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19-11-2017 13:57:04  #1531


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Bloody hell! Someone got themselves a real bargain... I'm yearning for a De Luxe or Quiet De Luxe (30's iteration) & the only one I've seen here in the past few weeks went for £106 - which, to be honest, I'd probably have gone to / above, had I not been out collecting the Blue Bird.

You must get yourself an SM9 - I have quite the 'thing' for them (obviously!) but, being as objective as I can, they're superb machines, and anyone remotely serious about typewriters should have at least one.

Alas, on the mobile front, I don't really have any option other than to seek a replacement - not least as I use it as my primary sat nav. Currently, it's looking like a 2017 spec Samsung A3 (same size as my knackered, old S3 & still pocket friendly) will make a dent in the remainder of the November typer budget. Oh well, five & a half years was a good run for the S3, I suppose...

 

19-11-2017 15:32:21  #1532


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Ah yes, that's my problem too..Phones are getting too big for the pocket.. I have the 1st gen Moto X. Still workingg fine, if not a bit sluggish at times, but no big deal.

 

20-11-2017 17:45:27  #1533


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Let's see -- nothing to my mind as exotic as MancFrank's recent haul, but the end of last week I picked up a 1952 Smith-Corona Silent and an Underwood Finger-Flite Champion with a serial number, L83429, that doesn't seem to square with the TWDB. The Underwood is a real treat to use, and looks great.  I think the early-mid 1950s Underwood portables are underrated, myself -- great typing feel and handsome styling. 

The Silent has needed some work, and a new ribbon, but it's a nice machine as well, as I knew it would be. Only two tab stops; I figure they've migrated over the years. No case either; I was hoping to find a case at an antiques mall (post #48 in The Death of a Typewriter, q.v.), but nothing there that fit one of the 5 series Smith Coronas. So the search goes on. 

 

21-11-2017 08:09:17  #1534


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Nice, FW. I was bidding on an aesthetically similar SC Super last week, but my firm bid limit (non UK keyboard) was exceeded at the death. I've no user experience of the later Underwood machines, but the Champion certainly looks very nice, particularly in glossy black. A UK seller currently has the Correspondent variant with folding tripod case table on offer - but it's ridiculously priced, and also in the less stunning grey crinkle finish...

Luckily for me, I don't currently have any 'case orphans', although I imagine it can be the devil's own work to track down a half decent case only. I'm sure it's something I'll encounter soon enough.

 

21-11-2017 09:58:04  #1535


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

The same night (this past Friday) I missed the Quiet Deluxe auction, I also missed a gloss black Champion... 

 

21-11-2017 10:12:13  #1536


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Yeah, I'm currently stewing over a machine that I missed, too. 
There was a Craiglist ad about a two hour drive from my house for an "old typewriter" that wasn't working, so it was being sold for "decor purposes only." They were asking $18. 
It was a Densmore. 
I scrambled to reply that I'd be happy to take it off their hands, and felt pretty good about it, since it had only been posted online for less than an hour. But I never got a reply, and then the ad was taken down. 
Grrrrrr.... 

 

21-11-2017 12:14:35  #1537


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

MancFrank wrote:

Nice, FW. I was bidding on an aesthetically similar SC Super last week, but my firm bid limit (non UK keyboard) was exceeded at the death. I've no user experience of the later Underwood machines, but the Champion certainly looks very nice, particularly in glossy black. A UK seller currently has the Correspondent variant with folding tripod case table on offer - but it's ridiculously priced, and also in the less stunning grey crinkle finish...

Luckily for me, I don't currently have any 'case orphans', although I imagine it can be the devil's own work to track down a half decent case only. I'm sure it's something I'll encounter soon enough.

Yes, I have a 1937 Champion, a gift from friends, and it's a very nice machine -- carriage shift. But I think the later segment-shift Underwoods are quite nice too, with some pretty nice styling.

"Case orphan" -- that's a nice term. Sadly, my guess is that cases that get separated from their typewriters often get thrown away, since they don't seem to have a use to which they can be repurposed. I guess the lesson is to always keep an eye out, since you never know when you might need one to match up with a case orphan.

 

21-11-2017 12:28:49  #1538


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

I got a nice wooden Smith-Corona case at a yard sale where it was being used to keep the bocce balls from rolling away before they could be sold. $2 (my suggestion) and I didn't even have to take the balls. It adopted one of my case orphans.

 

21-11-2017 18:55:28  #1539


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

Markmotown wrote:

Yeah, I'm currently stewing over a machine that I missed, too. 
There was a Craiglist ad about a two hour drive from my house for an "old typewriter" that wasn't working, so it was being sold for "decor purposes only." They were asking $18. 
It was a Densmore. 
I scrambled to reply that I'd be happy to take it off their hands, and felt pretty good about it, since it had only been posted online for less than an hour. But I never got a reply, and then the ad was taken down. 
Grrrrrr.... 

I feel you on that, Mark. I'm currently being 'given the run around' by two different, small ads sellers on both a Royal O type Standard Portable & (yet another!) early seventies SM9 - which are both being offered for chump change...
 

 

22-11-2017 17:49:24  #1540


Re: Recent Acquisitions Thread

I have just received a very nice seemingly almost unused Erika 10 from 1958.  It had red brackets covering the base release levers under the hood and also screws holding it down.  It looks like it's never been off the base.  The keys have that new look about them i.e. shiny but completely unworn.  I ordered a new ribbon but I've tried the one fitted and it all seems to function really well.  Now to write a short story or two....

 

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