Tag Archives: thrift stores

The Open Door

More on Vienna. I had found a thrift mall on Google Maps, so having some time to myself I strolled across town and discovered a Carla thrift store. Note that in Austria they often use English for adverts, as the sign announced “second hand, second chance”. Inside I saw a typewriter brand I’d never seen, JAPY.

Japy P68, a French made version of the Oliver/Patria/Swissa line. I bought it for 30 EU. It was in remarkable condition for being made in 1956, complete in the wooden case, and I was able to carry it onto the plane as hand luggage for the return trip.

Although French made, it has German characters, which is all good but for the Z-Y exchange that slows me down a little. Back at the hotel I sat down and typed a short tale inspired by the current goings on. I was tagging alone with my son, a psychiatrist, who was attending a big conference. He had toured Sigmund Freud’s house the previous day, and was regaling me with other psychiatry trivia, one in particular that involved a well known figure reputed to have always left his room door open in the hope that one day he would encounter a beautiful stranger, or something like that! Well, he might have, but I don’t know if he did….

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Filed under Thrift shop finds, Travel, Typewriters, Uncategorized, Writing

Royal Signet

About 15 years ago I spotted a little typewriter on the shelf in the Sally Ann for five bucks. Prices were reasonable then, in the good old days of thrift shopping. Thrift shops were filled with cheap used goods, and the pricers didn’t check what something was listed for on Ebay before putting it out on a shelf. I brought home the little typewriter and used it a bit, but I got a pain in my neck so eventually I donated it back. It wasn’t until I got the collecting bug that I wondered what sort of typewriter it was. All I had as a record was a Polaroid of me with it, on which I had noted that I was “pretending to be a writer”. The idea of a “writer” seemed the most appropriate label for a person with a typewriter and a glass of beer.

Polaroid

me and the little typewriter c. 2003 (Polaroid SX-70)

I puzzled for years trying to determine what that little typewriter was, but I never knew until yesterday. That was when I found a Royal Signet, made in Holland. As soon as I got a good look at it I knew it was the very same model as the one once had, so of course I had to buy it. I had the perfect excuse!

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me and the new little typewriter 2018 (Fuji Instax)

Now I can say positively that I am a writer, and no longer pretending. This Signet is a great little machine, and is mechanically the same as the Royalite, but with a body style related to the Royal Futura and similar to the Olympia SF of the 1970’s era. These are remarkably quiet, perhaps the quietest typewriters I have used. With a cast aluminum casing, and two tone colour scheme I think it’s a real looker. In the interim Polaroid has gone and I sold my SX-70. Now the film is back, but I have no camera. However, I just found a cheap used Fuji Instax 100 that came with a new pack of film. I am now a Fuji instant film convert!

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Filed under Thrift shop finds, Typewriters, Uncategorized

Meaning & Existence

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Today was 50% off at local Sal Army stores. It was also my birthday. After having my right leg adjusted in the morning by my physio, I felt great! Does existence get any more meaningful than this? Suffice to say that it gets even better, because after my haul of half priced treasures I baked a pear upside down cake and filled, yes filled the frig with beer for tonight’s party. I will no doubt brag about how I found a 2016 Classic Car Calendar for 25 cents (it’s hanging on the wall now – this month features the original Corvette) in with the LP’s. The only thing to top that was two packs of Uniball pen refills, 4 in all, for 50 cents. Not to forget a classic LP on the Vocalion label; Manny Albam and his Jazz Greats, playing hits from West Side Story. The surface was very noisy but a good wet coat of record cleaner helped. Wetting the playing surface of old scratchy LP’s reduces the crackles significantly.

If you prefer birds, here are a few pics from yesterday:

And before you go – just another reminder about the free ebook giveaway! My novel is free for a couple more days. Just a few clicks away….

Above we have a Stellar’s Jay, an Angry Sparrow, a Common Merganser, and yet another Pileated Woodpecker. Just in the past few days these big Woody’s seem to have invaded the woods nearby. There were two of them on this tree.

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Filed under Birds, LP's, Photography, Thrift shop finds