WWWOT: Typewriters

[stephenmarklay]

My eleven year old wants a typewriter for Christmas. She is a prolific reader and writer and I guess she thinks steel is real :)

I know nothing about typewriters. In junior high my typing teacher was a witch and I never got over it.

My wife seems to think she needs to get an electronic model for its ease of use but somehow I think that my daughter is thinking along a different line.

What do I need to know?

[Tony T]

ebay is probably your best and only source.
I would go with electric (IBM Selectric). Manual typewriter is only good as an antique, not for use.
There are also some "modern" electrics (i.e. about 20 years old) that have memory and good error-correction (i.e "Brother").

edit: Looks like there is quite a selection on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=typewriter&sprefix=typerwrite%2Caps%2C179

.

[d_douglas]

My eleven year old wants a typewriter for Christmas. She is a prolific reader and writer and I guess she thinks steel is real :)

I know nothing about typewriters. In junior high my typing teacher was a witch and I never got over it.

My wife seems to think she needs to get an electronic model for its ease of use but somehow I think that my daughter is thinking along a different line.

What do I need to know?




That's awesome! I love it. I am sure you could get a manual typewriter froma vintage goods shop for under $100. Let her fool around with it, curse when she makes an error, then long for the silent tap of the keyboard of a MacBook ;).

I love hearing when kids march to the beat of their own drum. For as many sports as I enroll my daughter in, she just asks to be in more art classes. I am getting the feeling that she prefers painting over soccer .

[bobswire]

I just checked my local craigslist, wow. > http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=Typewriter

[stephenmarklay]

I just checked my local craigslist, wow. > http://sfbay.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=Typewriter

I know but the problem is I have no clue what is what. My wife said the IBM Selectric models are good but they sure look ugly :)

[Ken Robb]

Does she touch-type or is she a hunt/peck person? She might think a manual portable is cool because they are light and are not tethered in place by a cord.

[Rada]

I'd get a better idea of which she prefers. If you get her an electric and she is thinking vintage manual she is going to be really disappointed.

[Ti Designs]

Save a few dollars for ribbons, typing paper and white-out...

[Tony T]

Take a look at this and read the "reviews"

https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Epoch-Portable-Manual-Typewriter/dp/B00FK540SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481132176&sr=8-1&keywords=typewriter
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41sZCLtkN8L._SX355_.jpg

[false_Aest]

Uh,

Why don't you ask what your daughter wants?
It is her Xmas gift after all.

[bikingshearer]

I know but the problem is I have no clue what is what. My wife said the IBM Selectric models are good but they sure look ugly :)

IBM Selectrics are the Campy Super Record of electric typewriters. Only more durable. And way less pretty, especially in that avocado green that seemed to be so popular in the 1970s. But after a nuclear holocaust or stray asteroid wipes out civilization, the cockroaches will be eating Twinkies, driving old Volvos and typing their memoirs on Selectrics. (Oh, and riding old Schwinn Varsinentals. :p)

One other thing: Selectrics have the perfect "touch" - light enough to be fast, but with a satisfying amount of feedback. Many a computer keyboard maker has tried to duplicate the feel of a Selectric keyboard. No lie.

For a manual, you're on your own.

[daker13]

ebay is probably your best and only source.
I would go with electric (IBM Selectric). Manual typewriter is only good as an antique, not for use.
There are also some "modern" electrics (i.e. about 20 years old) that have memory and good error-correction (i.e "Brother").

edit: Looks like there is quite a selection on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=typewriter&sprefix=typerwrite%2Caps%2C179

.

I totally disagree. I think electronic typewriters stink: you might as well just use a computer. Go full Hemingway. And make sure and get your kid a pack of Marlboros, an ashtray and a big stack of paper to complete the look.

I kind of got into typewriters a few years ago. I use it for writing letters and other stuff. I just think they're really cool objects. I realize it's a ridiculous affectation, considered 'hipster' by many, but I just think they're really cool, as your daughter apparently does.

