197X Olympia Dactymétal de Luxe #15-7085667
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Javier Vazquez del Olmo (Javi)
Created: 09-03-2022 at 07:11AM
Last Edit: 09-03-2022 at 07:12AM
Description:
In my personal crusade against colorful and overpriced portables (say 'ullo, Olivetti Valentine and pink Lettera 22), I'll always side with the Olympia Traveller.
All but one of the 6 I have (If we consider this one as a Traveller with a fancy name for the French market, if not only count 5) have been bought for less than 20€, and all of them come in different color combinations. And they can type. Oh yes they can. In fact, these are really sturdy machines, extremely tolerant to damage and lack of maintenance. But this one is basically in perfect condition. The ribbon is a bit off, but still more than capable of giving clear printing. The only "complain" about this typewriter (the model, in fact) is the touch. It's hard and less precise than its mighty ancestor the Splendid 33. But compared to other machines from the same years it can fend for itself and would still have some aces up the sleeve.
Now the confusing part: The s/n doesn't match with those here, the usual badge of Olympia Werke - Wilhelmshaven is not there, so I don't know where this was manufactured. Were true Olympias produced under license somewhere else? This is a different situation than that of the Olympiettes manufactured by IMC - Engandine, because this is a full fledged Olympia model. Ony idea on this?
Typeface Specimen:
Photos:
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.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Olympia Dactymétal de Luxe on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Olympia Serial Number page and the Olympia Dactymétal de Luxe By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.