Tuesday Typecast About... (What Else? Tee hee hee...)

Not the most pretty, but still very loved! 

Hello everyone,

It is close to midnight here, but I thought to just share a little typecast before I wind down and get ready for bed :) Have a most fantastic rest-of-the-week ahead everyone!

The lovely typeface from my Underwood (pictured above)

Warmest regards,

Claudia

The (Roller Coaster) Tale of my Olivetti G!

The BEAUTIFUL Olivetti Graphika

Typecast - LOVing the proportionate Cassandre typeface!

Hi everyone,

I hope you've been well! :)  Recently, Nick started a poll on the Antique Typewriter Collectors' FB group asking us how many typewriters we each own... I think I am somewhere around the 50 mark, although I have to admit that I haven't been keeping track, yikes! I try to keep to a limit since my home is small (and cosy), and it is unfortunately (increasingly) starting to look like a scene from an episode of Hoarders... I feel both amused and embarrassed when I recall publicly stating that I was more than determined  to keep my collection to 16, 18 max! I will definitely have to do some "curating" soon, hee hee...

As you might have guessed, today's post revolves around a very special (and extremely loved) typewriter in my collection - my Olivetti Graphika with the Cassandre typeface!

One of the first photos I had received - the Olivetti G
being carefully bubble-wrapped in preparation for its
long-distance journey to Singapore! 

The original owner had bought the Graphika from Rowley's.
This is how the same building looks today. 

Say cheese!

The excitement is palpable! 

Playing around with the functions...

One of my first typecasts on the Olivetti G!

Curvy!

All was and could have been fine and dandy... But... In typical Claudia fashion, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided that I would test out the different functions. "Hey look, a tab bar! Let's see how this works!" I shouldn't have heeded those thoughts, because as soon as I did just that, the carriage moved sluggishly, then came to an abrupt stop. I then tried to return the carriage, but it was stuck. Firmly. I literally had heart palpitations and could feel hot stinging tears (yes, it was quite so dramatic). I must have crumpled to the floor in devastation when Jase came into the room. He looked at me, glanced at the typewriter and then immediately tried to console me, assuring me that he would get it fixed up for me. I still feel so appreciative that he understood that the Graphika meant quite so much to me. He picked up the machine, then immediately drove off to Uncle's.

Meanwhile, I tried not to think too much of the machine, though I really feared that it was irreparable, considering that it was a proportionate typewriter, and spare parts would be virtually impossible to find. A few days later, I met up with Uncle. He was empathetic and assured me he would do his best, but that it was a 50-50 chance... I was so upset, but still mustered a smile and thanked Uncle.

Almost a month had passed (Uncle typically only takes two to three days), and I was feeling quite so down... Until one day I came home and the gorgeous Graphika greeted me as I entered the living room - he'd been fixed, yay! It turned out that I was EXTREMELY lucky! The escapement loose dog had to be replaced, and Uncle (who was an Olivetti technician) thought to rummage through his old tool bag from the 70s... It so happened that he found the exact part needed for the successful repair -phew! When I met him afterward, he would joke that I should never (ever) bring him the ('troublesome', in his words) Graphika to fix... 

When it comes to manual typewriters, this one definitely takes the award for: Mechanical Marvel - Top of the Class! Not only does it type proportionately, it allows for kerning with the slide of the lever on the left - very cool!

Typecast after Uncle's skilful repairs! (This was before Rob Bowker's
acquired his with an English keyboard.) His blog entries also provide
valuable information on the Olivetti Graphika!
Link - http://typewriterheaven.blogspot.sg/2013/09/olivetti-graphika.html

The parts which were replaced and removed have been kept well  :)

I am appreciative of having this lovely typewriter in my collection, and whilst it had been such a roller coaster rid of emotions with this one - it has definitely been worth it! 

*For more on the Graphika, Richard's blogpost will be most invaluable! http://writingball.blogspot.sg/2010/12/olivetti-graphika.html

Right at home on my study desk!

On A.M. Cassandre

Have a fantastic weekend everyone!


Warmest regards,
Claudia

This Week's Exciting Arrivals!

Hello everyone,

This is a very short post just to share a couple of my latest acquisitions that have recently arrived! I am so thrilled  to have had the postman drop these off...

Signature Portable (Spencerian Script) with Interesting Interchangeable Key

It's the first time I have seen an interchangeable key like this! 

Such a (cylindrical) design allows for 12 different options - ingenious!

 Geha Wooden Display Case with Vintage Typewriter Tins

Each of the ribbon tins was wrapped in newspaper for safe shipping...

Unraveling each one is turn was fun - almost as it Christmas came early...
I love all the pretty tins - and in all shapes and prints too. Very lovely indeed!

And... 

The next parcel was...

Rare Melotyp!