I have an Olympia (Made in Germany--can't remember the model--RM9?) and two Olivettis (Italy), a Lettera 22 and a Lettera 32. The Lettera 32 is by far my favorite. It is a so-called portable typewriter, so on the light side. But its keys have such a sweet, light action. Some typewriter guys think the Olympia is the best made, but I really love the Olivettis. Some are made in Spain, some in Italy, so get the Italian version if you can. The Lettera 32 is a really great object, a great machine. If you're into design and want to spend some money, get the Olivetti Valentine--an icon, but expensive.

Here's my best piece of advice: see if there's a local typewriter shop in business. You might be able to buy one from them, but they're often expensive. If you buy one off craigslist or eBay, at least take it to the local place to get it tuned up. They stay in business, oftentimes, because of typewriters needed for forms, colleges, etc., and they often also do copy machine repair. I found one in Pawtucket, near where I live. Talking to the guy who owns the place was really a priceless experience--hearing his stories, etc. Just a really super cool guy. (They're called Marr Office Equipment, for anyone in RI or MA).

I used to have a bunch of links to good typewriter websites, but I apparently have lost them.

You also need to check out one of the lists of which writers used which typewriter. Authors are/were very connected to their typewriters, and there are lots of sites that cover that (and with great photos). Paul Auster uses the same Olympia model that I do--I think he even wrote a book about it. Cormac McCarthy is apparently devoted to the Lettera 32, and lots of writers like the 22--even now.

Just looked at eBay, looks like prices have gone up in the last couple years...but you should be able to find a good one. Antique stores often have them for around $20.

http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

[cadence90]

There is only one choice that hits all the keys:

Designed by Ettore Sottsass.
Built by Olivetti.
Easily portable.
Red, with a red shell.
Has a romantic name.
In the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Olivetti "valentine".
:)

https://www.kaufmann-mercantile.com/field-notes//images/Ettore-Sottsass-Valentine-typewriter.png
.
.

[daker13]

Save a few dollars for ribbons, typing paper and white-out...

Trust me, not exactly unobtanium. I believe most manual typewriters take the same ribbon, if I'm not mistaken. White-out, however, was surprisingly hard to find (it is at Staples, but not Rite-Aid).

For all you electric typewriter fans, do you also want little motors to make the pedals easier to turn?

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

In all seriousness, some manual typewriter do need a good smack to make a mark--my Olympia is like that. The Olivettis definitely do NOT. Best way to find out is to try it. Plenty of stuff on the web too.

[dave thompson]

I used a Selectric back in the day when I was writing motorcycle stuff for a newspaper. I loved the tactile 'feel', speed and ease of use. Those things were bullet-proof.

[fuzzalow]

Bravo and kudos. I really like and appreciate the thinking behind what I see as a gradual return from, and repellent from, certain aspects of digital. And how it trivializes certain aspects of life. I am especially encouraged that some of this movement from digital might take hold in the younger adults and soon-to-be young adults. Fancy that, things that cannot be expressed in a twitter feed; nuance expressed in full thoughts and written to paragraphs. I am an optimist and humanity may yet be well served by those not captive to id.

The pendulum swings. And digital has brought as much good as bad which is ineluctable with the human condition that it exists under and serves.

I am an optimist.

[Rada]

Like your style daker13. I used a Royal Quite Deluxe throughout HS and college. I've also got an old Woodstock that's friggin gorgeous.

[daker13]

Another shot of the Valentine:
https://img1.etsystatic.com/043/0/8639553/il_570xN.656162757_23ev.jpg

In its case:
http://www.huntingforgeorge.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/Olivetti_Valentine_03.jpg

And the working class version, the Lettera 32:
http://johnguycollick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/olivetti_lettera.jpg

[vqdriver]

i have a selectric in brown. i use it maybe a dozen times a year or so and it's fun to use for sure. one thing to consider when buying an actual typrewriter is that repairs are not as easy as it used to be. people just aren't repairing these things anymore and the repair skills are dying. sadly, typewriters are not supposed to be disposable....

