Today, Ohio Valley Antique Mall was crawling with typewriters ... and I crawled through it too. Now you can do the same just by scrolling through this post.
Two of these typewriters are models I had never seen before "in the wild." One of them was a must-buy. I think it will be pretty easy for you to guess what I'm talking about, unless you're a newbie to typewriter collecting. Feel free to post your guesses in comments. I'll post the answers tomorrow.
Two of these typewriters are models I had never seen before "in the wild." One of them was a must-buy. I think it will be pretty easy for you to guess what I'm talking about, unless you're a newbie to typewriter collecting. Feel free to post your guesses in comments. I'll post the answers tomorrow.
I would definitely purchase the bakelite DM 22. That is one unusual portable. We could share ownership! You take it in 2020 and I'll take in 2021. :) A great add to German Portables!
ReplyDeleteThat Commodore, though...
ReplyDeleteOof.
Can't help but want one.
Definitely the DM22 & Commodore. Depends on the price for the SG1.
ReplyDeleteThe Leader of the pack.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that one really jumps off the page, don't it? and only $49? Certainly that DM22 in burgundy Bakelite! :D
ReplyDeleteI'd also have probably grabbed at that duckbill Commodore Consul.
Wowser, I'd call that a very successful Safari! (:
I'd have snagged that Plana and the Royal QDL. Maybe the Commodore too... good safari!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to post the answers! But my perceptive readers spotted the unusual machines. The Commodore is one that I've never seen before in person. I believe it's a model 235. I was impressed with its solid construction, smooth operation, and keyset tabulator. But it was dirty and pretty pricey. The DM 22 (a name variant of the Olympia-Plana) was a must-have. The "DM" machines were produced by Olympia to appeal to the politics of the '30s: DM stands for (Die Maschine des) Deutschen Mechanikers, or The Machine of the German Mechanic, and for a while I owned a DM that used Nazi jargon on its Fraktur decals. That was too much for me, I had to get rid of it. But there is nothing obviously political on this typewriter.
ReplyDeleteThe Underwood Leader is good-looking, but when you look more closely it's marred by an identification number scratched into the paint by a former owner. It is not particularly rare or particularly well-built, so I gave it a pass.
I suppose I should say that the Commodore has a "dial-set tabulator." You move the dial to the left of the keyboard up or down to set and clear the tab stops.
DeleteThe glossy Remington Super-Riter was also tempting at just $39.99.
ReplyDeleteBy sheer coincidence, I've just posted on a 1942 Sears Christmas Book ad for the Marx Dial.
ReplyDeleteAnd only last night I wrote a blog post on Rheinmetalls, Tramiel and Commodores for Charlie Foxtrot, but goodness knows when that might be published.
ReplyDeleteI'd have bought the DM and the Royal Safari.
ReplyDeleteI thought the DM. I have the same portable Commodore and recently spent a few hours fixing it up. If yours is busted I can tell you how I fixed mine!
ReplyDeleteI didn't buy it, but thanks.
DeleteI just bought a Olympia plana (DM22) in Germany, I'll receive it in about 2 weeks.. On my wish list is still a Smith Corona Zephyr!
ReplyDeleteWow. Would that such a mall replete with machines were near to me! I can cruise the shops near me an entire day and come across perhaps two or three machines or low-to-no appeal. I see a Royal KHM among your pics, and I just this week acquired one. I'm anxious to get to work on it. Congrats on your new purchase.
ReplyDelete