197X Smith Corona Corsair Deluxe #6YC657518

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Gary Wann (Ruyton)
Created: 09-21-2018 at 07:06AM
Last Edit: 09-24-2018 at 07:03AM

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Description:

This may be the wrong model, but it's very difficult to identify this West Bromwich UK built Cougar/Corsair clone badged 'Smith Corona XL'. Research using the Oztypewriter Blog (link below) mentions that the UK serial numbers don't correspond to those listed for the USA produced machines. However, I believe that this is a late 1960's or early 1970's machine.

Found once again in a local antique emporium, it was so clean that I just had to have it. The type slugs are the cleanest I've seen when collecting these vintage typewriters so I don't think it has had a great deal of use. This is the first typewriter that I haven't had the urge to rush to use the stiff brush and the vacuum cleaner.

The machine uses non-standard small diameter ribbon spools that are not easily obtainable, so replacement ribbons will have to be wound on to the existing spools.

A light and 'plasticky' typewriter obviously produced to make the price competitive with the mass produced Japanese machines that were flooding the market at the time. However, 'Wobbly' keys and generally light construction didn't stop this model and its clones from being popular and selling well.

Note the 'Error Control' stencil on the left side of the space bar - a very posh way of describing the half-space available by pressing and holding the space bar to type a character to squeeze in an extra letter after erasing a wrongly typed word.

Typeface Specimen:

Links:

• Oztypewriter Blog

Photos:

Those keys 'wobble' from side to side, hardly giving the feel of a solid machine. My 1950's Olympia Splendid 33 feels like a Rolls Royce by comparison!

This is the only model 'badge' on the machine, although it would appear to be of the Cougar/Corsair line.

Not much doubt where this was made, the SCM works in West Bromwich UK

Non-standard 1 5/8 inch diameter ribbon spools. Difficult to obtain in the UK, but standard 1/2 inch width ribbons so make sure the spools are present.

Temporary black ribbon fitted, red/black ribbon on order. Note the pre-set tabs at 10 character intervals, marked by the small red arrows.

A nice idea, but not exactly easy to use. Set the gauge to the size of paper and then load the paper and it shows how much of the sheet remains - OK .......

Those type slugs are unbelievably clean, so either this is a very late machine, or it hasn't been used very much.

Hunter: Gary Wann (Ruyton)

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Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 561

Retired Air Traffic Controller. Got my first typewriter from Santa when I was about 8 years old and woke my parents up at 3am as I just had to try it out when I woke up! Have had an old Imperial 58 in the family for longer than I can remember. A computer geek, but I just love the mechanics of typewriters and have started to collect a few more to keep the Imperial company!