[jghall]

That's awesome! I love it. I love hearing when kids march to the beat of their own drum. For as many sports as I enroll my daughter in, she just asks to be in more art classes. I am getting the feeling that she prefers painting over soccer .

Agreed. It's great when a kid takes a vested interest in anything, but particularly when it's somewhat off the beaten path. Kudos.

[stephenmarklay]

Take a look at this and read the "reviews"

https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Epoch-Portable-Manual-Typewriter/dp/B00FK540SI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481132176&sr=8-1&keywords=typewriter
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41sZCLtkN8L._SX355_.jpg

I saw that one. At the 30% level for 1 star I start to wonder.

[stephenmarklay]

Uh,

Why don't you ask what your daughter wants?
It is her Xmas gift after all.

That is what I told my wife as she is told me we need to get her an electric. I will ask my daughter tonight. We are going to take her and her younger brother to see santa at the mall tonight so...

[stephenmarklay]

Trust me, not exactly unobtanium. I believe most manual typewriters take the same ribbon, if I'm not mistaken. White-out, however, was surprisingly hard to find (it is at Staples, but not Rite-Aid).

For all you electric typewriter fans, do you also want little motors to make the pedals easier to turn?

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

In all seriousness, some manual typewriter do need a good smack to make a mark--my Olympia is like that. The Olivettis definitely do NOT. Best way to find out is to try it. Plenty of stuff on the web too.

That was my remark to my wife. She said a manual is too hard to press. I said maybe it was just the manual you tried. But that was just an uneducated comment.

[stephenmarklay]

I totally disagree. I think electronic typewriters stink: you might as well just use a computer. Go full Hemingway. And make sure and get your kid a pack of Marlboros, an ashtray and a big stack of paper to complete the look.

I kind of got into typewriters a few years ago. I use it for writing letters and other stuff. I just think they're really cool objects. I realize it's a ridiculous affectation, considered 'hipster' by many, but I just think they're really cool, as your daughter apparently does.

I have an Olympia (Made in Germany--can't remember the model--RM9?) and two Olivettis (Italy), a Lettera 22 and a Lettera 32. The Lettera 32 is by far my favorite. It is a so-called portable typewriter, so on the light side. But its keys have such a sweet, light action. Some typewriter guys think the Olympia is the best made, but I really love the Olivettis. Some are made in Spain, some in Italy, so get the Italian version if you can. The Lettera 32 is a really great object, a great machine. If you're into design and want to spend some money, get the Olivetti Valentine--an icon, but expensive.

Here's my best piece of advice: see if there's a local typewriter shop in business. You might be able to buy one from them, but they're often expensive. If you buy one off craigslist or eBay, at least take it to the local place to get it tuned up. They stay in business, oftentimes, because of typewriters needed for forms, colleges, etc., and they often also do copy machine repair. I found one in Pawtucket, near where I live. Talking to the guy who owns the place was really a priceless experience--hearing his stories, etc. Just a really super cool guy. (They're called Marr Office Equipment, for anyone in RI or MA).

I used to have a bunch of links to good typewriter websites, but I apparently have lost them.

You also need to check out one of the lists of which writers used which typewriter. Authors are/were very connected to their typewriters, and there are lots of sites that cover that (and with great photos). Paul Auster uses the same Olympia model that I do--I think he even wrote a book about it. Cormac McCarthy is apparently devoted to the Lettera 32, and lots of writers like the 22--even now.

Just looked at eBay, looks like prices have gone up in the last couple years...but you should be able to find a good one. Antique stores often have them for around $20.

http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html


Thank you for this information.

[stephenmarklay]

there is only one choice that hits all the keys:

Designed by ettore sottsass.
Built by olivetti.
Easily portable.
Red, with a red shell.
Has a romantic name.
In the permanent collection of the museum of modern art.

