1
- Maschinengeschrieben
- Touch Typist
Offline 
- From: Germany
- Registered: 09-7-2015
- Posts: 119
Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
I recently bought an Olympia Modell 8, Mechanical Desktop Typewriter, build in 1939 for my personal collection. I bought it on eBay and the seller clearly didn’t know anything about this Machine or Typewriters in general, but since the Condition was excellent and the Machine worked perfectly well, I decided to buy it.
At the time the Machine arrived with the Post, and I inspected, tested and cleaned it up, I noticed that the first Typing-lever (the type for the symbols 1 and ;) was replaced with a type with a nazi SS rune symbol, but also with a Swastika (Hakenkreutz) Symbol. I knew that there are machines with an SS key, but I never heard anything about a swastika key in typewriters. The Seller clearly didn’t mentioned that in the Item description on eBay.
So I contacted some friends and one of them did some research and told me that these machines definitely existed, but they were super-duper rare, even back then. Today there a nearly none of them left, because most of them were destroyed, dismantled or refitted by the allies after ww2.
Knowing that, I wanted to know if my machine was real or a fake, especially the type with the 2 symbols, so I visited a typewriter Store in Berlin and they told me that my machine definitely isn’t a fake, it’s completely original.
So since I personally can’t work/ do anything with this particular machine (but also because this machine is quite valuable), I decided to sell it to collectors of this kind of stuff again.
So I’m asking in this Typewriter Forum, is anyone here interested to buy this machine? Like I said, the condition is very good, it’s working perfectly, I even do have the original wooden case with Key.
The Original Ribbon and metal spules are still installed, but they’re quite dry of cause.
Since I can’t post any Pictures in this Forum yet (but also because I’m not sure if it’s allowed to show a Swastika in this Forum) I just can send you the Pictures with your personal Email address if you’re interested in any way.
Contact me if you are interested in my Machine, the price is negotiable.
My personal Email address is: kevingerdhahn@gmail.com
Last edited by Maschinengeschrieben (10-7-2015 16:43:53)
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,006
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
Kevin (I'm guessing that is your first name; I apologize if I am mistaken) -- I appreciate your dilemma regarding this machine, and that you believe personally you cannot use it. Of course one can use the machine, and simply not use that particular key, but merely having such a typewriter may make you uncomfortable, which I understand.
If I were near you I might be interested, but because I am in the US, it's out of the question. I do hope you find a buyer for it, because it is a rarity. Pictures would be interesting, but because of the sensitive nature of the runes and Hakenkreuz I would defer to Uwe's judgment on this.
- colrehogan
- Key Master
Offline
- From: Granite City, IL
- Registered: 05-2-2015
- Posts: 609
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
I don't suppose the store in Berlin could help you? Is there a museum over there that might preserve it?
Last edited by colrehogan (11-7-2015 23:43:06)
Smith Premier typewriters are cool!
- KatLondon
- Key Master
Offline
- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
Hi Kevin,
Colrehegan has good advice. I think you'd be better off going through the memorabilia market? If they really are as rare as that, you'd be much better advised to get advice from a museum or a serious collector as to the real value. As it happens - crazy and creepy as it sounds - I know a couple of people I can send your message to (both in the UK), who might either want the machine or be able to tell you a bit more about it. I think you should be advised as to the value of it before you negotiate a price, certainly.
Do let us know how it turns out!
Last edited by KatLondon (12-7-2015 06:50:43)
- TypewriterGuy
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: United States
- Registered: 24-4-2015
- Posts: 1,250
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
I might buy it, but it depends on how much. Do you think you could just post it on here?
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- Maschinengeschrieben
- Touch Typist
Offline
- From: Germany
- Registered: 09-7-2015
- Posts: 119
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
About the Price, yes, the Store in Berlin but also some of my friends did helped me, I would like to sell it for about 750 dollars, but of cause there would be the high shipping Costs too, and since there are nearly no People in this Forum who are collecting war or Nazi Stuff, this machine would be one of these things you either want, or not. For someone who just wants a regular Mod. 8 Typewriter, this machine wouldn’t be any more worth than a normal Mod. 8. About your advice, I think you have a good point there, I'm going to inform myself. And It's not a dilemma, actually I’m quite lucky, at least it's much more worth now than I expected it to be.
Learned watchmaker and office machine enthusiast from Germany.
- •
Thread Starter- Uwe
- Moderator
Offline
- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,408
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
KatLondon wrote:
you'd be much better advised to get advice from a museum or a serious collector as to the real value.
There are a few serious collectors here.
I've have always paid attention to both the asking and actual selling prices of military issue Olympia models and also the civilian models that were fitted with special characters that were used during the war. Naturally I had considered buying this machine, but we're too far apart on its value. Although not a daily find, models fitted with the Schutzstaffel runes are around and a patient buyer should be able to grab one in the $200-$400 range. And although I have seen a few with a swastika key as well, they are far less common. So the question is, does this one character double the value of the typewriter? Not by my estimation. However, in the end the value will be decided by that one buyer who is willing to pay such a high amount just to have one special character in what is otherwise a run-of-the-mill typewriter.
No doubt if the seller is patient he'll be able to sell the Olympia for what he's asking, but it will more likely be to someone who doesn't appreciate typewriters and knows nothing about them. And that will be a shame. Even though I have a modest collection of items from the war, my interest in this typewriter was from the perspective of a typewriter collector with a penchant for Olympia standards, and not a history buff who likes to collect war memorbilia.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- TypewriterGuy
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: United States
- Registered: 24-4-2015
- Posts: 1,250
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
Thats a little high for me, but since these arent very common, Im sure there will be alot more people looking to buy it. I hope you can find a buyer!
Back from a long break.
Starting fresh with my favorite typer. A Royal Futura!
- Fleetwing
- Typewriter Talk Vet
Offline
- From: Hartford, CT USA
- Registered: 30-6-2015
- Posts: 1,006
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
I am also mindful of the apparently great risks involved in shipping typewriters -- see the thread elsewhere on the forum! I am sure Kevin would take great care in packing the typewriter, but who knows what happens to it in transit? It would be most unfortunate for a rare machine to be damaged in shipping. All of which points to the best thing being for him to find a buyer locally.
- KatLondon
- Key Master
Offline
- From: London
- Registered: 11-10-2014
- Posts: 995
Re: Olympia Mod. 8/ German Desktop Typewriter/ 1939/ nazi Key/ For Sale
Uwe, I didn't mean the people here are not serious collectors. I think I meant more along the militaria end of the scale, as aside from anything I think I was thinking that they might pay more for it. Sorry if I phrased it infelicitously - we'd been travelling all the day before, I was a bit comatose yesterday... & I think as a typewriter it's bound to be beautiful etc, but the presence of the Swastika does, in my mind anyway, make it a slightly different thing. My other half said: "I wouldn't want it in the house.' But we have a friend who - for some reason we can't make out, he's a lovely guy - does collect Nazi stuff.
Obviously in an ideal world it would get the care and respect due to it as a typewriter too, and this might be more likely to happen in a museum, as Colrehegan mentioned, where they might have both the expertise and the resources...
Last edited by KatLondon (13-7-2015 10:17:15)
