Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Adler Tippa S Black Typewriter/ Discursions on Writing


There are times when a great deal arises out of nowhere (misspelled words in the auction and blurry pictures, anyone?), and even though you really shouldn't because you have no space/ it's a plastic machine/ what is the point, you imagine the seller throwing up his hands after the auction ends and tossing the hapless typewriter out with the trash as he mutters to himself, "What the heck, no one wants this anyway."


I couldn't let that happen to her - just look how she gleams! We got this back in June, from a cheerful seller in the Italian part of Switzerland. It's your run of the mill Adler/ Triumph Tippa S, but compared to the other one I have (in white, blogged here) this one is significantly slimmer and carriage-shifted. I am not sure whether the two were made at the same time - they seem similar enough in appearance, but this doesn't have a tab feature.


I'm always amused by just how long the paper fingers on Adler/Triumph machines are. Just take a look. 
Anyway, we also received a special surprise with the machine: blue ribbon! Blue/ red, actually, and happily there was still quite a bit of ink left in it, which I have been enjoying using up. Otherwise, the run-of-the-mill typeface (continental elite, 11 characters per inch) would be much less entertaining.


A closer look at the blue ribbon.

For a writing sample from this Tippa S, find below the beginning of a response I wrote to Deek's question, "Why do you write?". Click here to read the rest of my post over on Type Clack






14 comments:

  1. Even though I'm prejudiced against plastic, I've got to say that this is one good-looking typer!

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  2. Adwoa, I'm much obliged for the linkbacks. You are so sweet!

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  3. Very nice indeed ! The blue ribbon is really special :-)
    Amazing how something that 30-40 years ago was so expensive then and so cheap now !

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  4. i just got a black shiny one (Tippa) from eBay cant say my wife will be happy about this, but it will join the ranks of my Underwood slandered, my Underwood leader, my Remington noiseless portable, my skywriter, and finally my electric Apollo 10. don't worry my babies no key hackers will get to you!!!!

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  5. sorry spell check changed my word that "Underwood Leader"

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  6. i just got a black shiny one (Tippa) from eBay cant say my wife will be happy about this, but it will join the ranks of my Underwood slandered, my Underwood leader, my Remington noiseless portable, my skywriter, and finally my electric Apollo 10. don't worry my babies no key hackers will get to you!!!!

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  7. Uhm. Thats " Underwood standered"

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  8. What size of ribbon do you use for this typewriter, and where do you buy it?

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  9. Michelle - any half-inch ribbon will work (13mm), and you can purchase some from Jay Respler of Advanced Business Machines (http://abmco.webs.com/).

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  10. hi there,

    i have this typewriter. its been a faithful companion in my ventures into writing. but i have to say, i have had my problems with it (probably due to a lack of a manual!). my present problem is that the "thing" that holds the ribbon, that usually lifts when typing so that the (damn) typebars hit the ribbon and create, god-forbid - words! - isn't lifting! do you know how to rectumfy this situation?
    also, as ive alluded to, the type bars are damned! can you recommend any typewriters that are really simple and user friendly and use a typeball instead of typebars? i want to start writing a book ive had an idea for and i really want to di it on a typewriter. but if i start on this one and have any more problems im worried my story will go out the window with the typewriter! any advice you can offer will be so appreciated.

    thank you,
    .kap

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    1. p.s. please reply to kapmarvin@hotmail.com

      thank you so much!

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    2. there is a little switch on the right side of the machine, if it's on the white setting it won't lift the ribbon, try moving it up or down and see if that helps (same as below, sorry :/)

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  11. I picked up my Tippa S at a good will store for $5 I'm glad my curiosity and always having to open cases paid off because when it was closed I didn't know what it was. I'm also looking for a manual for this typewriter though if anyone has it. (PS Kap Marvin, there is a little switch on the right side of the machine, if it's on the white setting it won't lift the ribbon, try moving it up or down and see if that helps)

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  12. That looks like a great Typewriter, I might hook one up on our NZ Classifieds :p

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