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193X Iberia B Serial # 69984 193X Iberia B typewriter, Serial # 69984 Javier Vazquez del Olmo's 193X Iberia B typewriter. 2022-08-24 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Javier Vazquez del Olmo: 193X Iberia B Serial # 69984 I love this typewriter. Period.

The Iberia is a powerful machine, a towering beast. Sadly, this one has seen better times. It´s been repaired by the best (the former assembly chief of the Olivetti plant in Barcelona), and that has brought it back to life. I acquired it in a very bad condition. Frozen carriage, rust, missing keys... But now it´s operative. Not at 100%, but it still can teach a thing or two to much newer typewriters.

Regardin the model, I am confused. In theory, I´ve been told it´s a copy of the Underwood Standard 3 (you can guess who told me), but the history of Iberia seems to point in another direction. I haven´t been able to check on the article on ETCetera nº 90 yet, though. By looking at it, the carriage looks "very Underwood", but the rest of the typewriter is somewhat different. The Contin C, which is the other candidate to be the reference, looks quite different.

Regarding the dates, I have no clue. Should be a 30´s machine, because when the Olivetti M40 kicked in it basically flooded the market. Nevertheless, I have an account of a man telling how he used one of these during his military service in the 50´s.

This means the Iberia is a rare machine, but not impossible to find. Sadly, most of them are very deteriorated, but having one of these is surely pays out.

--- EDIT ---
Several years have passed, and I have just a bit more information on the Iberia. Indeed, the Iberia draws heavily on the Contin (I don't know what was I thinking when I said it looked quite different...), and the model B is an update on the much scarcer model A. Why the model A is so elusive? Bad quality. Manufacturing started at a time when Spain was recovering from the Civil War, and the first series of the Iberia used not very durable materials. The model B is a moderate improvement because these typewriters tend to age badly but fortunately not as much as the model A.

193X Iberia B #69984

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Created: 01-16-2015 at 06:17AM
Last Edit: 08-24-2022 at 06:39AM

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Description:

I love this typewriter. Period.

The Iberia is a powerful machine, a towering beast. Sadly, this one has seen better times. It´s been repaired by the best (the former assembly chief of the Olivetti plant in Barcelona), and that has brought it back to life. I acquired it in a very bad condition. Frozen carriage, rust, missing keys... But now it´s operative. Not at 100%, but it still can teach a thing or two to much newer typewriters.

Regardin the model, I am confused. In theory, I´ve been told it´s a copy of the Underwood Standard 3 (you can guess who told me), but the history of Iberia seems to point in another direction. I haven´t been able to check on the article on ETCetera nº 90 yet, though. By looking at it, the carriage looks "very Underwood", but the rest of the typewriter is somewhat different. The Contin C, which is the other candidate to be the reference, looks quite different.

Regarding the dates, I have no clue. Should be a 30´s machine, because when the Olivetti M40 kicked in it basically flooded the market. Nevertheless, I have an account of a man telling how he used one of these during his military service in the 50´s.

This means the Iberia is a rare machine, but not impossible to find. Sadly, most of them are very deteriorated, but having one of these is surely pays out.

--- EDIT ---
Several years have passed, and I have just a bit more information on the Iberia. Indeed, the Iberia draws heavily on the Contin (I don't know what was I thinking when I said it looked quite different...), and the model B is an update on the much scarcer model A. Why the model A is so elusive? Bad quality. Manufacturing started at a time when Spain was recovering from the Civil War, and the first series of the Iberia used not very durable materials. The model B is a moderate improvement because these typewriters tend to age badly but fortunately not as much as the model A.

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Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)

Javier Vazquez del Olmo's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 6476

The first typewriter I saw was my grandpa´s Olivetti Linea 98 at the office. It was just a curio for me. Then I was given a Nakajima, which I didn´t use and my grandfather took it from me because it was easier to handle than the bulky Linea 98. Now I own that typewriter, and I started a little collection in Valladolid, Spain. The Nakajima, which is "my" typewriter only returned home in 2017, almost 20 years later, when he wanted a better typewriter.

A collection that started small grew into something bigger, a nuisace for my family and a great source of satisfaction for me.


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