Here we have the Smith-Corona Super 12 Electric, serial number 6LEF 518359G.  Rescued from my late mother-in-law’s home.  It was packed away decades ago, filthy.  I spent the past hour cleaning gunk out of it, and letting the “engine” run.

Original purchase receipt shows that this critter was purchased new at Dahlkemper’s Department Store on October 31, 1981.  My wife tells me that this department store was actually a showroom.  You carried a clipboard with you and wrote down the items you wanted, then placed the clipboard on a conveyer belt that carried it to the back room for item retrieval.  Out would come your items on another conveyer to be rung up.  I’ll bet that kept five-finger discounts to a minimum!

Oops – purchased in 1981.

Nice, crisp type.  I had to clean it up a bit, and it took a while for all the keys to snap back to life, but I got her back on the road!

Here is all the associated ephemera.

The original sales receipt, October 1981.  Paid $225, but it should have been $222.  Looks like the clerk was skimming.

Good first impression; I’m impressed.

Five LPs for ten typing lessons.  Oh no, now I have to find a record player!

This white correct-o gunk was all over the insides, turning into glue. Yuck!

This is my second Lettera 25 by Olivetti.  I didn’t really need another Lettera 25, but it was $26 total, and I felt that was fair for this machine in this condition.  I’m guessing that as I spread the word around locally that I’m a typewriter enthusiast I’ll stumble into better deals.  In the meantime, online auctions will have to do.  ~TH~

Olivetti Lettera 25 – 6016142

Typing, thirty seconds after I unboxed it.

After a little cleaning, and a minor repair… DING!

The short but effective, foldable carriage lever.