As a typewriter collection grows, it's inevitable that even the most fervent collector will become a very selective buyer; after all, typewriter collecting might be a reasonably inexpensive hobby, but its demands on space will ultimately be the biggest challenge to the number of machines you will own.

Despite my modestly sized collection of around 20 typers, I've already hit that wall. I will certainly add a few more, but they have to be exceptional machines, exotic animals in an otherwise nondescript zoo.

One typewriter that remains on my short list is the Olivetti Valentine. I've always been intrigued by its cleverly sculpted design that not only reflects the space age that it was born in, but also allowed function to dictate part of its form (the back of the machine is a part of its carrying case).

Others, and not just typewriter collectors, seem to agree that it is an iconic portable that is worth owning. The above average selling price that a Valentine commands would indicates that it's a highly desirable machine.

But does the Valentine deserve this hype as a must buy, or have I just been blinded by its bright red paint like a bull madly chasing a cape? If you could buy only a few more typewriters, would it be on your short list? 

As beautiful a typewriter as I think it is, I do wonder about its performance. Maybe a Valentine owner could chime in here and dispel my fears that its all-plastic shrouding and minimal front support would give it flimsy feel. I regularly use all of my machines, they're all workhorses for writing, but would using a Valentine in such a roll be the equivalant of placing a plough horse's yoke on a fashion model?



For those of you who aren't familiar with this uniquely shaped typewriter, Guy Pérard has a nice page about the Valentine as part of his website and includes links to other Valentine lovers on the web.