Olivetti "valentine".
:)

https://www.kaufmann-mercantile.com/field-notes//images/ettore-sottsass-valentine-typewriter.png
.
.

kewl

[profkrispy]

The Underwood Touchmaster 5. What's not to like?

http://typewriterdatabase.com/img/gunderwood%20_3179_1410210279.jpg

[palincss]

ebay is probably your best and only source.
I would go with electric (IBM Selectric). Manual typewriter is only good as an antique, not for use.


When I think of all the term papers I typed on the manual typewriter I got as a Christmas present when I was in 7th grade. "Not for use"? I wonder how I ever managed... I still have it, right here under this desk. I'll bet I'm not the only one. There's a shed load of them on ebay, all brands. You're really spoiled for choice.

[palincss]

I totally disagree. I think electronic typewriters stink: you might as well just use a computer. Go full Hemingway. And make sure and get your kid a pack of Marlboros, an ashtray and a big stack of paper to complete the look.


Luckies or Camels, not Marlboros. When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way.

[palincss]

That was my remark to my wife. She said a manual is too hard to press. I said maybe it was just the manual you tried. But that was just an uneducated comment.

If you think the keys of a manual typewriter are going to feel like an electric or a computer keyboard, then sure, they're "too hard to press." You've got to hit 'em with some force. It's not like you're triggering a switch, you've got to move the key and the hammer and make it hit the ribbon hard enough to make an impression. Believe it or not, back when we all managed, every one of us. You never saw an electric until you took a typing class in High School.

In fact, my first job - at a weekly newspaper in Brooklyn Heights - there was one Selectric, all the rest were big old Underwood No. 5s that dated back to 1920 or before, iike this one here:

http://mytypewriter.com/ProductImages/UN_NO5_late_Ex_M.jpg

No sissified "touch typing" on those monsters: two fingers, and bang like hell. In action with a fast typist, it was like listening to a machine gun rapping out bursts of three and five, and then a big BAM when the typist smacked the carriage return and it came slamming back to full right. Of course, nobody would ever call one of them "portable" - not unless you were a piano mover.

[alexstar]

There is only one choice that hits all the keys:

Designed by Ettore Sottsass.
Built by Olivetti.
Easily portable.
Red, with a red shell.
Has a romantic name.
In the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

Olivetti "valentine".
:)

https://www.kaufmann-mercantile.com/field-notes//images/Ettore-Sottsass-Valentine-typewriter.png
.
.

I came here to post this. Get the Valentine.

I grew up typing my schoolwork on my mom's Selectric. Great typewriter but I suspect not what kids these days have in mind.

[cadence90]

I came here to post this. Get the Valentine.

I grew up typing my schoolwork on my mom's Selectric. Great typewriter but I suspect not what kids these days have in mind.

Can you imagine: an 11-year old girl wants a typewriter for Christmas, and on the she day unwraps the box and sees that thing?!? Best present ever, and a lifetime collector's item.

Nothing can beat it, seriously. And, it is a very good machine, not some trinket. They are definitely not inexpensive, though. :(

[stephenmarklay]

Can you imagine: an 11-year old girl wants a typewriter for Christmas, and on the she day unwraps the box and sees that thing?!? Best present ever, and a lifetime collector's item.

Nothing can beat it, seriously. And, it is a very good machine, not some trinket. They are definitely not inexpensive, though. :(

Very true. That may be the one we search for later. This is not a “normal” kid. I have a feeling she will make money with that typewriter.

[makoti]

Uh,

Why don't you ask what your daughter wants?
It is her Xmas gift after all.

Agreed. If she's asking for a TYPEWRITER, she likely has something in mind.
3 pages on typewriters...this place is crazy good.

[stephenmarklay]

“3 pages on typewriters...this place is crazy good."

