197X Olivetti Linea 90 #1204802

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Created: 09-21-2016 at 08:10AM
Last Edit: 09-21-2016 at 08:13AM

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Description:

I was going to upload this typewriter without giving it a second thought, but then I was like "hold on a sec..."

I found this big metallic piece of equipment (or junk) at a good price, and I thought it´d be good to have yet another Olivetti model. As a bonus it came along with a Lettera 42, a good pack for a little over 25€.

Thing is I was undoubtedly looking at a Linea 90, a Linea 90 did I receive and now that I stop for a moment I realize that what I was expecting to get was in fact a Linea 88, not a 90. A brain fade all the way.

But even If I lost track of reality at the moment of acquiring the typewriter, this thing comes in handy to clear up a bit of Olivetty history.

The Linea 88 is a good example of a baaaaaad typewriter. Someone at Olivetti must have thought they were going to teach Olympia a lesson with a cheaper model. Linea 88 vs SG3... The recipe for disaster. In fact many people who trusted the venerable Lexicon 80 were horrified. Then Olivetti tried to right their wrongs with the Linea 98, which is a quantum leap forward. Bur where does the Linea 90 fall into?

That´s exactly my question, because I have no idea. I "think" I saw somewhere the Linea 90 was their attempt to minimize the damage that had already been done, but I can´t confirm it. What I can say after testing this dirty and neglected machine is that it seems to be that weird middle step. The typing action is 98-ish, but the carriage is absurdly simple and cheap. Even if it´s larger than a Linea 98, overall it feels much weaker. Another widespread condition of Lineas 88 is how badly they age. Thank you Olivetti for using poor materials!

So... This is a rather mediocre machine. I wouldn´t recommend it to anyone, there are far better options out there.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)

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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.