Olivetti | nathanguitars

Tag Archives: Olivetti

January 5, 2024 · 6:01 pm

Italian Style

Olivetti mechanics in an Underwood body: Italian engineering, American design, made in Spain

Bought this Underwood 450 the other day. It was all stained and dirty but Brasso and Meguires plastic cleaner polished it up nicely. I naturally assumed that since it was an Olivetti inside, it had to be Italian design, but it was not. It is an American design! However, Underwood was owned by Olivetti and so the design had to be Olivetti approved, hence I call it Italian Style! Concurrently, I also found a Borsolino cap at last, as well as an Italian merino wool cardigan. I wanted a Borsolino hat for years but never found one until today. Perhaps if I sit down at the “Italian” typewriter in my Italian Borsolino and Italian Merino (sweater), I will write about how I once saw a dead dog in Venice, and how my life was forever changed.

Typewriters and More

Eaton's Prestige c. 1958 (Smith Corona Silent Super)

DETAIL OF THE ACHIEVER (SEARS - BROTHER)

A close inspection of the mechanics of this machine reveals some interesting engineering. There are variations in the lengths of the key levers, spring hooks, and ribbon lifters which would seem to balance the forces and distances traveled by each key. This is unlike most other machines that I have, where all the levers and rods are strictly proportional to their distance from the centre of the basket. Another feature is a lever which opens the ribbon vibrator so that the ribbon does not require threading into the usual contraptions on either side.

LEVER VARIETY ON ACHIEVER

Little Brother

The small Brother is very portable, all metal, and works well. It’s not impressive from an aesthetic standpoint, but it feels good and makes very nice clean type. If you want aesthetics then look no further than the Olivetti Lettera 22. This machine is a designers dream. There is beauty in every little part of it, including the arms of the paper bail, and the fact that they choose to put chromed rollers on it instead of rubber ones. Not only does it look great, but it has amazing touch, and types very softly with no sharp whacking sounds or tinny vibrations. Typing on this is like the feeling you get when you slam the door of a Mercedes.

EPHEMERA DEPARTMENT

I discovered an advert for the Eaton’s typewriter from the Montreal Gazette c. 1959. As a native Montrealer it was funny that this was the only ad that my searches turned up. When I was a university student I once worked at Eaton’s, selling…..(not typewriters) … luggage.

Notice in the ad they include a touch typing course on records. Well guess what I found:

SMITH CORONA TOUCH TYPING COURSE

Another find was a box of ‘Eaton’s Corrasable Onion Skin’. Same name but different companies.

EATON'S WITH EATON'S

One last detail from the Sears Achiever – the gear shift! Actually the ribbon vibrator/holder release lever. Unofficially that is – I have no idea what they called this, but that’s what it does.