Deluxe Remette's New Look

The ribbon cover on this typewriter was beginning to show paint loss, and was looking drab, so I painted it white. It makes the whole typewriter look brighter and really brings out its lines.

Another Olivetti Lettera 22

I bought another Olivetti Lettera 22 as an exchange for a large Olympia "portable" typewriter. It was made in 1956, and includes its original case. As most of the handle's covering had fallen off, the handle is now neatly covered in red tape (literally). The case has the number 10 written on it in large white lettering, making me think that it was sold at a thrift store at some point. Other than that, it is in great condition.

This is the original case for this typewriter. Notice that the handle matches the tabulator key on the typewriter.

Cole-Steel's New Look

I decided to paint the ribbon cover on this typewriter. The color is Krylon Dual "Cherry Red"

Smith-Corona Dealers, Seattle, 1961

From an August 21, 1961 advertisement in The Seattle Times:

• Burt Typewriter, 1204 Second Avenue, Seattle
• Clark Stationery Company, 12750 Bothell Way (now Lake City Way), Seattle
• Foster Office Equipment, 457 SW 153rd, Burien
• Gene Brown Typewriter, 5511 24th Avenue NW, Seattle
• Lowman & Hanford, 1515 Second Avenue, Seattle
• MacDougall & Southwick, Second and Pike (Now a parking lot behind City Target), Seattle
• Record Stationery and Office Supply, 801 Walla Walla Avenue, Seattle
• Tom's Typewriter and Hobby Shop, 3402 Claremont Avenue South, Seattle
• University Book Store, 4326 University Way NE, Seattle
• Washington Book Store, 4316 University Way NE, Seattle (Now part of the University Book Store)
• Keeney Office Supply, Bellevue
• Tri-County Office Supply, Bellingham
• Black and King, Everett
• Miller's Office Supply, Puyallup
• H.D. Baker, Tacoma
• People's Store, Tacoma
• Rhodes, Downtown and Lakewood, Tacoma

Here is the ad:

Early Smith-Corona Galaxie

This Smith-Corona Galaxie has a feature that I have never seen (in person)--a dust cover:

Notice that the Smith-Corona logo is on top of the ribbon cover--later models have it next to the SCM logo, which is usually larger.

This typewriter is also unusual because of its lack of nicotine stains! It has a date code of 1-28 next to the serial number. The Typewriter Database says that it is a 1962 model, but according to the National Office Machine Dealers Association Blue Book, it is an early 1961 model. (The 1960 data ends at 330732. My serial number is 332643.) That would be about right for a typewriter made on January 28, 1961.

Olivetti in Seattle, 1950-1966

According to typewriterdatabase.com, this typewriter, serial number 346730 was made in 1957. According to tw-db.com, it was made in either 1950, 1954, or 1957. 

While information on the Olivetti Lettera's history is readily available, local histories involving Olivetti typewriters are few and far between. However, here is a brief timeline:

• May 9, 1950: The E.W. Hall Company begins advertising the "Sensational Olivetti" printing calculator in The Seattle Times.
• 1950: Sears begins importing the Olivetti Lettera 22 as the Tower Chieftain
• November 23, 1953: The Typewriter Clinic begins advertising Olivetti in the Classified Section of the Seattle Times: "47 PORTABLE Typewriters--All Makes--Save $$ on Olivetti $5 Layaway for Xmas. Typewriter Clinic MA. 6525 1913 3rd Ave" 
• September 1, 1954: The Typewriter Clinic changes their ad to " $14.95 ADD. MACHINES New small Lightning Adding Mach. Also Olivetti Port. Typewriter. Typewriter Clinic 1912 3rd Avenue MA. 6524" By this point, The Typewriter Clinic had moved from its previous location to a new location across Third Avenue from its old location.
• October 24, 1955: The Typewriter Clinic begins advertising in the Business section: "See our OLIVETTI MONEY SAVING Office Machinery Before You Buy. Typewriters, Adding Machines & Calculators. Typewriter Clinic 1912 3rd Avenue MAin 6524"
• 1959: Olivetti purchases Underwood Corporation, forming Underwood-Olivetti (later Olivetti-Underwood)
• April 3, 1961: Olivetti runs its first full page ad, featuring its full line of products in several newspapers nation-wide, using the "Underwood" name. 
• September 3, 1961: Frederick & Nelson begins advertising that they sell Underwood-Olivetti typewriters.
• 1964: The Olivetti Lettera 22 is replaced by the Olivetti-Underwood Lettera 32. Lettera 22 production continues for other markets, and Sears-Roebuck.
• August 31, 1965: The Bon Marche begins advertising that they sell Olivetti-Underwood typewriters.
• November 11, 1965: Main Office Machines begins advertising the new Olivetti-Underwood Lettera 32.
• March 17, 1966: J.K. Gill's begins advertising the Olivetti-Underwood Lettera 32.
• June 9, 1966: Zale's begins advertising the Olivetti-Underwood Dora.
• August 28, 1966: J.K. Gill's features an Olivetti-Underwood Lettera 32 in a full-page ad.

