Olympia Typewriter...
Posted: 21 Feb 2012, 11:45
So, I finally got moved into my new place late last week and have been doing nothing but unpacking crap I know I don't need, but can't bring myself to get rid of, since. While I was stashing stuff in the attic, I happened to come across this stashed away back in one of the corners under the wrapping paper that loft insulation comes in. I've no knowledge whatsoever about typewriters, but thought some here might like it. I tried all the keys and they all work, but some don't recoil very well so I'm guessing the springs have gone on those and need replaced.
I tried to get a picture of the metal tag on the back, but my camera is shit and I'm a crap photographer. Anyway, it reads;
I did a bit of googling and got this result. It's all gutterspeak to me but judging by the pictures on the right, it's a "Olympia-Schreibmaschine, 1964" but the "De Luxe" model as indicated in my own pictures.
Build seems to be all steel.
Unfortunately I can't seem to find any information on C&C Office Supply Co Belfast. But I do know that the phone number is 1960s Northern Ireland, which would match the date of the Olympia-Schreibmaschine on the German wikipedia.
The condition I have to say is fairly fantastic. If this thing is from the 60s, that would make it at least 45 years old. Aside from slight pitting and surface rust it's all good.
The keyboard is really quirky. I have no idea in what kind of work such a layout would be needed. But I suspect it might be accounting or banking or such as in the 60s they were still using Shillings in the UK and it's commonwealth countries, which I'm assuming all the fractions are for.
And just a quick shot of the back of it. Nothing much there aside from the metal plate which I transcribed above.
I tried to get a picture of the metal tag on the back, but my camera is shit and I'm a crap photographer. Anyway, it reads;
35 Red Lion Square, London, is now The Royal College Of Anaesthetists.Olympia Werk AG
Wilhelmshaven
Made In West Germany
----------------------------
Olympia Business Machines Co. LTD
35 Red Lion Square
London WC1
I did a bit of googling and got this result. It's all gutterspeak to me but judging by the pictures on the right, it's a "Olympia-Schreibmaschine, 1964" but the "De Luxe" model as indicated in my own pictures.
- SDC10001-1.jpg (325.99 KiB) Viewed 2041 times
- SDC10002-2.jpg (290.63 KiB) Viewed 2041 times
- SDC10003-3.jpg (246.08 KiB) Viewed 2041 times
- SDC10004-4.jpg (329.04 KiB) Viewed 2041 times
- SDC10005-5.jpg (276.43 KiB) Viewed 2041 times
