Recently viewed the film CALIFORNIA TYPEWRITER. Got me thinking about the various types of collectors out there, and what motivates individuals.
typecast on my 1979 Olympia SG3 – pdf file at bottom of post
Received a wonderful gift from a friend, a 1956 OPTIMA Elite 3 typewriter in very good condition. My new companion for the next week or so.
I slipped up and missed this years World Typewriter Day (June 23). Here’s a short interview outlining why you should own a typewriter. Enjoy!
Today I took a few typewriters over to another house we have nearby (referred to as BRAVO – the main house as you might guess is ALPHA). I decided to place a Smith-Corona Silent inside the typing desk. I also took over the 1948 Royal Quiet De Luxe and my 1946 Smith-Corona Clipper. I’ll be bouncing back and forth between the two houses over the next several weeks. Just hate the thought of being without a typewriter.
Now I’m choosing which machines will accompany me on an upcoming writing retreat. ~TH~
Yes, I like typewriters. Recently I have backed off of my own use of the words ‘love’ and ‘hate’ in regard to experiences, devices and people. Unless I truly do hate… or love them. After all, I don’t hate certain politicians who occasionally sit in the oval office. Suffice it to say, they may not be my ‘cup of tea’.
This short narrative however, brings home why I love typewriters. Oops!
Just got back from a two day writing retreat, zipping around my childhood stomping grounds. Caught up with some friends, got some writing done, and oh yeah… picked up a grungy, mostly functional office typewriter. It will be fully functioning soon.
Well, here we go down a rabbit hole I never thought I would enter; large business machines/typewriters. Due to a foolish glance through area craigslist-ings, I stumbled upon a business machine at a very fair price. The seller was about an hours drive away, and the weather was perfect for a Sunday drive.
Here we have the CANON AP-810 III. Looks just as sexy as it sounds, right?
I had a couple of days to research this animal before meeting up with the seller. To my surprise, there seems to be very little information about Canon business machines on the interwebs. That is to say, Canon typewriters from the 80s.
Lots of printers. Lots of copiers. Why so little on the AP series? These were built (I assume) to compete with the IBM Selectrics.
Like all great things from the dawn of the computer age, this thing is over-engineered, with more features than you can shake a stick at. And all clearly explained in the manuals (assuming you’re one of the engineers who designed the thing).
Be sure to read the copy. Then take a shower. Gah!
I can just hear the girlish giggling as the boss-man presented this new machine for his dainty workforce to figure out. I know he wasn’t going to train them on it. He had an important three martini meeting to get to!
This beast was presented to the business world in 1984 by my estimation. Gloria Steinem first published Ms. Magazine in 1972. Twelve years later? Um… uh…
Uh-oh.
~TH~