Once I asked about whiskey :)

[559Rando]

Here's my best piece of advice: see if there's a local typewriter shop in business. You might be able to buy one from them, but they're often expensive. If you buy one off craigslist or eBay, at least take it to the local place to get it tuned up. They stay in business, oftentimes, because of typewriters needed for forms, colleges, etc., and they often also do copy machine repair. I found one in Pawtucket, near where I live. Talking to the guy who owns the place was really a priceless experience--hearing his stories, etc. Just a really super cool guy. (They're called Marr Office Equipment, for anyone in RI or MA).


And since I'm in Portland, there are more than couple typewriter repair gurus. LOL

I've always wanted to get my wife a 70's Hermes 3000
http://mytypewriter.com/ProductImages/HE_3000_1970s_M1.jpg

[11.4]

OK. Had to respond after that post.

Find out what kind she wants. Kids may well want a retro typewriter that's portable. That ain't a Selectric. There are a number of places to look for older typewriters besides eBay, Craigslist, and Etsy. For manuals, Hermes, Adlers, and Olivettis are the nicest. Nicest means they have relatively short and light key throw (you don't have to push them down an inch and a half to have the die hit the ribbon and they have a good touch, reliable and truly round platen (many are not really round), and so on. A good manual can be fast and fun -- portable, cool, and kids would love them. I'm betting that's what your kid really wants. An old black Smith Corona? No. Horrible to type on. The raised edges on the tiny keys kill your fingers. And ugly output. Here are a few sources where I've gotten typewriters before:

http://startypewriters.com

https://typewritersforsale.com

http://olivertypewritershop.com/shop-antique-typewriters/

http://www.vintagetypewritershoppe.com/Vintage_Typewriters_1.html

Vintage is mostly the older typewriters, not as much fun. Star is more 1950's and 1960's and cool, and does great repairs and restorations. The other two are good if they have what you want.

If she wants an electric, there were some small late portables from all the makers, but nothing to write home about. The key throw was small, which was the biggest appeal to them, but very mushy.

In a Selectric, there was the original Selectric, then the Selectric II, then briefly the Selectric III. The latter two had the same squarish shape with corners; the original was egg shaped and oval. The original came in funky colors. The II and III came in blue, red, white, etc. The advantages of a Selectric were (a) fast typing speed possible because the keys were so good, (b) they used the Selectric golfball type heads which lasted forever unless you stepped on them, (c) they came in hundreds of fonts and character sets (you could switch a ball mid-line and type a couple words in Cyrillic, then switch to Attic Greek, and back to English, and in the next line type a Fourier transform), and (d) the balls are all interchangeable. And there were even aftermarket ones if you have really weird needs (there were ones for ASL, braille, chemical notations, linguistics, etc.)

Buy the Selectric II or III. The original ones got used until they were worn out, but the later ones, especially the ones in red or blue, got replaced by Wang and other computerized equipment and didn't get the same abuse. The II and III had an erasable tape that allowed you to backspace over a typo, type the same character, and it literally lifted the original ink off the page. Cartridges and tapes are still available.

The drawback to the Selectric is that it's perhaps 40 lbs or so. IBM didn't even make carrying cases for them. It's fun and it actually makes you type accurately. In the end, there's no real reason to use a typewriter except to be retro or cool, since you can type faster with many more features on a computer keyboard. And it can be much cheaper as well. But there are writers who swear by their Hermes or Olivetti and still write books on them. It all comes down to what her majesty has to say about her typewriter preferences.

[cadence90]

Very true. That may be the one we search for later. This is not a “normal” kid. I have a feeling she will make money with that typewriter.
Great! She sounds like a wonderful kid! :beer:

Agreed. If she's asking for a TYPEWRITER, she likely has something in mind.
3 pages on typewriters...this place is crazy good.

“3 pages on typewriters...this place is crazy good."

Once I asked about whiskey :)
LOL. It is a great place.

