1 of 1- Nicole
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Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
I was trained as a graphic designer and I'm really interested in the history of type design. I became curious about the origins of the slab serifs that have collectively come to be thought of as the proverbial 'typewriter typeface'.
I was wondering, where did this type come from? Who was designing these typefaces? And why is the slab serif style of typeface the one that we now associate with typewriters, even though they actually all offered a range of typefaces? Was is simply just that the slab serif ended up being the most popular? And if so, why was it the most popular?
I came across this dissertation which just covers Olivetti but is a really in-depth look at the topic. I haven't finished reading it yet but I thought I would share as it may interest others!
Does anyone else know much about this topic? I would be all ears 
I recommend downloading the PDF as there seem to be some font issues viewing it in-browser.
- Uwe
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
Valiant, who is one of the original members here, is also a graphic designer and a typeface aficionado. Another type-head is M. Höhne, and I'm sure both will find the document as interesting. I'll be sure to read it as well, so thanks for sharing the link.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- KatLondon
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
Thanks - that looks really interesting! I'm not a trained graphic designer but in my time I've commissioned a lot of design work, and print, & I'm very interested in type design. Since messing about with typewriters, I'm really warming to these sweet, simple type faces, and even to fixed-width type. I'll read the dissertation with interest.
- TypewriterKing
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
I've also been a sucker for a different typeface on any particular typewriter. If it is in reasonable shape and I don't need a bank loan, I'll snap that baby up in a hurry!!
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- Nicole
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
I'm so pleased that it seems to be of interest to you guys. If for nothing else, there are a boatload of type samples in there.
TypewriterKing, I feel myself leaning that way too. I have basically resigned myself to it being a lifelong quest and obsession to find them now
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Thread Starter- TypewriterKing
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
I used to know a guy who had an Olympia SM-1 that was Italic. I was double jealous, and it's been 25 years ago I had seen that typewriter. Find all of 'em you can. I'm going to do the same. Ol' snips the keychopper (you'll find out about this nasty breed of typewriter collectors eventually) wont get the ones I find.
Underwood--Speeds the World's Bidness
- Valiant
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
Nicole wrote:
I was wondering, where did this type come from? Who was designing these typefaces? And why is the slab serif style of typeface the one that we now associate with typewriters, even though they actually all offered a range of typefaces? Was is simply just that the slab serif ended up being the most popular? And if so, why was it the most popular?
Hi Nicole: that's a great article on Olivetti, thanks for posting it. This link is a little off topic but helps explain, I think, the popularity of a slab serif typeface:
"Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the typewriter."
- Nicole
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
Hey awesome, thanks Valiant! I will give that a read.
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Thread Starter- KatLondon
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Re: Interesting read: a dissertation on typeface design for Olivetti
Me too: saved.
I (briefly) used to have a Royal HH that had a caps-only italic typeface. Upper case was large italic caps and lower case was small italic caps. The thing was so seized up with decades of congealed oil that the carriage lever wouldn't even MOVE. The guy that sold it to me annoyed me so much - telling me how well it worked (30 years ago before he put it in his garage), telling me he wished he'd managed to get more for it (£12 and I was robbed), telling me 'it only needed a bit of oil' - that by the time I got it home I was madly in hate with it.
Tried to fix it up. But with that type face, which he had never mentioned, it was never going to be a goer.
