleaning, properly oiling, and adjusting it. Then you're guaranteed to both give and receive thousands of dollars worth of happiness out of it by typing letters to family and friends. With practice, you may reap millions by writing stories, plays, poems, screenplays, and books.
Even if your scintillating typewriter sits on a shelf as home decor only to be viewed as a museum piece, you'll have gotten $50 of value for even that lowly function.
You'll only have wasted your money if your wondorous typewriter sits lonely and forgotten in a dusty attic or dank basement to rust and rot away.
Might you have gotten it for less? Perhaps, but you've saved yourself a huge amount of time and effort in such a hunt for a machine as desirous as this. You have it in front of you for writing right now.
So get to typing at once my friend! For time is money, and every moment your fingers aren't caressing its keys, you are losing value.
Congratulations on your stunning find.
reply to u/readysalted344 at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1h3jyyt/did_i_waste_my_money/
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- Nov 2024
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1gu971q/whos_an_olivetti_expert/
Broad advice on the touch and feel of Olivetti's
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www.austintypewriterink.com www.austintypewriterink.com
- Oct 2024
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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If the "Hanks Effect" was really so prominent, then we should see the commensurate rise in price of 5 Series Smith Coronas and particularly the Clipper and the Silent which he's also mentioned several times. In fact, he's said these would be the typewriter he'd keep if he had to get rid of all others. Given this fact, it has to be, in part, a variety of other factors which inflates the prices.
Personally I think that it's a combination of the fact that they were manufactured at the peak of typewriter use and manufacturing and before companies began using more plastic and cheaper manufacturing methods, but were also done in a later timeperiod when exterior design and color were on the rise as a differentiator in the marketplace. Quality, form, and function become part of a trifecta which drive desire and collectability.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I've picked up about 20 of the typewriters in my collection from ShopGoodwill.
Only two were impeccably/properly packaged and shipped and one of these was a special machine that I emailed them after purchase with written details and links to videos about how to pack and ship it just to be on the safe side.
Three were dreadful disasters: one was a 40 pound standard that was dropped and the frame bent drastically (it had almost no padding materials inside the box), two were shoved into cases (one upside down and the other right side up, but neither locked into their cases properly nor with their carriage locks engaged so they both bounced around for the entire trip) and put into boxes with almost no packing material. All three refunded portions of the price and/or all the shipping costs.
Most of the remainder (all portables with cases) were packaged with a modicum of care (some packing material in the case and some outside the case with reasonable boxes) and showed up in reasonable condition.
Two of the machines were local enough that I did a local pick up to ensure better care.
Generally, it's a crapshoot, but this is also the reason why I don't spend more than $20 on any machine I get from them (except one reasonably rare German typewriter in the US and a Royal with a Vogue typeface that still came out at less than $100 because only one other person noticed its rarity in the photos).
Only one of the machines was clean as a whistle and ready to type on day one. All the remainder required serious cleanings at a minimum. Two were missing internal pieces, two had repairable drawband issues, one had dramatically bad escapement issues, and one had a destroyed mainspring that I need to replace.
Only one of the group had a platen with any life left in it. One had a completely unusable platen, but it was also relatively obvious in the photos. Most of the rest were hard, but usable.
I live in the US and typically only bid on machines that are in the top 20% of their class cosmetically.
I'll echo the thought of others that I wouldn't have a machine from them shipped directly to someone as a present unless I knew they were a tinkerer and had the mechanical ability, the facilities/tools, and desire to clean and service their own machine. Otherwise, I'd do that myself and ship it to them directly.
reply to u/Tico_Typer at https://old.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1g28v6z/i_am_curious_about_the_shopping_goodwill_websites/
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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littlewishingstar.wordpress.com littlewishingstar.wordpress.com
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I've generally found that Olympia machines with a dedicated 1 key and a 4/$ key will usually have a script font. Additionally they don't have ribbon selectors (which are most often on the right hand side of the keyboard when they are present) or only have black and stencil settings.
The lack of bichrome settings on these machines is due to the taller/lower extenders on many script glyphs.