Burt Typewriter

This building was located at 1204 Second Avenue, where the Washington Mutual Tower is currently located. This is where my Smith-Corona Classic 10 typewriter was sold in 1973.

Royal Royalite Ads from The Oregonian

Bremerton Office Machines

My refurbished Royal Quiet Deluxe, which is from Bremerton Office Machines

Mr. Montgomery was reluctant to put this sticker on this typewriter.

I recently purchased a refurbished Royal Quiet Deluxe from Bremerton Office Machines. Bremerton Office Machines is operated by Robert Montgomery, who has run his shop since 1948. His father operated a typewriter shop beginning in 1908. During World War Two, he repaired typewriters while serving with the United States Army. He had the opportunity at the end of the war to tour the Olympia factory (later Optima) in Eastern Germany. According to Mr. Montgomery, Olympia's employees were moving as much of the machinery from that factory to their factory in Wilhelmshaven (in Western Germany). Olympia's typewriters had all of their parts machined, to make them smoother, while Optima's parts were not. It took the owners of Optima typewriters about three years of use for the parts to become as smooth as those of the Olympia.

Originally from Tacoma, Montgomery went to high school at Broadway High School in Seattle. He worked as a typewriter and adding machine repairman as a teenager before getting drafted by the Army soon after the United States joined World War II. He fixed typewriters for eight months at Camp Beale, Calif. before seing sent to Utah for training. After that, he spent a few years fixing typewriters at the Allied Headquarters in London - a job Montgomery calls the “chairborne infantry - swivel chairs, that is.” (Lynsi Burton, Bremerton Patriot, March 4, 2011) The full article is here: 

http://www.bremertonpatriot.com/news/117441173.html

Bremerton Office Machines is on the fifth floor of this building, which was completed in 1947.

Royal Quiet Deluxe ads, 1951-1952

 These ads appeared in The Seattle Times between 1951 and 1952. 

Royal Sahara Typewriter

What could this be?

 Open the three latches...

Lift up the top

It's a 1964-1965 Royal Sahara, in Pewter Gray!

This typewriter was only made for two years. (I think that this is because of the ridiculously round case, and the fact that it is essentially a Royal Safari, which sold for $20 less when it was new) Most of these typewriters are found in Royal's wedge-shaped case--the round case has a flimsy-seeming handle, and was not originally designed to be a typewriter case; it has a cushion that was placed in it by the factory to hold the machine in place. 

This was the standard Sahara ad that appeared in countless newspapers.  The case weighs roughly the same as Royal's more standard case.

Refurbished Royal Quiet Deluxe, 1951

This typewriter was manufactured in 1951, but has been thoroughly refurbished, to the point that it feels brand-new. 

I purchased my Quiet Deluxe from Bremerton Office Machines, located on the fifth floor of this building. My typewriter even came with a six-month warranty. 

This is the well-hidden dealer label on this machine. 

Bremerton Office Machines was founded in 1948, by Robert Montgomery. Sixty-five years later, Mr. Montgomery is still repairing typewriters. His father sold Underwoods, opening his shop in 1908. His website is http://www.typespec.com/typwrs.html . He wholeheartedly recommends the Royal Quiet Deluxe as a typewriter. He told me that the basic mechanical design goes back to the late 1920s. He also told me a story about Royal's fiberglass typewriter cases. The cases were custom ordered from a luggage manufacturer; each one cost Royal $24. Royal sued the manufacturer over the quality of the cases (they did not last well under heavy use)

If you are ever in the market for a refurbished typewriter, and are in the Bremerton, Washington area, check out Bremerton Office Machines.

1957 Smith-Corona Instruction Manual

This instruction manual came with my 1957 Smith-Corona Silent-Super. I hope it is useful to the owners of Smith-Corona Portables (in Holiday Cases) (For more on the Holiday Case, go to http://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2012/10/on-this-day-in-typewriter-history-case.html )

Smith-Corona Skyriter

Notice the masking tape on the space bar. I taped the space bar to add traction to it--the space bar on Skyriters tends to be a little slippery for my taste.