1 - rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
Offline - Registered: 02-2-2020
- Posts: 80
Oliver #9 worth it?
Being new to this hobby, I don't know if this typewriter would be worth bothering with. Maybe you can give me some insight.
The asking price is $150, but I can probably get it for less. Is it worth it? Seller has limited info on it. It doesn't look too hideous. It MIGHT clean up? 
- rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
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- Registered: 02-2-2020
- Posts: 80
Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
More photos
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Thread Starter- Uwe
- Moderator
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- From: Toronto, Canada
- Registered: 12-3-2013
- Posts: 4,410
Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
There's no correct answer to your question as some might feel it's a great price. I'm of the opposite opinion. Not knowing if it's complete or in working condition, I would take the $150 and invest it in three to five typewriters that are more practical to use (I rarely spend more than $50 for a machine).
All I can really tell from the photos is that there's rust to deal with and some paint loss. Not a deal breaker when talking about a $50 machine, but at three times that price I'd expect a more pristine example - in good working order.
typewriterman in this forum sells parts for the Oliver and no doubt will want to weigh in on this machine.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
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Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
I found a black one that a little cleaner looking. I may be able to get it for $75. I'm passing on the green one.
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Thread Starter- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
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Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
Regarding the green Oliver, I have had far, far worse brought to me for servicing and new rubber parts. So maybe $150 isn't too bad a price since it would probably need less work. If the black one that you have found does not have the distinctive 'bat wings' under the carriage rails it may not be as old as you think. The British government had a batch of these specially made during the last war. I was told by an old-time typewriter man that it was for use in the desert, since fine sand would gum up a typewriter with a conventional segment.
- rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
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Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
The black one has the wing handles. Here are a couple photos of it. It also has the pencil holder assembly, whereas the green one is missing it.
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Thread Starter- rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
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Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
The more I look at the photos, I think that it is not black, but dark green. Maybe it just needs a good cleaning, or the green is really dark. Or it could just be the photos.
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Thread Starter- steini
- Touch Typist
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- Posts: 121
Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
Nice history about that desert friendly typewriter! I saw one Olivier 5 with a wide carriage, check the tag, 300 dollars, and didn´t even look at it a second more.
If you are new in the hobby I will tell you that the prices can be way too high sometimes, but hey, there is a moment in your life when you would pay whatever for that particular typewriter... or you just get impulsive, you don´t check too much the shape it is in and you overpay, you just can´t bother to bargain with a particular seller...
My recommendation for a beginner would be to not think too much on the price tag but more on the desirability (your own!) and the shape it is in. Make a wish list, put some limits, budget, condition, and learn to fix-clean! There are to many typewriter out there, some in very good shape, some absolutely destroyed, most of them dirty... and many of sellers they are asking tooooooo much, so be aware of that. Once said that I rather buy one typewriter in my wish list for 150 than to buy 3 typewriter that I came across just because their are cheap. Thats my personal way of collecting. Now your way you should find little padawan. ;)
PD: in the first glance the black or dark green one seem to be missing the right platen knob, but if you look closely, there it is! Extra tip: check the pictures well and if you don't see everything ask for more pictures, make all the questions possible, see in in person and try all the settings... if you are buying for 50 then it might not be so important but if you are putting 150 on the table you might as well research the piece properly.
Signed: A collector that is learning making mistakes.
- rdnzl
- Platen Punisher
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Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
I thought the same thing. Its hard to see the right platen knob, but in this photo it's a bit easier to spot.
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Thread Starter- thetypewriterman
- Key Master
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- From: Leiston, England
- Registered: 29-5-2013
- Posts: 920
Re: Oliver #9 worth it?
Yes definitely dark green, although so dirty that you could mistake it for black. If you were wondering about the wartime re-made Olivers, here is a link to an interesting website about them. Note the black finish and no 'bat wings', as well as conventional keycard and keyring keytops !