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In later units, the absence of a ribbon selector is a good clue, though later units (late ‘60s onwards) offered script with units that had ribbon selectors.
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In earlier units, typewriters that have the letter 1 key is a good clue that it is a script font typewriter.
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- Sep 2024
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Downsizing Your Typewriter Collection by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Similar in content and tone to his other videos: - "The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ej6kd1FsnE and <br /> - "Episode 31: Culling the Herd" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_ueHE3Whjk
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Sears on many of the SC rebadges have 1 1/2 line spacing. One day I’m going to get a beater Citation for the parts and put the 1 1/2 parts in a nice SC.
On some of the Sears rebranded Smith-Coronas in the 6 series (Citation, in particular) there are 1 1/2 line spacing options.
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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https://typewriterdatabase.com/1964-sears-citation.2600.typewriter
Sears Citations seem to have an above regular frequency for script typefaces. They shipped with red stickers next to the bichrome setting and on the right ribbon cup warning against the use of bichrome ribbon for the tallest script letters on machines which had script typefaces.
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www.virtualhermans.com www.virtualhermans.com
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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I’ve always wanted a cursive writer, and finally found one at the thrift store. It’s an electric smith corona coronet automatic.
Based on this example and several in the TWdb, the Smith-Corona Coronet Automatic has a high likelihood for having exotic typefaces.
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- Aug 2024
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Typewriter Collection Curation (for Novices) by [[Just My Typewriter]]
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCScn9kxUjOfDNJk3Z-1NWKA Old Typerwriters and Calculators
The YouTube Channel of fausto tomesani https://typewriterdatabase.com/typewriters.php?hunter_search=7180
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Kroustgrafologist Greek kroustiki is Percussion Graf for writing Ologist for study
name for typewriter collectors via LogInternational2253
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en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
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I want a bookwheel for my typewriter collection.
Isaac Azimov had multiple typewriters and used each of them for work on a different writing project.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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https://new.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1evl8e5/how_does_one_go_about_hiding_their_typewriter/
The "difficult fourth moped".... lol!
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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The collector in me says you ought to get a Royal 10 as your 10th machine. But what do I know? I bought a Remington 17 as my 17th and I'm looking forward to the days I'll buy the milestone Remington Ten Forty or the eventual Hermes 3000! 😁
If it helps, at Virtual Hermans 2022, Richard Polt recommended someone justify their continued typewriter collecting to their skeptical wife as an "investment" because typewriters are holding their value well.
I personally don't have a typewriter collecting problem, I have a typewriter ribbon collecting problem that's compounded by need to both store and use them in their original historical context.
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www.instructables.com www.instructables.com
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The typewriter is a Corona made in 1926. I came across it in a yard sale and, having no real use for an old typewriter, I bought it anyway!
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munk.org munk.org
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Typewriter Video Series Episode 31: Culling the Herd by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Rating typewriters by:<br /> - looks<br /> - feel<br /> - print quality
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Alternate systems for helping to thin out typewriter collections:
Designer William Morris' weighing system:
“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
I once had a collector friend who loved standard typewriters, so his weighing system was as follows:<br /> - If it weighs over 25 pounds, keep it<br /> - If it weighs less than 25 pounds, sell it off
And naturally, minimalist Marie Kondo's system:<br /> - Does it spark joy?
Joe Van Cleave also had another video for creating a minimal collection based on categories of typewriter which may also be useful for some: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ej6kd1FsnE
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willowcreektypewriters.com willowcreektypewriters.com
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https://willowcreektypewriters.com/products/still-collecting-more-sticker
SCM could stand for Smith-Corona Marchant, but some typewriter collectors think it stands for Still Collecting More.
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- Jul 2024
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www.antiquetypewriters.com www.antiquetypewriters.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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The Minimal Complete Typewriter Collection by [[Joe Van Cleave]]
Joe Van Cleave's personal six categories in a (his) typewriter collection: - Standard manual - medium-sized portable (largest segment in the collector's space) - lightweight portable or ultra-portable - typebar electric - IBM Selectric - Electronic typewriter (thermal typewriter), portable, quiet, battery operation.
