1958 Junior (Spain) 58 #4371

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Created: 08-22-2015 at 03:15AM
Last Edit: 08-24-2015 at 11:28AM

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Description:

I´ve needed some time and effort to get one of these little quirky typewriters. Thing is I still don´t know if it´s worth it. Explanation:

The Junior 58 pops up on the market from time to time, but the hard part is getting it at a reasonable price and in decent condition. The latter is the main problem with this machine, because the Junior is lightyears away from the rest of the Talleres Alonso family in terms of reliability and overall quality. The Junior is a really small typewriter, and extremely simple. It was intended for light works, mostly for children. Also, it would be a bad idea to learn to type with one of these. Too flimsy and unreliable. In fact, the whole thing is sooo basic it only has one margin selector instead of two. Of course, it´s carriage shifted and that gives some trouble with the return lever. How can that be?! And mine has a bent typebar... Believe me, it´s the best I could get.

But let´s cut out the moaning. There is a good part too. The typewriter looks great. The keys and the bodywork get along really well, and in fact it is a pleasant typewriter to use. The touch is nice, although not very reliable. And the typeface is cool as well.

One more thing: comparing it with the rest of Juniors here, I´ve noticed a couple of differences: the return lever is different and mine has no letter on the serial number. When does put that each of them? No clue.

Veredict: Good if you want to have a good-looker instead of a worker, and you can invite yourself to have a good drink for getting it. The best place for typewriters like this is a good shelf where it doesn´t see much action but you can take it out from time to time for some relaxed typing.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)

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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.