But...3 pages? Pfffft...ask Dave Thompson about tequila...he'd probably write 30 pages on his own! :D

[makoti]

But...3 pages? Pfffft...ask Dave Thompson about tequila...he'd probably write 30 pages on his own! :D

Tequila? Sure. Whiskey? Ok. Cameras, phones, spearguns, compressors, yeah. But a typewriter? Next we have to talk about paper. Bond? Weight? Color?
Of course, we are amateurs... http://typewriter.boardhost.com/index.php

[Frankwurst]

Please indulge her and find her the type of mechanical device she is looking for simply because she will not be taking advantage of what's avaliable today but taking a step back in time and learning more than just typing. Kudos to her.:beer:

[EPIC! Stratton]

Go Mechanical. Way more fun.

That said, I'd go for a Royal Model O. A true classic. Beautiful sound and feel. Not too difficult. A few quirks which make it fun. Also not too hard to find a working one with a case for a fair price. I managed to score one from a vintage market for $50 a few years back and use it from time to time to write letters to family, friends, or my wife.

https://img0.etsystatic.com/122/0/10315877/il_570xN.1043657322_taab.jpg

http://thumbs4.picclick.com/d/w1600/pict/302045265507_/Early-Royal-Portable-Standard-Touch-Control-Model-O.jpg

May want to give a ring to these folks to see if they have anything they could sell you or ship to you for a fair price.

Cambridge Typewriter (http://www.cambridgetypewriter.com)

[stephenmarklay]

I totally disagree. I think electronic typewriters stink: you might as well just use a computer. Go full Hemingway. And make sure and get your kid a pack of Marlboros, an ashtray and a big stack of paper to complete the look.

I kind of got into typewriters a few years ago. I use it for writing letters and other stuff. I just think they're really cool objects. I realize it's a ridiculous affectation, considered 'hipster' by many, but I just think they're really cool, as your daughter apparently does.

I have an Olympia (Made in Germany--can't remember the model--RM9?) and two Olivettis (Italy), a Lettera 22 and a Lettera 32. The Lettera 32 is by far my favorite. It is a so-called portable typewriter, so on the light side. But its keys have such a sweet, light action. Some typewriter guys think the Olympia is the best made, but I really love the Olivettis. Some are made in Spain, some in Italy, so get the Italian version if you can. The Lettera 32 is a really great object, a great machine. If you're into design and want to spend some money, get the Olivetti Valentine--an icon, but expensive.

Here's my best piece of advice: see if there's a local typewriter shop in business. You might be able to buy one from them, but they're often expensive. If you buy one off craigslist or eBay, at least take it to the local place to get it tuned up. They stay in business, oftentimes, because of typewriters needed for forms, colleges, etc., and they often also do copy machine repair. I found one in Pawtucket, near where I live. Talking to the guy who owns the place was really a priceless experience--hearing his stories, etc. Just a really super cool guy. (They're called Marr Office Equipment, for anyone in RI or MA).

I used to have a bunch of links to good typewriter websites, but I apparently have lost them.

You also need to check out one of the lists of which writers used which typewriter. Authors are/were very connected to their typewriters, and there are lots of sites that cover that (and with great photos). Paul Auster uses the same Olympia model that I do--I think he even wrote a book about it. Cormac McCarthy is apparently devoted to the Lettera 32, and lots of writers like the 22--even now.

Just looked at eBay, looks like prices have gone up in the last couple years...but you should be able to find a good one. Antique stores often have them for around $20.

http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/typers.html

Thanks for linking this site. It has a neat list of authors and the typewriters they used.

[pbarry]

There are a few Lettera 32 machines here. Will make you a good deal on one, or trade for bike parts. :)

[oliver1850]

I think my old Royal is in the attik with Mr. Squirrel. If so yours for shipping cost. Probably not used since I typed resumes 30+ years ago, but I got job offers. Like this one, but perhaps not the exact same model:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Royal-manual-portable-typewriter-/162304283362?hash=item25ca16d2e2:g:ilEAAOSw44BYQHO J

[Joel]

Yet another demonstration of the knowledge on this board!