Joe's minimal collection based on what he's got in his collection currently and the condition that they're in: - Royal KMM (his only standard) - Hermes 3000 (boxy middle era) - Olympia Splendid 33 (he's also got a Royal Mercury & Groma Kalibri) - Olympia Reporter - Selectric I (the only one he's got) cloth, ribbon cartridge system, no lift-off correction - Canon Typestar 220
Some of Joe's most important criteria in a typewriter: he prefers an elite face, 1 1/2 spacing, and bichrome setting.
At the time of this recording Joe had 30 typewriters.
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Joe Van Cleave has tags for his typewriters which also include typeface samples. timestamp 1:31
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Before You Buy a Typewriter … Six Top Things You Need to Know by [[CreateX3]]
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Considerations for buying a typewriter:
- Where will you use it? Is weight a consideration? (Standard, portable, ultra portable)
- What Kind of Work will you do? (Do you need tabs, bichrome?)
- How does the Typewriter Feel?
- What type of keyboard will you need? (language, characters, diacritics)
- What is the typeface? You should like/enjoy it and it should be big enough to be easily readable to you.
- Do you like the typewriter's look/style?
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- Jun 2024
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/Rabbits16 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1df7o2t/request_type_writer_suggestion_please/
For that budget range, pick up something cleaned and fully serviced from a nearby shop https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html
Too many resellers are pushing overpriced machines that say "works" or "may need servicing" on some online shops like ebay or Etsy for top end pricing when you can get something truly spectacular and ready for the next 50 years from a serious pro that needs the support for the same price.
As for particular machines to look at, I can't find much to fault in Joe's advice here https://youtu.be/aKMt-aCHZZk?si=CGPduwA4A3HPDm3u
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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Typewriter 101: The ULTIMATE TYPEFACE Guide (ft. Typewriter Chicago) by [[Just My Typewriter]]
featuring Typewriter Chicago's Lucas Dul
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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Hahaha you’re going to have to start slipping the UPS guy a $20 to keep it on the hush hush. “Don’t worry honey, I am getting them to fix up and sell”
reply to u/baxter1207 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1da0voq/repairsclean_ups/l7jg8nl/
I'm pretty sure those exact words have escaped my lips...
Her: "I know you've got five typewriters already, and I'm not counting the one I know you're hiding underneath the bed. Which ones are you going to sell??"
Me (in my head): Where am I going to stash the 12th machine when it arrives later today? At least it's an ultraportable, so it won't take up as much space. Why is my least favorite machine that I want to sell her favorite machine? Will selling it upset the delicate typewriter balance in the house? I can always say that the typewriter coming on Tuesday is a parts machine that I'm using to repair two of the others so I can sell them. Is this how all typewriter repair shops began?
Me: I'm trying to finish up refinishing the two executive tanker desks and the filing cabinet in the garage first so I can get them out and make some space.
😁
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munk.org munk.org
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munk.org munk.org
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Smith-Corona (SCM) Font Styles – To Type, Shoot Straight, and Speak the Truth… by [[Theodore Munk]]
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munk.org munk.org
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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You should not have much trouble finding a cubist (aka techno, square, robotic, futuristic, etc.) font or even Vogue; but good luck finding an italic. Of course, if you want to use them instead of collecting typewriters, get an IBM Selectric and a collection of balls.
colloquial advice
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littlewishingstar.wordpress.com littlewishingstar.wordpress.com
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Swiss-made Hermes (3000, Media 3) seems to top the list of the most sought after vintage manuals with script fontAnother popular choice among collectors is the script typewriter debuted by Olivetti Lettera in 1963.Other typewriter manufacturers that offered the script font were Olympia (SM3, SM7, SM8), Adler (Tippa, J4, J5), Royal (Safari, Sahara), Remington (Deluxe 5, Personal Riter), Smith-Corona (Classic 12, Sterling 5A, Galaxie Deluxe 10, Galaxie 11, Galaxie 12, Silent Super), Torpedo 18, Blickensderfer (with cylinder) and IBM (Selectric with typeball)
unreferenced here, so treat as colloquial
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A field guide to hunting down script typewriters. by [[May Tobias-Papa]]
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writingball.blogspot.com writingball.blogspot.com
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One to get rid of<br /> by [[Richard Polt]]
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- May 2024
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typewriterdatabase.com typewriterdatabase.com
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I don't collect them. They follow me home in small groups of 2 or 3...
