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1971 Olivetti Lettera 32 Serial # 0086328 1971 Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter, Serial # 0086328 John Munroe's 1971 Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter. 2018-08-11 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of John Munroe: 1971 Olivetti Lettera 32 Serial # 0086328 "Gino"

This fine Barcelona-made Lettera 32 has the older style case. I issue an appeal to the typosphere to help me date it. After a thorough cleaning with rubbing alcohol and pipe cleaners, it performs to perfection. A keeper! Nice 10 cpi pica font as on all the others I've seen to date (with the exception of the Japanese katakana ones).

I'm calling this a 1971 subject to definitive evidence to the contrary. :-)

Hard to see in the photos but this 32 has a slightly more yellowish tint than the others I have. Could it be tar from cigarettes? Guess I might break out the Scrubbing Bubbles and find out!

1971 Olivetti Lettera 32 #0086328

Status: My Collection
Hunter: John Munroe (jamunroe)
Created: 01-12-2016 at 04:26AM
Last Edit: 08-11-2018 at 11:00PM


Description:

"Gino"

This fine Barcelona-made Lettera 32 has the older style case. I issue an appeal to the typosphere to help me date it. After a thorough cleaning with rubbing alcohol and pipe cleaners, it performs to perfection. A keeper! Nice 10 cpi pica font as on all the others I've seen to date (with the exception of the Japanese katakana ones).

I'm calling this a 1971 subject to definitive evidence to the contrary. :-)

Hard to see in the photos but this 32 has a slightly more yellowish tint than the others I have. Could it be tar from cigarettes? Guess I might break out the Scrubbing Bubbles and find out!

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Sorry for the blur. Anyone know how to remove the bottom?
Sorry for the blur. Anyone know how to remove the bottom?

Hermes brush courtesy of Scott Kernaghan not included. :-)
Hermes brush courtesy of Scott Kernaghan not included. :-)





0086328
0086328


This case seems to be the slightly more fragile type and has brownish cloth around the zipper rather than the black cloth of my other 1964 Lettera 32. That case is also more sturdy and less prone to tearing as this one is coming loose at the rear left corner of the zipper.
This case seems to be the slightly more fragile type and has brownish cloth around the zipper rather than the black cloth of my other 1964 Lettera 32. That case is also more sturdy and less prone to tearing as this one is coming loose at the rear left corner of the zipper.





Back
Back

The foot pads are also poorly attached with adhesive and need some minor work. The case does work fine however.
The foot pads are also poorly attached with adhesive and need some minor work. The case does work fine however.

Haven't seen a Lettera 32 or DL case with such a small amount of discoloration though. Sweet! No foul smell either.
Haven't seen a Lettera 32 or DL case with such a small amount of discoloration though. Sweet! No foul smell either.



Hunter: John Munroe (jamunroe)

John Munroe's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 4151

Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.

From Toronto Canada. Tokyo-based entrepreneur since 1998 and meditation teacher since 2000. Learned to type in Grade 9 following mind-altering lunches and still experience flashbacks while typing. Mother did shorthand and typed 90 wpm as stenographer, dad pecked out haiku on his old typewriter as long as I remember. Moved to thermal printing, 8-character display CanoWord Pen 24 in 1986 when my typewriter broke, then to FujiXerox, Mac and iPhone. Bought my first typewriter of the new millennium (a Lettera 32) in March 2015. Muscle memory has graduated to neural reboot--every moment at the typewriter brings back fresh memories of type-happy childhood and visions of literary grandeur. Use typewriter for inspiration/rough drafts and computer/iPhone (Scrivener/Evernote) for polishing.



RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Olivetti Lettera 32 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Olivetti Serial Number page and the Olivetti Lettera 32 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.