I’ve given away a few machines lately (the latest was my only electric portable, an early one), mainly because I know I wouldn’t have used them as much as they deserve to be used. I’ve pared down my collection a little to the essentials. Several factors prevent me from having a larger collection:
1. Money, or lack of it.
2. Lack of space. I live in a modest home with not even a place to have a permanent workbench.
3. I’m not much of a collector by nature. I don’t just pick up machines in an effort to have examples of everything (although I applaud those that do – they are preserving a part of our history). I selected the ones I own because I like to type on them.
I figure I’d like to have a small collection of machines in excellent working condition. This dream team would include one of each of the following: Hermes 3000 (2nd generation), Olympia SM9 (got it), Olympia SM3,4 or 5 (got the ’3), Smith Corona Silent Super from the 50′s (got it), Olympia SF or Hermes Rocket, Olivetti Lettera 32, Olivetti Studio 44 (got an Olivetti 21 – essentially the same thing), Torpedo portable, Underwood TM5 desktop, Olympia SG1 or SG3 desktop. That’s 10 machines total to achieve Omnipresent Galactic Creaminess. A goal worth reaching for, I think.
Let’s hope I can achieve it before they all end up either in the landfill, or with their fingertips all cut off.
April 3, 2011 at 12:11 am
Ah, you’re with me then in wanting the more boxy look Hermes 3000? Admirable; to me the first design was…. like the Underwood ones that look like cars. Just a bunch of extra styling that has nothing to do with function.
And those Torpedoes… are… dreamy. I hope you can find one!
April 3, 2011 at 1:23 pm
The first generation 3000 is nice, but the second generation just had more of the look that I prefer. I’d be happy to have an excellent example of either, but we’re talking dream machines, here.
April 3, 2011 at 1:13 pm
That’s an excellent lineup. A lot of quality writing machines there!
My dream lineup (and what I currently have) is pretty close to that.
April 4, 2011 at 5:16 am
That there list sounds a mite familiar. I too have acquired the much lusted-after Lettera 32, SM-9, Silent Super, and TM-5. My only white whale is the Royal FP, which evades me always.
It tasks me.