Sunday, August 18, 2013

Olympia typewriter postcards

I'm developing quite a collection of '50s and ’60s Olympia postcard images (just pixels, no paper). There are plenty for the SM's, just a couple for the SG's, and I have only one for the little SF. Often they feature what, to our eyes anyway, are kitschy or dated colors or accoutrements. Sometimes they show that classic combination: a typewriter and a cigarette. They always give me a feel for their world, and they make me want to type.


The Olympia SF (apparently popular with British businessmen):

The Olympia SG1:



The Olympia SM3:




The Olympia SM3 DeLuxe:









The Olympia SM3-13 DeLuxe (wide carriage):






The Olympia SM7:


And finally, the Olympia SM9, which I've ripped off from Rev. Munk's blog. Thanks, Ted!  :)





12 comments:

  1. I've seen a few of these on ebay, and have been quite tempted to get them. Such great pieces of history!

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  2. Wow, what fantastic little time-capsules they are!

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  3. Brilliant! I've often thought of taking pics of some of my machines with various little accoutrements next to them to tell a story, but it just seems like it might get out of hand, considering where my desk is.
    Nice set of cards, Richard. Suitable for framing, too.

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  4. Fifty years from now, some blogger is going to have an interesting post about Rob Bowker's Typoshpere postcards.

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  5. Love the postcards! The little nick-nacks and chachkies by the Olympias are great. I have started posting some of mine on my site. Aside from the ones already up, I have another hundred-or-so that I'm scanning and adding, albeit slowly.

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  6. Love them! (:

    I'm inspired to re-do the SM7 one though. ceramic clowns and yodelers just don't fit the vibe of the SM7 :F

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  7. Very nice postcards. I see similar on Ebay sometimes (always at too high of a price though)

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  8. Wonderful collection, Richard. I had seen 3-4 of these and have often wished I had the full set. Thank you for sharing. My favourite, of course, is the little SF - I think it is a favourite for both of us.

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  9. Very fun - thanks for scanning and posting. I NEED that hat with the SF!

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  10. Thanks for sharing! Even more interesting than the typewriters themselves are the objects pictured with them - I shudder to think of the stains and stench left by that lit cigarette! I liked the dip pen and inkwell with the white SM-3.

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  11. I have one and its like a sacred stone. Sacred writing assured!

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  12. chachkies is the yiddish word for trinkets and collectables, AKA dusk collectors that you would find in an old ladys house.An immense amount of girly trinkets that literally take over the whole house and bathroom. Little metal figurines, little ceramic pets, little shoes that obviously cant be worn, shit that chicks buy at a Hallmark store!

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