Hi folks, I'm new to the forum and want to introduce myself. I'm Joe Van Cleave, I run a blog within which I often typecast, and write frequently about my relationship with typewriters.

I think my collection numbers around nine machines. Corona 4, Royal Mercury, Underwood Universal, Olivetti-Underwood 21, Olivetti Lettera 22, Olympia SM9, Smith Corona Silent, Hermes Rocket and SCM Galaxy 12. Several other machines I've given away or sold to friends, including a Remington Quiet-Riter and Royal Futura 800. I did have a blue Singer portable for a brief spell, but it was in such poor mechanical condition that I sold it soon after.

Years ago, before the current typewriter obsession, I had a Royal portable and an Adler. And a daisy wheel Smith Corona, back in the 1980s.

I'm not really in the hunt for more machines right now, as I have too many to keep in regular use. I collect typewriters to use them, not to just have them, so they have to fully functional and perform flawlessly.

So, what are my favorites from my collection? That's like asking who's your favorite child. They're all unique. But the SCM Galaxy 12 and Hermes Rocket are stellar performers, while the Corona 4 is the classiest looking but doesn't type all that well, which is not a bad thing considering its age.

Well, I could go on and on. I'm pleased to be part of this community.

~Joe

JoeV wrote:

Hi folks, I'm new to the forum and want to introduce myself.

Hi Joe! Welcome to TT! I fully agree with you about how difficult it is to pick just one favorite machine from any size collection. Glad you could join us.

I don't think I've actually introduced myself on this thread, though I've been posting all over the boards for a few weeks now.

My internet name is Spazmelda, but surprise, that is not my real name.  I'm currently a SAHM, but in a previous life I was a molecular biologist. 

I just recently got interested in typewriters, and this is how that happened.  A few months ago my son's class was doing a 'museum'. They were supposed to bring something that their parents or grandparents might have used, but nobody used anymore.  We brainstormed and came up with several ideas.  The two winners were an old film camera or a typewriter.  A Polaroid camera was a runner up, but as film is hard to find and expensive, we decided a typewriter would be more fun, since the kids could actually use it.

I dug out my old brother Correctronic, which I used my first year of college (1990) right before home computers became the norm for most college students.  The Correctronic still worked well, but the daisy wheel had broken and was missing a comma.  This was unacceptable, so off to ebay I went looking for a new daisy wheel.  While on ebay I saw lots of old manual typewriters for sale and I was suddenly struck with an intense desire to own one.  Ostensibly, this was so the kids in my son's class could see a really old typewriter, but really, it's just because I wanted one.

I ended up with an Olivetti Studio 44 (1964) that just struck me as beautiful, plus it was local, so I could have it in time for the museum.  I paid too much, but...  Oh well.  The kids loved it.  I went on a field trip with the class yesterday and several kids commented that they remembered me, the typewriter lady, and that was their favorite part of the museum.  So that was cool.

Anyway, in the process of looking for a manual typewriter, I got in touch with Richard Polt and got to see a fraction of his amazing collection.  He cleaned up the Olivetti and made a few repairs on it for me, so it is in tip-top shape now.

Since then, I've picked up a few more typewriters.  We are redoing the craft room, and my husband made the mistake of suggesting that I should collect typewriters and use them to decorate the newly designed room.  So, okay, can do!  So far I've picked up a Royal Royalite ('64), a Woodstock No. 5 ('26), a Royal Quiet Deluxe ('47).  I just won a Royal Safari ('64, I think) on eBay, and that should be arriving soon.  And I accidentally bid on an electric Smith-Corona on shop goodwill.  I bid $5 and I doubt I will be outbid, so looks like I am getting a baby blue electric typewriter.  Oh well.  All of the ones I've acquired so far work reasonably well. A few minor problems, but they all type.

I'd like to learn repairs, but so far all I can really do is clean and tighten a screw here and there. 

I guess that is enough from me!

Hello! I live in the Dallas area and started collecting typewriters about a month ago. I am a sales & project manager in the construction industry (HVAC), and I am also an artist. I can’t exactly remembered what triggered this obsession (maybe looking for a prop for a still life?), but when I found out how readily available they are, and that so many of these precision machines still work perfectly, I was amazed and had to have one. But you can’t have just one!
 
I have six typewriters so far. My first was a 1948 Smith-Corona Sterling, which was shipped Media Mail but arrived in perfect condition. It’s a nice machine, and I love the Floating Shift. This machine has a wonderful vintage typewriter smell, and came to me with lots of eraser and correction tape gunk that was very satisfying to clean up.
 
My second was a Royal Eldorado. I got this one for my son…it just seems like a manly typewriter, with the black and gold. It smells like smoke, and needs a good cleaning, but works great.
 
My third was a Consul portable, baby blue and cream. What a sweet machine!!! Everything worked except the bell, but a good cleaning got it working fine.
 
My fourth was a Smith-Corona Skyriter. It  is a nice typer, but the ribbon vibrator doesn’t descend automatically so I can’t see what I’m typing. I have tried to fix it myself, but I think I will have to take it for repair.
 
My fifth was a Happy Face Voss De Luxe cursive in a very sexy black. Holy cow, this is a gorgeous machine. Solid, authoritative, and a beautiful cursive script. It arrived clean as a whistle and everything works, although the bell seems a bit tight and is barely audible. I knew I had to have another Voss with a regular typeface for every day. Which brings me to…
 
My sixth machine – a metallic green Voss Business-Riter. Also a Happy Face Voss. I got it yesterday. The outer box was destroyed, but the inner box was just fine and the typewriter was perfect inside. The B key sticks sometimes, so it will need a good cleaning, and there is just enough gunk inside to satisfy my need to clean. The carriage return lever seems to drag on the left ribbon cover, and has left a nick there. The machine has a wider carriage than my other typewriters, so I can prevent this by moving the left margin stop further to the right, but I wonder if there isn’t some adjustment I can make that would raise up the carriage return lever…will have to investigate that. Once I can post pics, I may ask around in the Repairs section.
 
And, I am expecting a seventh machine to be delivered on Monday, another Consul portable (gray this time). It’s not for me…my mother wanted a typewriter, so I will clean it and make it a Mother’s Day present. The Consul is quite lightweight and small, and types very nicely. When my mother said she wanted a typer, I knew it had to be a Consul portable because I love mine so much.
 
All of my typers so far have come from eBay. I have lots of thrift shops and antique malls nearby, but so far the Dallas area prices are very high…like $65 to $85 for a Smith-Corona Galaxie 12, which I think is too high. Doesn't stop me from looking, though! 

~Christi

Spazmelda, that's the one I bought, I'm sure of it. Had to have it. DROOL!!!

Christi