Congratulations on the fine typewriter. Given enough time Liquid Wrench will find its way thorugh all the tight spots and loosen things. Did you treat the place under the keys where all the linkages pivot (similar to the segment, only flat)? I do not know the name. I had a few machines that were seized really bad and found that was where things were binding.
It's been sitting about a week with the liquid wrench in, and it hasn't improved since the second day. I'm thinking of applying it again, more heavily, and seeing what happens. I'm applying it to the very place you describe, which is where the rusting took place.
That machine is stunning. Absolutely stunning. I've been keeping my eye out for one of these for a little while, and I have come close to bidding on a few online. Only, I had my eye on another Erika in the end which.... hopefully will be in my hands soon. But this is a really great score. Beautiful machine!
The badges are known as Gütezeichen (quality mark), and I believe the number indicates the specification by which the typewriter was held against for quality. The "1 Q" indicates the highest quality.
Once again your collecting methodology of holding out for the best has paid off - stunning. As for the stuck keys, I've had success by attending to the lower pivot as Bill suggests. I also use a penetrating oil called Kroil - don't know if it is any stronger than Liquid Wrench, but the fumes will for sure overcome the musty odor!
Stunning photography, stunning typewriter. It is amazing when a machine is so 'new' and still complete with all the paperwork. A time capsule. You triggered me in looking up what is HO, hadn't been aware of the HO organization. This one linked somehow to Wismut even. Congratulations on this machine and Tnx :-)
Without even really looking it up I assumed Wismut was the name of the city the Handelsorganisation was in. Silly of me because it was obviously in Karl-Marx-Stadt! Thanks for leading me in that direction.
Really gorgeous! I was not aware that this was a smaller model. It's so hard to judge the size when you're just looking at a digital picture. Delectable photography, as always.
A small correction: it's Ursula, not Ursüla. The dash over the u doesn't represent an umlaut, it just helps to distinguish a u from similar cursive letters such as n.
It was confusing to me at first. It's even more confusing that the 11 and 10 feel almost like the same typewriter, yet they are quite different in size.
I wasn't sure about how Ursula was spelled, I was pretty sure there was no umlaut but on the receipt it looked like it had one. Russian script has the same thing on two letters. Well, used to. Since the fall of the USSR they stopped teaching it which I think is a great shame because sloppy Russian cursive can often be impossible for native speakers to read due to those letters. XD
Achtung! What a great find with all the original papers still with the machine.
How many Erika's do you have? I agree, there are lovely machines! The only thing I don't like about the later models are the way the whachammacalit frame is bent. Guess I could easily get over it when typing though! The snappiness always is amazing!
Oh, that frame in the front, parallel to the space-bar.
Which are you still looking for? Maybe we can keep an eye out for you! I just saw one today with a Russian keyboard. Or at least that's how the seller called it...
Congratulations on the fine typewriter. Given enough time Liquid Wrench will find its way thorugh all the tight spots and loosen things. Did you treat the place under the keys where all the linkages pivot (similar to the segment, only flat)? I do not know the name. I had a few machines that were seized really bad and found that was where things were binding.
ReplyDeleteIt's been sitting about a week with the liquid wrench in, and it hasn't improved since the second day. I'm thinking of applying it again, more heavily, and seeing what happens. I'm applying it to the very place you describe, which is where the rusting took place.
DeleteThat machine is stunning. Absolutely stunning. I've been keeping my eye out for one of these for a little while, and I have come close to bidding on a few online. Only, I had my eye on another Erika in the end which.... hopefully will be in my hands soon. But this is a really great score. Beautiful machine!
ReplyDeleteOlivetti is always celebrated for their style, but I think Erika was doing some very good things in the '50s and early '60s.
DeleteGetting another Erika is never a bad thing.
Another beauty! I wonder what is the significance of the "00111" number on the rear badge?
ReplyDeleteThe badges are known as Gütezeichen (quality mark), and I believe the number indicates the specification by which the typewriter was held against for quality. The "1 Q" indicates the highest quality.
DeleteVery nice. That is all.
ReplyDeleteOnce again your collecting methodology of holding out for the best has paid off - stunning. As for the stuck keys, I've had success by attending to the lower pivot as Bill suggests. I also use a penetrating oil called Kroil - don't know if it is any stronger than Liquid Wrench, but the fumes will for sure overcome the musty odor!
ReplyDeleteAgain, you score the prettiest machines (:
ReplyDeleteStunning photography, stunning typewriter. It is amazing when a machine is so 'new' and still complete with all the paperwork. A time capsule.
ReplyDeleteYou triggered me in looking up what is HO, hadn't been aware of the HO organization. This one linked somehow to Wismut even.
Congratulations on this machine and Tnx :-)
Thanks, it really is a beautiful one.
DeleteWithout even really looking it up I assumed Wismut was the name of the city the Handelsorganisation was in. Silly of me because it was obviously in Karl-Marx-Stadt! Thanks for leading me in that direction.
Really gorgeous! I was not aware that this was a smaller model. It's so hard to judge the size when you're just looking at a digital picture. Delectable photography, as always.
ReplyDeleteA small correction: it's Ursula, not Ursüla. The dash over the u doesn't represent an umlaut, it just helps to distinguish a u from similar cursive letters such as n.
It was confusing to me at first. It's even more confusing that the 11 and 10 feel almost like the same typewriter, yet they are quite different in size.
DeleteI wasn't sure about how Ursula was spelled, I was pretty sure there was no umlaut but on the receipt it looked like it had one. Russian script has the same thing on two letters. Well, used to. Since the fall of the USSR they stopped teaching it which I think is a great shame because sloppy Russian cursive can often be impossible for native speakers to read due to those letters. XD
Achtung! What a great find with all the original papers still with the machine.
ReplyDeleteHow many Erika's do you have? I agree, there are lovely machines! The only thing I don't like about the later models are the way the whachammacalit frame is bent. Guess I could easily get over it when typing though! The snappiness always is amazing!
Not enough! I think I have about half of the Erikas I eventually want to have… but that's my problem.
DeleteI really don't know what you mean about the whachammacalit frame though. XD
Oh, that frame in the front, parallel to the space-bar.
DeleteWhich are you still looking for? Maybe we can keep an eye out for you! I just saw one today with a Russian keyboard. Or at least that's how the seller called it...
The main ones I'm looking for are a Modell M, a 9 with glass keys and the chrome strip around the ribbon cover, and then the ever elusive 20…
Delete