Please let us know how this turns out and what she selects.

[weisan]

I got two typewriters in the storage up until our last move three years ago, wife and kids all asked me to get rid of em'...should have kept it...but maybe I still have them somewhere in the garage. I like typewriters. :D

[Black Dog]

OK, my ten year old daughter has a portable manual typewriter that we picked up at a thrift shop. She loves it. She writes out screen plays/scripts for movies that she then films with our iPad. She loves the typewriter. I love the sound of the keys and the ding of the carriage return. I really love the contrast of the typewriter and the iPad comping together to make a movie. Don't overthink this, it is about the means not the end....the ride not the bike...:D

[Climb01742]

I love typewriters too. I write for a living and in my, um, younger years I wrote on many typewriters. For me, it really comes down to two considerations:

Pressure needed to depress the keys. While I love the romance and Hemingway fantasies of using a manual, it takes some effort to work the keys. Over time, how would your daughter like this? Fingertips can actually get a little sore, as can wrists. It's just not a motion anyone is used to now. What really set the Selectric II apart was the beautiful light touch of the keys (that and how cool it is to watch the ball flick around.)

Does she want to carry it to different rooms/places? A Selectric is heavy. Seriously. While a portable is a moveable feast (see, can't resist the Hemingway thing.) A Selectric also has a bigger footprint on a desk or table. A portable might fit more places.

Whatever you choose, yay!! Typewriters are cool.

[stephenmarklay]

There are a few Lettera 32 machines here. Will make you a good deal on one, or trade for bike parts. :)

I am interested. I am the anti hoarder for bike parts so I don’t have a lot of stuff at any one time but let me know what you are would want and also what one would cost outright.

Thanks!

[stephenmarklay]

I think my old Royal is in the attik with Mr. Squirrel. If so yours for shipping cost. Probably not used since I typed resumes 30+ years ago, but I got job offers. Like this one, but perhaps not the exact same model:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Royal-manual-portable-typewriter-/162304283362?hash=item25ca16d2e2:g:ilEAAOSw44BYQHO J

Cool! I may take you up on this. I am will talk to my daughter this morning.

[stephenmarklay]

OK, my ten year old daughter has a portable manual typewriter that we picked up at a thrift shop. She loves it. She writes out screen plays/scripts for movies that she then films with our iPad. She loves the typewriter. I love the sound of the keys and the ding of the carriage return. I really love the contrast of the typewriter and the iPad comping together to make a movie. Don't overthink this, it is about the means not the end....the ride not the bike...:D

Very cool. This sounds just like my kid. She has made some moves too. She is has a talent for writing.

Thank you.

[stephenmarklay]

I want to thank everyone for the input. I am actually pretty excited to get her a typewriter.

[Seramount]

I know but the problem is I have no clue what is what. My wife said the IBM Selectric models are good but they sure look ugly :)

liked using a Selectric bitd...the 'golf ball' is seriously cool, was very hi-tech at the time.

makes a very unique sound too.

[stephenmarklay]

I thought I should update this thread. I ended up getting the Lettera 32 from Pbarry.

What a neat little machine. I spent a little time tinkering with it and it does have that old world appeal.

I am sure my daughter will really enjoy it. I will have to take a picture of her typing on it when she gets it for Christmas.

Thanks everyone.

[Black Dog]

Great. :D

[cadence90]

I thought I should update this thread. I ended up getting the Lettera 32 from Pbarry.

What a neat little machine. I spent a little time tinkering with it and it does have that old world appeal.

I am sure my daughter will really enjoy it. I will have to take a picture of her typing on it when she gets it for Christmas.

Thanks everyone.
Excellent. Yes, do post the photo.