via Glen Crookston at https://typewriterdatabase.com/1949-remington-allnew.17706.typewriter
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www.midcenturychap.com www.midcenturychap.com
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www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
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It's a great thing to waste time. The secret of life is to waste time in ways that you like. —Jerry Seinfeld 6:18
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Polt, Richard. The Typewriter Revolution: A Typist’s Companion for the 21st Century. 1st ed. Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2015.
annotation URL: urn:x-pdf:65fe580cf845ed035c4e57ad02a987cf
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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reply to u/FriendlyAd4234 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cn004l/olympia_sg1_dust_cover/
Other than the traditional fabric-like dust covers, you might consider doing a thicker plastic/acrylic cover, particularly if you've got several machines and are using them for display purposes. I live in Los Angeles and there are half a dozen places that do this sort of custom work all the time for very reasonable rates. Searching for "plastic fabricator memoriabilia case" along with variations of plastics (acrylic, lucite, plexiglass) should get you what you want locally. (Here's a few examples I've used in Los Angeles before to give you an idea: https://solterplastics.com/, https://www.plasticfactoryinc.com/, https://www.customacrylicproducts.com/, https://plexidisplays.com/). Search for something similar in your area for easier communication and pick up/shipping.
If you search around for companies that make plastic displays, particularly for memorabilia (baseball bats, baseball cards, etc.), you can have them design and make a custom sized clear plastic box/enclosure that will keep the dust and dirt out, but still allow you to see the machine inside.
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- Apr 2024
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filthyplaten.com filthyplaten.com
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site.xavier.edu site.xavier.edu
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Solan, Matthew. “Tracking Down Typewriters: Those Trusty Tools of Days Gone By.” Poets & Writers Magazine, August 19, 2009. p 31-33.
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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EquivalentHead3589[S] 0 points1 point2 points 2 hours ago (1 child)Yes to all that! I agree and understand.
reply to u/EquivalentHead3589 at https://www.reddit.com/r/typewriters/comments/1cbzx1n/how_do_you_price_typewriters/
The primary difference is that listing prices don't indicate actual value. That is only determined by actual sales price. Things are worse for the listings which don't indicate much about condition as you're probably more likely to need to have the machine serviced and/or replace or recondition parts. This can often add a few hundred dollars (or significant research and time, tools, and elbow grease) to the bottom line to be able to use a machine.
I do recall a burgundy Olympia SM3 which sold in the last 4 months for right at $300 which was regularly used (loved) and serviced and in excellent condition with some fantastic photos. If you compare it to this Burgundy/Gray machine (https://www.ebay.com/itm/404901285037) for $299, but which has a missing key cap, and a damaged case, and may likely have other hiding issues. If you consider that you'll likely need to put a minimum of another $100 into this to get it up to the fighting shape that the first was in and it's still got damage, you'll start seeing the stark difference. The people with listings at $550-800 know they're not selling and they're just sitting there, so why not email them and ask more specific questions about condition and get a typed typeface sample of all the keys. Then make an offer for $200 +/- with some wiggle room for service costs once you've gotten it to see if they'll sell?
As an example, look at https://www.ebay.com/itm/226016437104 which is a Gray SM3 originally listed for $549 and now on sale for $428. The seller knows it's not moving. They state that they got it at an estate sale (probably for around $25) and they definitely did no work other than quick check of the keys. If you demonstrate that you've savvy enough to know the specific machine (what shape are the rubber washers on the frame next to the feet to prevent the carriage from rubbing against the frame? how what is the durometer measurement on (how hard is) the platen?), the market (in top shape maybe $300), and what servicing/repair costs are, they'd probably accept an offer of $150-200 and you're off to the races and they've made a solid profit.
