Also, the screw shown in the picture was loose. I tried tightening with my finger, unsuccessfully. So the carriage return lever was floppy. I'm not sure if it just screws into place, or if there's a nut on the underside that's missing:

Uwe wrote:

There's a nut on the underside that you will need to immobilize with a wrench in order to tighten things. And you'll need a proper screwdriver. Don't tighten it too much or the line space lever won't swing freely any more. I assume that you're in the United States? If so, $78 is fairly steep. I'd try to negotiate it down to $50.

Thank you. I'll give the price a try. Re: screwdrivers--watchmaker's?
 

pdxtypewriter wrote:

Hello Typewriter Friends:
I already have an Olympia SM 9, and a Royal Quiet De Luxe (picture below), and they stay on the list. I like typewriters before 1965 or so.

1. Olympia SM9
2. Royal Quiet De Luxe
3. Hermes 3000, Elite type
4. Olympia SM3 or SM4, hopefully cursive
5. Olivetti Lettera 32 
6. Smith Corona Silent--or some other cool glass keyed machine from 30s or 40s.
 

First of all, I find these kind of questions very engaging and fun!

And now, here´s my suggestion for a collection. I´ll comment your choices (great ones, BTW!) and then I´ll pick from the typewriters I´ve tried.

1.- Olympia SM9: Agreed on that one. The SM9 is an all-enduring beast and it will never let you down. Since you already have one, not much to add here

2.- Royal Quiet Deluxe: Never tried one. In fact, I haven´t seen one either! They´re pretty rare in Spain, and when one pops up it´s usually overpriced beyond recognition. Happens more or less the same with Remingtons.

3.- Hermes 3000: Hard to argue with that one. It´s one of the best typewriters ever, so it´s a safe choice. As far as my experience goes with it

4.- Olympia SM3 / SM4: Unfortunately I haven´t been able to repair a SM3 I borrowed from a friend, so I can´t tell much about it. A similar option is the brutal Torpedo 20, able to take on anything or anyone.

5.- Olivetti Lettera 32: I think there´s something to point out here. So far, the chosen portables are portables... to a certain extent. I mean, you can´t just take them anywhere. Besides, typing with a SM9 on your lap can ve very exhausting becauswe it weighs a lot. I usually differentiate between semi-portable typewriters and fully portable ones. Larger typewriters are more durable, more stable and the normally can take much more punishment than little portables. Your choices are excellent workhorses, and if you´re looking for something similar by Olivetti I´d go for the quirky Studio 42. As for the Lettera 32, I´ll say something about it later...

6.- Smith-Corona Silent: Another perfect stranger for me, so in it´s place I´d suggest something that hasn´t been mentioned yet: Alpina SK24. Something different, yet able to hold its ground against the 3000´s and SM9´s of the world.

All of these typewriters are not exactly portable at all times, but they can easily be stored as well. Now, a few suggestions for small portables:

1.- Olympia Splendid 33: Not the same as a SM9, but tough as a rock and super enjoyable to use. It may be smaller, but it´s as Olympia as any other.

2.- Groma Kolibri: An outstanding ultra-portable. It´s hard to believe you can chuck such a good typewriter into such a small frame. And it looks beautiful, too.

3.- Continental Klein Conti: A bit bulky to be on thi section, but it´s surprisingly light for its size. And it´s surprisingly lovely to use. And surprisingly beautiful.

4.- Adler Favorit: The first model is incredibly elegant, and having a thrust action typewriter in a colection is a big bonus. Don´t worry about performance, it´s jusr great as well.

5.- Olivetti Lettera 32: When I have to choose between the Lettera 32 and the Pluma 22 (I usually call it folowing the Hispano Olivetti brand) I´m hard pressed to decide. If you´re going to type a lot, I´d go for the Lettera 32. It´s a clear example of a typewriter which punches well above its weight, but if you want to enjoy the ride, look for an ivory Pluma 22. Not only it´s beautiful, but also types fast as the lightning.
 

I can't talk about dollar values; over here I have seen loads of these going for not much, but the two I have bought - one for me, and then another for me when I gave the first to my partner's son - I paid about that for in ££. It felt like luxury both times but well worth it. They're ineffably lovely. 

Some interesting points here worthy of note. First, I too have collector's syndrome: fly rods, fly reels, pipes, old books, film cameras, vinyl etc. I really go overboard when I latch onto something. Typewriters weren't different: I've bought 12 in two months. However, that's pretty much my limit for now. 

I think 10 would be a more realistic number because I would add one or two desktop typewriters and ultraportables, such as the Olivetti Lettera 22, which I own and highly recommend. I also like the the Smith Corona Skyriter in that category. 

I too have a Royal Quiet Deluxe and love it. I also two Coronas I would never relinquish: A Four and a Standard, the latter being my go-to of late. I reserve the former Corona for poems.

 A word about the SM9. I recently bought one and think it's an astounding machine. However, I still haven"t gotten a feel for it, though I've tried many times. Baffled, I took out my Olympia SM5 and tried writing with that instead. Instant connection: no doubt, I prefer it to the SM9, regarded as the better machine. And yet I realize different typewriters are "better" for different uses on differing days. These days I prefer the Olympia SM5 and Corona Standard, but I may just as easily ditch them next week for my RQD or Underwood Champion.