Hermes Baby Orange Portable Manual Typewriter (1970s)

The bright orange of this machine would not have worked with my usual orange-sheeted background, so here we have it depicted on a dark wood table. This is the exact same generation as the white Hermes Baby I had previously, except this comes in a much more fun hue. In fact, I saw the original advertisement for this same typewriter when I visited the Perrier Typewriter Museum in Lausanne a couple of months ago, and I did not hesitate to take a picture of it:

Talk about retro tech! Anyway, this took quite a bit of elbow grease to get it cleaned up, but after several hours with cotton swabs, tweezers, and polishing paste, we managed to get the old girl looking spiffy again. You can tell it's seen some good use; the paint has worn off the space bar quite a bit.

Otherwise, it's in fine mechanical condition and ready for a new owner who will put some more mileage on her. Come to think of it, it has been a while since I offered up a machine for sale, so here we go.

 The font on this machine is elite, 12 characters per inch, but she types fairly well, especially after we installed a new dual color ribbon.

 The matching case is also bright orange and is in excellent condition.

Despite my initial doubts, I'm pleased to report that there has been a decent level of interest in the typewriters I have offered to my fellow Geneva inhabitants. Here's to hoping the typewriter comeback is not limited to just the States!

Olivetti Studio 44 Gray/ Beige Portable Manual Typewriter (1960s)

To call this big hulking machine a "portable" is a bit of a misnomer, particularly compared to its kid brother, the classic Lettera 32. Both the Studio 44 and Lettera 32 were produced concurrently in the 60s, and copy from an Olivetti ad featuring both machines reads: "The Olivetti Studio 44 is designed particularly for use in the house, studio, or small office, but is conveniently portable when you desire."

This particular specimen was among those manufactured in the Ivrea plant in Italy, and we were excited to find it in Geneva, but with a Swiss-German keyboard. A sticker on the back indicates that it was originally distributed in Basel. It was in fine condition, save for the usual handful of eraser rubbings that had been sprinkled liberally throughout the case.

There was much rejoicing when this machine joined our Olivetti/ Underwood stable, which includes a Lettera 32, Lettera 35, Dora, Valentine, Underwood 19 (Antares-made), and Underwood 319 (this last is now off to a good home). My Italian husband has a special fondness for Olivetti, predictably, so we had been looking forward to discovering this mid-size Hermes 3000 equivalent, which has received many favorable reviews from Portable Typewriter Forum members.

I have always considered Olivetti cases quite mediocre, and this one is no different. It is an impressive maroon wedge-shaped padded wooden box with a fake leather covering, but the hinge feels rather flimsy in relation to the size and weight of the machine. The handle, also, is rather small and does not particularly inspire confidence:

It looks for all the world like the handles on my plastic Hermes Babies, and I find it hard to believe it would not snap off, especially given the age of the case.

In terms of typing action, the size of the machine lends a long arc to the type slugs, so it writes quite well. As it also has a basket shift, I find a comparison to the Hermes 3000 quite apt. My other minor disappointment is that it has elite font, 12 characters per inch. For some reason, I expect large machines to have large fonts, which is of course hardly true.

In conclusion: Olivetti brand, Italy-made, solid metal construction (but average looks), good typing ability, basket shifted. This one's a keeper.

Smith Corona Galaxie II Gray Portable Typewriter (1960s)

For collectors in the U.S., this is a perfectly run-of-the-mill machine, perhaps not even worthy of collecting. Over here on this side of the pond, finding a Smith Corona is (to me, at least), a fairly Big Deal. And this is not just some Smith Corona that was brought over by an expatriate either: judging from the fully Swiss-French QWERTZ keyboard, this was made for the Swiss market and most probably sold right here in Geneva.

I have looked at many a picture of this series of machines on the net, as many typecasters, particularly Strikethru, seem to be fans of the later Smith Coronas. However, seeing it in person for the first time, I was struck by how large it is. This is a lot bigger than it may look in pictures, and I would put it right next to a Hermes 3000 in terms of heft. Color me surprised: I had really envisaged this as being in the league (sizewise) of an ABC/ Cole Steel.

There are many subtle touches on this typewriter that elevate it into the realm of a well-engineered, well-executed conceptual machine, and they really give the user an idea of the thought process that went into the design, much like your average Hermes. Just to name a few, I appreciate: the clearly-labeled and easily-accessed ribbon-color and touch-control selectors; that extra bit of rubber padding on the carriage-return lever; the large carriage-release levers on each side, the sliding ribbon-cover...

... and let's not forget that jeweled escapement! Like everyone else, I wonder if there really is a ruby embedded in the escapement, but in any case I am impressed by the imitation gem embedded near the ribbon vibrator and clearly labeled.

The font is a print-like elite that I have already seen on my Princess 300/Scheidegger Princess. The original ribbon still prints deeply, and I find that the type impressions are nice and bold. The machine seems to have been rarely used, as the type slugs are pristine. Initially, I found the typing action rather mushy, but after thorough cleaning and oiling, the keys are responsive and the action is brisk and efficient. I had been wanting to try out Smith Corona's keys, and they do not disappoint. The feel is really quite fantastic: springy and cushioned and comfortable.

Here it is in its very subtle case (another great feature):

(It's still a tad grimy in this picture, but we have since cleaned it thoroughly, of course!)

This is a solid machine, and certainly one that I can appreciate as a concept - the ease of use was a high priority for its engineers. It goes into the collection now for its novelty value, and takes a seat as our very first US-made typewriter. I may well offer it for sale at a later date, though.

I have some hope that now this has turned up, we may even find that much-commended machine, a Silent Super, right here in Geneva! The fun is all in the hunt...