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| 197X Moskva 8M / Москва 8М 154519 |
The decal on the back says "ZPM, Model 8M, gost 8274-71". ZPM could stand for something as simple as "завод пишущих машинкoв", or basically, typewriter factory. As has been addressed before, "gost" means a specification that any factory can build from. The "71" may mean that this was designed in 1971.
Here are all of the different variations of the Moskva that I've been able to find. This is the order that I think they were manufactured.
And the weird ersatz-German (could I resist?) keyboard.
Кино - Спокойная ночь (song from which I quoted)
Sent from my Москва and my Optima Super.
I like the solitary green key. It looks like it belongs there (like the red Tab key on an Olivetti) I'm assuming it's a replacement key?
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's a replacement. When I first bought it, it was so dirty I didn't notice. For a while I was upset about it but now I think it's just part of the character and story, even though I really don't know any story behind it.
DeleteVery cool, Nick! Congrats on "cracking the veil" and finding that the little blighter was fine. :-)
ReplyDeleteNeat! Thanks for the rundown of models.
ReplyDeleteI think the typewriter is based on the Underwood portable, but I haven't compared very closely.
Love the fact that the decal on the back is crooked. Quality control was not a priority.
It seems like, based on pictures at least, the quality control peaked in the 1960s with your Moskva and the immediately preceding crinkle paint model. (Possible the one that looks a lot like an Underwood, too, because the ones I've seen in good shape look positively beautiful)
DeleteYour machine is everything that i love - and hate, about Russian design. Oddly enough you can sit this next to a phone that they soviets made that has equally as jarring angles, and it looks right at home. The costructivism period brought about some interesting design in the USSR that is so unlike what we were used to in the west. Some of the ideas translated through Europe, but like this machine - as it aged, it lost its gloss and started to look too utilitarian.
ReplyDeleteThe complex angles of the design in this typewriter is very similar to a lot of design ideas being used in the west today, but with more accurate manufacturing techniques they tend to look more modern than these older looking designs despite being principally the same.
I think you're quite right. And even during the same era, whenever this sort of design was implemented in plastic instead of metal (they just look more precise unless if the plastic is really cheap), it does tend to look fairly modern—if you ignore the fact that the design is for a typewriter or telephone.
DeleteI think that the Erika that this resembles a bit is less jarring in its angles, and therefore is quite aesthetically pleasing and could look very contemporary with small changes. ( https://www.etsy.com/listing/157780827 )
Thanks for the Parade of Typewriters.
ReplyDeleteI like that Russian typewriter. Now that Russia wants to go back to typewriters there may be more of these made.
Looks like about 1974 for your Moskva. we've got some new data from the East:
ReplyDeletehttp://typewriterdatabase.com/moskva.701.typewriter-serial-number-database