SM3's of course! You must have an SM3.
Or how about a cheap Gabrielle 25? Not terribly pretty or famous or great to look at. But types great!
An Erika 10 or for better looks the 11! Both are portable work horses and spawned a fair share of rip offs I think or at least licensed under other names. Biser, Bijou.

To only name 6 is quite scary. But:
Erika 10.
SM3.
MP1.
Royal De Luxe. Mid 30's.
Plana Modell A.
Hermes 3000 or SC Sterling or SM9 or Gromina (for being SO beautiful!)



 

So here are the portables to date:

SM3--thrift shop
'52 Royal Quiet De Luxe-- sans serif: Ace Typewriters
Mid 50s Blue of the same--Blue Moon, Portland
Olympia SM9--Blue Moon, Portland

So, three from a stocked pond, one caught in the wild.  I'm going to have to move to 8 to 10 machines, because this is too much fun.

Thanks for your ideas, everyone.

 

Since we're being whimsical here, I intend to to keep my portables at no more than five, simply because this number is more aesthetically pleasing to me! On a more practical note, I don't have a lot of room to store typewriters and, additionally, I would prefer to use each of the machines regularly without it becoming a chore. Ideally, I'd like each of the typewriters to be a different make and color and preferably from different countries as well. More importantly, it needs to be reliable and a pleasure to use. Finally, it's also nice to work on a machine that's associated with a writer whom I admire. So far, I'm the proud owner of two machines that make the cut:

1) 1965 Olivetti Lettera 32. Made in Ivrea, Italy. Sea foam green. Beautiful, lightweight, and somewhat romantic in my opinion, as it reminds me of the summer I spent living in Rome. Apparently, this typewriter was popular with students and journalists and I hear it was a favorite for correspondents during the Vietnam War. Cormac McCarthy used one of these to type all of his novels, including Blood Meridian and The Road, but you all knew that already, didn't you? =)

2) 1940 Royal Quiet De Luxe. Made in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Mine is brown, as opposed to the more common black. Built during World War II, its solid construction is evocative of an M4 Sherman tank, although I imagine it offers a far more comfortable ride! This typewriter really is a pleasure to write on. A favorite of Ernest Hemingway. I believe he used his, along with his Royal Arrow, to write The Old Man and the Sea while living at his home, Finca Vigía, in Cuba. Anyone know more about this topic?

As far as the next three typewriters that I would like to complete my collection, I'm still undecided. However, I will likely be getting an Olympia SM3, which I hear is a pretty nice machine.

Back to the question at hand:  Which ones to keep--which ones to lose.  Not an objective topic, and no objective answer.  Here's one thing to consider:  Which machines do you "connect" with the best?  Which ones do it the most for you?  Are there any sentimental ones that a favored person gave you (bad enough to be a hoarder like me, but a sentimental hoarder...EWW!!  That NO ONE should have to take!  But my girlfriend, bless her and keep her, is a real trooper--a saint.  She just plows through the pile of bones just like I do.

Now to my six:

1.  "Daddy Sam"--a 1949 Royal Arrow--AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!!

2.  Ashton & Agar--2 1920s Remington portables--one from my great grandmother and the other from a very good friend--AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!!

3.  "Mack the Knife"--a 1958 Remington Letter-Riter with a blue ribbon and a great touch--AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!!

4.  "Dirty Harry"--a 1974 Brother 800T.  I bought this at a store called "Dirt Cheap"--which sells unclaimed and unwanted merchandise from various stores.  There was absolutely no wear and tear--and NO sign of wite-out--just eraser dust (When was the last time?)--just like brand new--AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!!

5.  Maw's last portable typewriter--a 1960's Tower President Script Writer--YOU'LL DODGE SNIPER FIRE IF YOU TRY TO GET THIS ONE!!

I have to say something here. I've got two new machines and I really love them both. One is the Klein-continental, which is an incredibly nippy and sweet typer and just a gorgeous small size. It's like halfway between the size of a 'normal' portable and an ultra-flat. I have the hands of a ten-year-old so I always prefer a smaller keyboard and this one feels really great. 

And the other is a Studio 44 - I really like Olivettis - I know you have a different view on these, Uwe! The bars were incredibly stiff but a thorough clean, then some penetrating oil and another clean did the trick. It flies. I am actually thinking I might sell the SM9. I'll simply never love it as much. I barely use it. 

Shocking, I know. But the SM3 stays.