Self-publishing, here she comes! :hello: :D

[martl]

I know but the problem is I have no clue what is what. My wife said the IBM Selectric models are good but they sure look ugly :)

if you want style in the CV sense, Olivetti had outstanding design in the 70ies. They can lack a bit on the reliability side, tho.
Olympia Traveller de Luxe would be another fine example!

[EPIC! Stratton]

Another Paceline success story!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[daker13]

I thought I should update this thread. I ended up getting the Lettera 32 from Pbarry.

What a neat little machine. I spent a little time tinkering with it and it does have that old world appeal.

I am sure my daughter will really enjoy it. I will have to take a picture of her typing on it when she gets it for Christmas.

Thanks everyone.

Great choice!

[stephenmarklay]

The typewriter is hit! She is loving it and has been typing all day. Her first story was an biography about the typewriter itself now named Bernard. Not really an Italian name ;)

[weisan]

This is SUPER AWESOME!

[Climb01742]

Indeed, that is awesome. Great gift. Big props for both dad and daughter.:beer:

[dgauthier]

The typewriter is hit! She is loving it and has been typing all day. Her first story was an biography about the typewriter itself now named Bernard. Not really an Italian name ;)

That is absolutely wonderful. You can't 'em teach this stuff -- they come prewired that way.

I'm curious though: have you asked her what the appeal of a typewriter is over a computer? What is her thought process?

[Black Dog]

The typewriter is hit! She is loving it and has been typing all day. Her first story was an biography about the typewriter itself now named Bernard. Not really an Italian name ;)

Bernard...hmmm if there were only some relation to a famous french cyclist then the grand boucle would be complete. ;)

Enjoy her happiness.

[stephenmarklay]

That is absolutely wonderful. You can't 'em teach this stuff -- they come prewired that way.

I'm curious though: have you asked her what the appeal of a typewriter is over a computer? What is her thought process?

Good question. I think its the steel is real thing :)

She is a pretty hardcore reader and writer and I am guessing she read about them researching stuff. She has a computer as well.

There is something immediate and fun about it.

It seems everything analog is coming back. Heck when Di2 is old enough folks will be buying up old mechanical groups until the powers reintroduce them!

[pbarry]

Knowing that the Olivetti is in good hands makes me happy. Bernard is French-Anglo, (yes, nice one Black Dog with the Hinault reference), for Bernardo as in Bertolucci, so it's all good. :beer:

[cadence90]

The typewriter is hit! She is loving it and has been typing all day. Her first story was an biography about the typewriter itself now named Bernard. Not really an Italian name ;)

It makes complete sense to me.
Olivetti are from Ivrea, in Piemonte. Piemonte was/is heavily French-influenced, by adjacency and by having been under French rule many times, but this did lead to some confusion. For example, the French, when spelling the name "Bernardo", choose to always drop the "far superior Italian "o"", for some strange reason....

And, there was also this Italian Bernard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_of_Italy), who led quite the interesting life.

Smart francophile cookie, your daughter!
Heck, when she commissions a Luigino she'll probably insist that Dario stamp the fork crown: "BON SOIR........JEUNE FILLE".

:)

[eddief]

the photo of your daughter typing touched my old heart.

[palincss]

Good question. I think its the steel is real thing :)

She is a pretty hardcore reader and writer and I am guessing she read about them researching stuff. She has a computer as well.

There is something immediate and fun about it.

It seems everything analog is coming back. Heck when Di2 is old enough folks will be buying up old mechanical groups until the powers reintroduce them!

The tactile and auditory sensations of a manual typewriter are very different from a computer.

[martl]

Loving the story! :)


Smart francophile cookie, your daughter!
Heck, when she commissions a Luigino she'll probably insist that Dario stamp the fork crown: "BON SOIR........JEUNE FILLE".

Well, there's always that i suppose...

[stephenmarklay]

Thanks everyone.

I need to tweak it a little as the carriage is acting up a bit. Pbarry pointed me to some sites that talk about this. I am guessing just a little cleaning.

The real problem is my daughter won’t let me touch it :)