1925 Olivetti M20 #2526853
Status: My Collection
Hunter: fausto tomesani (Oldtypewritersandcalculators)
Created: 06-02-2025 at 10:05AM
Last Edit: 06-08-2025 at 06:22AM

Description:
This is a Olivetti M20, from 1925.
It’s the second typewriter made by Olivetti, after the M1.
The production of this typewriter started in 1920, after the interruption of production for the war conversion of the plants during the 1st World War, and continued till 1933.
Olivetti sold around 81000 typewriters of this model.
Not bad.
The typewriter is on a wood basis, with two handles.
It has a keyboard with the QWERTY Italian layout, 43 buttons with 86 typing characters.
Olivetti produced two versions of the M20, very similar.
M20 typewriter could have carriages with 90, 120, 160, 200 and 230 spaces.
This one has 90 spaces for a standard A4 sheet of paper, and this model has 230 spaces.
It seems useless to have such a long carriage, but it was common to use protocol format sheets of paper, very large.
It was used by lawyers for contracts, etc.
This one is the first version of M20 with the knob in brass.
It’s from 1925.
The age of plastic was coming!
The serial numbers follows the numbering after the Olivetti M1.
Till 1926, the first 2 numbers indicate the year.
It’s from 1925.
After the 1926 there is only the serial number, as you see here in this M20 typewriter from 1928.
With this model Olivetti produced more than 80000 pieces.
The M20 typewriter was very robust and durable, if you see this spare parts catalogue of 1950, it’s still selling the spares for the Olivetti M20, a typewriter of 20 or 30 year before.
It doesn’t happen now, you can’t find the spares for an electronic device of 30 years ago!
Typeface Specimen:

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Hunter: fausto tomesani (Oldtypewritersandcalculators)
fausto tomesani's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 4574
I inherited a collection of around 400 old typewriters and calculators from my father, who collected them for 50 years.
I also have a YouTube channel featuring these typewriters.
The pictures are made by my wife who is a photographer. Her name is Milena.
This gallery is managed by her,
So if you like the pictures don't thank me but her.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Olivetti M20 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Olivetti Serial Number page and the Olivetti M20 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.