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1957 Olivetti Lexikon 80 Serial # 1802915 1957 Olivetti Lexikon 80 typewriter, Serial # 1802915 Liam O Sullivan's 1957 Olivetti Lexikon 80 typewriter. 2016-03-08 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Liam O Sullivan: 1957 Olivetti Lexikon 80 Serial # 1802915 Here's a pickle for you.

I thought this was most likely going to present with strong evidence of a re-paint job, but now that this sweet thing is in my hands, I am not so sure I can rule out that it is actually a Franken-maschine.

Italian Wikipedia says that the Lexikon 80 comes in two colours: beige or blue. An internet image-search of this model will corroborate this Wiki-claim. And though the "camera" on my Galaxy S5 will occasionally make this look as though it was painted in a pseudo-neon rave green, I can vouch that, in the flesh, this typewriter is a dull pistachio green. Like the Graphika.

And I am not ruling out that it is a paint job. Underneath the cover, I shot an image showing that the screws have been painted (is this normal?).

But hear this: the paint job was done impeccably and with meticulous care -- every badge and decal must have been removed without damage and replaced; in the few places where the paint is scratched (ie. next to the serial -- see attached image), only raw metal appears to be revealed underneath the pistachio.

Additionally, the serial number is typical of a Graphika, according to TWDB. Using the index, were I to interpret this serial as belonging to a Lexikon 80, it should be an early (1948) model with glass keys -- suspiciously absent. So I catalogued it with the Graphika date. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Either way I will treasure this typewriter as my first desk model.

Some unfortunate transport damage: a dent in the front right and warping of the cover (I don't know what it is called: the thing that covers the slugs and ribbon from sight).

1957 Olivetti Lexikon 80 #1802915

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Liam O Sullivan (liamo)
Created: 03-08-2016 at 06:29PM
Last Edit: 03-08-2016 at 06:48PM

Description Hunter 11 Photos 3 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

Here's a pickle for you.

I thought this was most likely going to present with strong evidence of a re-paint job, but now that this sweet thing is in my hands, I am not so sure I can rule out that it is actually a Franken-maschine.

Italian Wikipedia says that the Lexikon 80 comes in two colours: beige or blue. An internet image-search of this model will corroborate this Wiki-claim. And though the "camera" on my Galaxy S5 will occasionally make this look as though it was painted in a pseudo-neon rave green, I can vouch that, in the flesh, this typewriter is a dull pistachio green. Like the Graphika.

And I am not ruling out that it is a paint job. Underneath the cover, I shot an image showing that the screws have been painted (is this normal?).

But hear this: the paint job was done impeccably and with meticulous care -- every badge and decal must have been removed without damage and replaced; in the few places where the paint is scratched (ie. next to the serial -- see attached image), only raw metal appears to be revealed underneath the pistachio.

Additionally, the serial number is typical of a Graphika, according to TWDB. Using the index, were I to interpret this serial as belonging to a Lexikon 80, it should be an early (1948) model with glass keys -- suspiciously absent. So I catalogued it with the Graphika date. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Either way I will treasure this typewriter as my first desk model.

Some unfortunate transport damage: a dent in the front right and warping of the cover (I don't know what it is called: the thing that covers the slugs and ribbon from sight).

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:












Hunter: Liam O Sullivan (liamo)

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RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Olivetti Lexikon 80 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Olivetti Serial Number page and the Olivetti Lexikon 80 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

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