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| 1953 Olivetti Lettera 22 178129 |
Typed on my new Olivetti Lettera 22
In addition, some slight updates to my sidebar and a mildly updated header photo! I changed it slightly to fit in with my colour scheme. I also slightly widened the blog to accommodate larger images. Refresh your page if the header does not fill the entire width of the blog.
Very nice L22 and typeface!
ReplyDeleteI've found that L22's I've typed on have a fairly wide range of "feel" to the typing action. Some very pleasant, some almost unbearable. They all seem to have that "mushy, springy" touch to some degree or another, but the best ones have the least of that. I have one of similar age to yours (judging by round keys and lack of "Underwood" on the nameplate - pre 1960) that is actually quite pleasant to type on, although it needs a replacement carriage return lever and a few missing screws.
I've just been reading up on Olivettis and it appears as if they were one of the brands with greater mechanical variance between individual typewriters, even from the same factory. And I just thought that the ones from their Spanish factory were sub-par.
DeleteI wouldn't call this sub-par though, just unexpected.
Good luck! I bought mine and it had a rubber band wrapped perilously around the carriage return lever; I thought it was holding it together. I took it off and it worked -better- than before. XD Who knows why it was there.
I had the same idea with my recently acquired L32 - about painting. My first Italian Olivetti portable too. The whole case comes off in what, 4 screws - easy. But after I'd examined the condition of the paintwork I really didn't have the heart to change the colour.
ReplyDeleteThe paint does look gorgeous on that one indeed.
DeleteMine has some of the weird little light marks that resemble what one would think are water stains or mould, though probably neither.
Sumner?!? So close - I bike there frequently... congrats though, it's a nice machine. You even got the round keys.
ReplyDeleteIf you are biking around here, it seems the way to go. It's not a wonder I never see people biking here downtown.
DeleteThe round keys caught my attention.
USA rests in peace, man not fighting man anymore? We must live in a different world...
ReplyDeleteBut congratz on finding that Olivetti. It looks sharp and I'm curious to find out how your paint job works out.
Quite a happy dreamland world with smiley happy faces all round.
DeleteI have one other project I'll work on first, a simpler one involving a Royal Futura, but this should be next when I get around to doing these!
Congratulations on the Lettera 22. Very nice typeface.
ReplyDeleteNice piece. I LOVE that colour. I just picked up a lime green L22 at a vintage place here in Calgary for $40 CAD. Most keys type sharp but there are a few keys that are mushy and don’t quite have that strangely satisfying ‘snap’
ReplyDelete