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This is what (I think) I know.
The J3 is the same as the Gabriele 3 from Triumph, it is the last carriage shift model.
My Gabriele 25 is also from 1971. It is mechanically the same machine as your J5. The differences are the body design and the features. The J5 has a extendible paper support with a scale on it, plastic card holder and touch control.
Before the J5 / Gabriele 35 it was more straight forward. Adler offered the Gabriele 10, 20 and 30 (I don't know the American names). They look all the same, like my Gabriele 25. At some point they renamed the models to 10, 25 and 35 and changend the body of the 35. Presumably as you suggested to differentiate the machine as their premium model.
I am glad Germans are better in building the machines than naming them...
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Now a Royal KMG is on the way. 31lb package! Supposedly it will be packed well and labeled fragile. Hopefully it will arrive in good shape with nothing bent or broken. I love the color of the KMG when they are cleaned, and I've wanted a standard size machine since I started this obsession just a few months ago.
Once I finish this thesis and all my final assignments, I have a bunch of typewriters to clean as a reward to myself.
Phil Forrest
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Goodwill and ebay strike again. This time with a(nother) Smith-Corona Skyriter, a very early one, all green keys. Purchased from the son of the original owner. It's complete and in amazing condition.
The second (and probably last for a while) is an Olympia SF, one of the angular bodies.
Less than $70 for both of these. I'm done buying for a while. I'm going to sit down and write.
Phil Forrest
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My most recent acquisition actually just came in today. A 1958 Remington Quiet-Riter Miracle Tab, with German layout. Quite lovely condition and works perfectly, just the type is ever so slightly misaligned. I can live with that. The Remington is one if the few American machines that was imported in significant numbers to Germany, or at least I see quite a few of them around here. The German machines are made in Great Britain however, not the USA. Perhaps for the better?
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Maschinengeschrieben wrote:
The German machines are made in Great Britain however, not the USA. Perhaps for the better?
I wouldn't say so. I have Remingtons from that era which were manufactured in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, and I'd say they were all comparable in performance and build quality.
Your new Remington seems to have an interesting colour. It could be explained by lighting or your camera setting, but as is I've never seen one that had such a bronzed appearance. Most (all?) of my Quiet-Riters have crinkle paint finishes, and only my Super-Riter with a smooth paint. Colour aside, they're great typewriters.
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Uwe wrote:
Maschinengeschrieben wrote:
The German machines are made in Great Britain however, not the USA. Perhaps for the better?
I wouldn't say so. I have Remingtons from that era which were manufactured in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain, and I'd say they were all comparable in performance and build quality.
Your new Remington seems to have an interesting colour. It could be explained by lighting or your camera setting, but as is I've never seen one that had such a bronzed appearance. Most (all?) of my Quiet-Riters have crinkle paint finishes, and only my Super-Riter with a smooth paint. Colour aside, they're great typewriters.
My photo captures the color quite accurately. It is indeed a smooth, pinkish-bronze paint-job. Perhaps only the european export machines made in the british factory were painted in this color, as I have seen several german Quiet-Riters in similar colors. Either a shade of green, or the same bronze color as mine. Interesting.
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The British-market Quiet-Riters had grey crackle-finish paint (earlier models), or silver metallic paint (later models). Even though they were made here, Remington must have done special colours just for the Continent.
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thetypewriterman wrote:
The British-market Quiet-Riters had grey crackle-finish paint (earlier models), or silver metallic paint (later models). Even though they were made here, Remington must have done special colours just for the Continent.
Exactly describes all of my Remington Riters that were made in GB. The same can be said of my US and CAN manufactured examples. This might be something to explore further...
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You would think that Remington would have done pastel colours for America. Other makers made pastel typewriters - even standards - for the US market whilst in the UK we only got blacks and greys (being conservative and British )
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Just acquired this little gem. I always wanted to try the SF/Splendid models, however sine I have never been very impressed by the feel of ultra-portables, and the splendid and SF models are very common in Germany, I never really bothered. Well, at least not until I saw this. A Ferrari red Splendid 99, in what appears to be almost factory new condition judging from the pics the seller send me. The seller told be the machine was practically unused, and it certainly looks the part. I gave her quite detailed instructions about packing it and I just hope that it was not too overwhelming.
Even when giving detailed packing instructions to sellers, I have experienced that most are dismissive of them, or downright ignore them. These compact portables usually stand-up better to shipping then regular portables. And I would never dream of shipping a standard anymore.