1936 Olympia Simplex #0109724

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Jonas Lauritsen (legofanatikeren)
Created: 11-03-2024 at 07:37AM
Last Edit: 11-03-2024 at 07:59AM

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Description:

Found this by chance at a flea marked for about $8, and since I had a rebranded version of this exact model, sold as the "OMEGA Simplex" in Denmark, I couldn't resist this cheap, but durable younger sibling.

I knew at a glance this machine was older, since it had glass keycaps instead of the bakelit on my ´39 model, and the absolute amount of punishment the case had taken so far. Aside from the battered case, the platten itself was the worst I've yet to see in person; something was fused onto the curved surface, like oooold rubber that had completely petrified and it made the whole thing unusable. I later suspect this originated from the paper bail rollers, as well as the actual platen rollers, the latter of which was in such a bad shape I had to change a few of them. But I digress.

No key for the lock, the case was unable to stay close anyhow, so it was a moot point, and the original DIN 2103 spools and spool covers came with as well - one of the covers was cracked, so I made a replacement. The ribbon itself was dirt dry, and I haven't replaced it, so no typeface demo this time.

Apart from the ~80 years of dust and crap found everywhere when I took this in, it was in mostly working condition. After a cleaning, all the keys now work, and it is 100% functional, apart from the case...

Danish keyboard, with the notable addition of the Å key, which I could've sworn was not officially implemented until a good decade later... A fine budget machine at the time.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

right side of platen interface

a tiny metal wire had detached, rendering the spool advance defunct, until it got back in place. Very easy to miss detail.

extracted the center rod of platen before removal

old paper rollers on left side was practically falling off. Had to be changed

left side of platen interface

carriage with platen removed

bottom of the case, underside. Feet are very battered

new feed rollers for left side installed

outer feet on case - not the best condition

Danish layout - with Å

The Danish reseller / retailer

Serial number on bottom, inner frame

Hunter: Jonas Lauritsen (legofanatikeren)

Jonas Lauritsen's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 643

Casual collector of replica flintlock pistols, and in that same vein, picked up a couple of typewriters through the years - as a mechanical engineer, I could not resist.