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1930 Oliver 15 Serial # CL4846 1930 Oliver 15 typewriter, Serial # CL4846 Dimitris Nikou's 1930 Oliver 15 typewriter. 2020-10-14 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Dimitris Nikou: 1930 Oliver 15 Serial # CL4846 Ever since I started exploring typewriters, the unique Oliver design haunted me. I had to have at least one in my collection! And now here it is, a black British Oliver 15, manufactured in 1930, two years after Oliver had started producing typewriters in Great Britain.

It is not uncommon to find an Oliver on eBay at a reasonable price, but, at least for me, the shipping cost to Greece is raising the total ammount too high. So, you can imagine how happy I was to find this Oliver for sale on a Greek website and very close to where I live, so I simply went to the seller and took it home. The price was really low and another thing that makes this Oliver special is that it has a Greek keyboard. The machine was purchased in quite good aesthetic condition, fortunately without much rust, but non functional. Some typebars worked, some not, no keys missing, the platen in good condition as well, but the carriage was not moving at the press of any key. It only responded to the back space and that is why in the old pictures you will see the carriage a little bit more on the right, as I was testing the back space and then I could not move it back. Also, the spring barrel had no cord and the ribbon carrier was crooked - but not damaged. The serial number appears in two places, on the right of the frame underneath the carriage and on the back of the carriage - you will see both in one of the last pictures.

With the help of compressed air dust remover, a very effective engine cleaner spray and patience, I managed to remove the carriage that was not moving at all before and reach more parts of the mechanism for cleaning. I installed a new drawcord and then oiled crucial parts. The results were not very impressive at first but when I repeated the whole cleaning process, it was like the machine woke up from a deep sleep. Now the carriage advances with the press of keys and the space bar, it moves softly after the oiling and also the tab works fine too. The typebars needed to be readjusted in place and also some good cleaning and now they all work as well. The only serious problem now is the alignment as you can see on my typing sample, which I managed to get by using carbon paper, that is why it is of poor quality. I am very happy that I can write with this magnificent machine and I hope soon it will be able to type normally!

The first 7 pictures are new, next 3 are how the machine looked as purchased and then, two more pictures with serial numbers and keyboard close up. Also, new typing sample, now that all typebars work.

1930 Oliver 15 #CL4846

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Dimitris Nikou (dimnikou)
Created: 08-01-2020 at 11:52AM
Last Edit: 10-14-2020 at 09:42AM

Description Hunter 11 Photos 2 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

Ever since I started exploring typewriters, the unique Oliver design haunted me. I had to have at least one in my collection! And now here it is, a black British Oliver 15, manufactured in 1930, two years after Oliver had started producing typewriters in Great Britain.

It is not uncommon to find an Oliver on eBay at a reasonable price, but, at least for me, the shipping cost to Greece is raising the total ammount too high. So, you can imagine how happy I was to find this Oliver for sale on a Greek website and very close to where I live, so I simply went to the seller and took it home. The price was really low and another thing that makes this Oliver special is that it has a Greek keyboard. The machine was purchased in quite good aesthetic condition, fortunately without much rust, but non functional. Some typebars worked, some not, no keys missing, the platen in good condition as well, but the carriage was not moving at the press of any key. It only responded to the back space and that is why in the old pictures you will see the carriage a little bit more on the right, as I was testing the back space and then I could not move it back. Also, the spring barrel had no cord and the ribbon carrier was crooked - but not damaged. The serial number appears in two places, on the right of the frame underneath the carriage and on the back of the carriage - you will see both in one of the last pictures.

With the help of compressed air dust remover, a very effective engine cleaner spray and patience, I managed to remove the carriage that was not moving at all before and reach more parts of the mechanism for cleaning. I installed a new drawcord and then oiled crucial parts. The results were not very impressive at first but when I repeated the whole cleaning process, it was like the machine woke up from a deep sleep. Now the carriage advances with the press of keys and the space bar, it moves softly after the oiling and also the tab works fine too. The typebars needed to be readjusted in place and also some good cleaning and now they all work as well. The only serious problem now is the alignment as you can see on my typing sample, which I managed to get by using carbon paper, that is why it is of poor quality. I am very happy that I can write with this magnificent machine and I hope soon it will be able to type normally!

The first 7 pictures are new, next 3 are how the machine looked as purchased and then, two more pictures with serial numbers and keyboard close up. Also, new typing sample, now that all typebars work.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

Photos:










Serial number in two different parts of the machine, on the body and on the carriage.
Serial number in two different parts of the machine, on the body and on the carriage.

Close up of the keyboard. Greek typeface in a variation of the AZERTY layout.
Close up of the keyboard. Greek typeface in a variation of the AZERTY layout.

Hunter: Dimitris Nikou (dimnikou)

Dimitris Nikou's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 1162

Writer and blogger from Athens, Greece. I own a small collection of typewriters, most of my machines are functional and I try to repair any with problems that keeps it from typing. For me, it is important for a typewriter not just to sit on a shelve for display, but to be able to type when I want to. On the links below you will find my blogs and social media profiles. Feel free to follow me and get in touch if you want. I am always happy to communicate :)


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Oliver 15 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Oliver Serial Number page and the Oliver 15 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

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