This beautiful machine is just gorgeous. Mine came in its original case and in
lovely cosmetic and working condition! From what I know, the Melotyp is rare!

Just beautiful! I really love striking gold decal with the treble clef!
(That isn't a scratch under the decal, just the reflection of my iPad.)

Nestled in its case... This baby is heavy - almost 25kg !

Thanks for reading, and wishing all a most wonderful and restful weekend ahead! I hope you stay tuned as my next blog entry should be coming up sometime soon!

Warmest regards,

Claudia

Franken-typer

This was a little teaser last Valentine's on the special gift I would receive.
(The note was typed on my IBM Selectric II in Calligraphy style.)

Hello everyone,

I hope that your week has started off well! For today's post, I thought I might share a little on another very special typewriter of mine, one with a rather unique typeface too (which by now is probably of no surprise to you, hee hee)! 

It is particularly special because it came as a surprise, and was the result of combined efforts from Jase and Uncle. (Uncle lovingly services and repairs all of our typewriters, and I look up to him as a grandfatherly figure, but I shall leave that for sharing in a later post!) 

To keep a long story short, Uncle has always known that typefaces fascinate me... We enjoy our chats, and he often  finds it amusing that a 'girl' my age (I am not that young though) appreciates these machines and actually puts them to use. Due to my working hours, Jase often picks up my typewriters for me. On one such occasion, Uncle had casually mentioned to Jase that he was working on a pin-point typewriter, and he thought that perhaps I may be keen on it. Jase was about to decline (!) thinking I might not like it, but luckily (for me), he didn't dismiss the idea. 

The start of something special...

On his drive home, I think Jase gave it a second thought and ideas must have started brewing, because when he came home, he tried to casually ask if I had come across a pin-point typewriter. I then queried why he would ask me such a question, but went on anyway to say that I was aware of cheque-writers like the Paymaster, but that I had only come across pin-point typewriters in literature. I proceeded to add that it would be so cool if I ever came across one in real life. 

And.. 

Before I knew it...

This baby was my 2014 Valentine's Day gift!

The type segment salvaged from an Olivetti Lexicon which was damaged beyond
repair...  The type-bars had to be soldered to a compatible size to the SF.

Typecast from a special machine! (Those are Jase's fingers on the top-right, hee hee...)

Later on, I would continue to 'modify' this frankentyper of mine... 

How my frakentyper looks today (18/03/15)

I typed up a 'legend' since the keys and type slugs are from separate
machines and thus some characters do not match.

So that was how this one-of-a-kind typewriter came to be. It is one that will certainly be cherished for a long, long time to come...

Thank you so much for reading this post, and I look forward to the next one!

Warmest regards,
Claudia

My Insatiable Typeface Obsession (Part Two)

Pink galore!

My pink SF was a 2012 Christmas gift!

Typed on pink Olympia SF De Luxe as pictured on the right...

Hello everyone,

Firstly, thank you for all the support and for accompanying me as I take baby steps into the world of blogging! This is all so new to me, so your kind words mean so much - heartfelt gratitude :)

As promised, here is part two 'showcasing' my sheer obsession with collecting as many typewriter typefaces as I can...

ITALICS Typefaces...

First typed sample I received from Rob!

Beautiful duo-tone beige Royal Portable

One of my most exciting acquisitions happened in 2012 (how time has flown!), when I was able to acquire a beautiful Royal Portable from Robert which featured an Italics typeface and pharmaceutical keys - very neat! Upon finding out who he was, I unabashedly asked if I could have his autograph, hee hee... There are so many Typospherians I look up to, I should start collecting typewritten notes and letters too :)

Coloured ribbons are pretty fun!
Please excuse the stained fingers, oops...

Continental's Schräge Zierschrift (Oblique Italics) typeface.
 I LOVE the beautiful swashes on this one - especially on the upper case!

Maroon Continental Wanderer

Sans Serif Typefaces...

Typecast on the Royal Signet - this typeface straddles both Italics and sans serif typefaces.

Beautiful Royal Signet (another lovely acquisition, this time from Alan Seaver!) It came 
with one missing  spool cover, but I was later able to acquire one from a parts machine...   

Gold plated Royal Quiet De Luxe - gorgeous <3

The Vogue typeface was an unexpected surprise!

Remie Scout Model Art Gothic typeface which strictly
 speaking  is a 'mixed' variant, but mostly sans serif... 

Remie Scout Model - with pop-up type bars ;)

I think that would be all for today's post, and I look forward to the next entry... (I welcome suggestions on what you may like me to feature in the upcoming posts, that would be most helpful!) A few hours have already gone by - mostly from editing the layout and selecting photos from an uncategorised (and oh-so-disorganised!) album comprising over 2000 photos - yikes!

I wish you a most lovely weekend, and thanks once again for reading :)

Warmest regards,

Claudia