The biggest issue in the typewriter market at present is the broad lack of information and knowledge about them on both the buyer and seller side. If you can demonstrate you've got more knowledge than the other side, you'll be in a far better position to negotiate, otherwise a seller can sit and wait an undetermined amount of time waiting for a sucker who will likely never show up.
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americanwritersmuseum.org americanwritersmuseum.org
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I had this discussion with Tom Hanks, who had the same typewriter repairman as I do, about how he collects for the type of typewriter and I collect for who used them.
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en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
- Mar 2024
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www.reddit.com www.reddit.com
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My quick typewriter purchasing crash course: <br /> Most typewriters are solid beasts and can take a serious beating and still work really well. I've got 5 now that I bought for $10-50 and mostly really only needed small tweaks to work perfectly. One has an issue that will require some more heavy work, but having gotten it for $10, it's not really much of an issue. Several of them worked incredibly well right out of the box with no work at all. Occasionally kids will pound on the keys which can cause the linkages to come undone, but a pair of needle nose pliers and some patience to look at the mechanics of what's not working underneath can usually get them repaired without any real work. Beyond this there's a wealth of online videos and help that can get you pretty far without paying for a repair shop. Some are just old and dusty and need a quick cleaning with compressed air and/or a toothbrush.
Ebay can tend to have heavily overinflated prices because a lot of folks think that all typewriters are rare. A very small percentage of some of the oldest are, but generally as a group they're not. If you don't want to fool around with repair issues you can purchase machines from repair shops serviced in full working condition from $75-200, but at least you can expect that they're nearly perfect beyond some small blemishes due to age. Sadly, a lot of places will list broken machines in questionable shape for this much because they see others listing (great machines) for the same amount. Don't fall prey to this. Some of the best places to look for functional machines are donation shops (Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.) as well as yard sales or estate sales. Online sites like Facebook marketplace, https://shopgoodwill.com, or https://offerup.com can have inexpensive listings, but most are listed as untested because most folks don't know how to test them fully and are scared of them, but this is usually where you can find some great deals. You can also ask for typewriters on https://buynothingproject.org/ or a Facebook group for your particular area.
If you're able to test things in person, it can help to have some blank paper or index cards and even a universal ribbon ($5-15, in case the old ribbon is missing or too old and dry to work) with you. Then you can put in paper, try out each key (with/without shift), and all the other buttons, knobs, and switches as well as the margin stops, and the bell. Most folks listing them are well aware they're not actually selling for prices over $50 and will be open for 10-25% discounts off of what they're listing them for. I will mention that I bought one machine as dirt cheap because someone had it on the stencil setting (rather than the usual black or red ribbon settings) and they didn't know that this meant it wouldn't type anything visible. A quick flip of the switch after purchase and I was on my way.
r/typewriters is a wealth of information as are https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/index.html and https://typewriterdatabase.com/. Usually, you can't go too far wrong with one of the most popular models which are generally ranked at https://typewriterdatabase.com/popular.0.typewriter-models.
Good luck!
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slate.com slate.com
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[[Mark Lawrence Schrad]] in Why the World of Typewriter Collectors Splits Down the Middle When These Machines Come Up for Sale<br /> at 2024-03-16 12:00 PM <br /> (accessed:: 2024-03-19 10:23:08)
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The largest online typewriter community currently boasts some 29,000 members, with no signs of slowing down.
Facebook group: Antique Typewriter Collectors https://www.facebook.com/groups/4770669677
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- Apr 2023
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Typewriter Tips: Budgeting (AKA How to get cheap typewriters!)
- antique malls (look in unconventional places (like luggage))
- estate sales (everything must go)
- yard sales
- auctions
- facebook marketplace (negotiating)
Hunting tips - look for cases, folks they often don't know what's in them or think they're luggage - look under things - negotiate<br /> - bundle items as a group to negotiate<br /> - Tell friends and you'll get an army looking for you
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TYPEWRITER TOUR: How I ended up with 17 typewriters (story time)
California Typewriter got Sara into collecting.
She names her typewriters.
She likes the consistency of the Corona Pacemaker, the IBM Selectric II, and the Olympia Electric.
- Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Aqua/Blue Travel
- Royal Futura 800
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