1 of 1- iTypePDX
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Sears Tower Chieftain III
I had a couple of typewriters at various stages of my childhood, but I wanted to purchase my first typewriter as an adult. I was unsure which to purchase, until I stumbled upon the documentary California Typewriter. In the film, Tom Hanks mentions that if he were to keep only one typewriter from his collection of over 250, it would be the Smith Corona Skyriter. My decision was made and the search began.
I recently purchased a 4Y Skyriter in great condition and I absolutely love it, but I've discovered the Sears Tower Chieftain III now. Of course, it's the same typewriter, but much more visually appealing to me! The classic 'Tower' badge and two-tone color stand out over the SCM label and single color.
Was it available in different color combinations? Is the lid color white or light gray?
I'm tempted to trade or sell my Skyriter for a Chieftain III.
"In memory, everything seems to happen to music." - Tennessee Williams
- Uwe
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Re: Sears Tower Chieftain III
My guess would be light grey, or possibly off-white. This is based on the other colour combination I've seen for that model that was a two-tone brown.
The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
- skywatcher
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Re: Sears Tower Chieftain III
Hi PDX
Last spring, I bought a Tower Chieftain and gave it a thorough going through so it could be a birthday present for one of my wife's former Sunday School girls. This girl has now finished university and is herself a teacher. If I recall correctly, the color combination was close to slate grey and an almost ivory cream. A very pretty machine.
If you can afford it, hang onto the Skyriter as well as getting the Tower Chieftain, you'll be surprised as to how convenient it is to have 2 typewriters. You don't have to pull a half typed letter out of your only typewriter in order to type a more urgent letter, you just get your other typewriter out and start using it. All the best,
Sky
We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
- iTypePDX
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Re: Sears Tower Chieftain III
skywatcher wrote:
Hi PDX
Last spring, I bought a Tower Chieftain and gave it a thorough going through so it could be a birthday present for one of my wife's former Sunday School girls. This girl has now finished university and is herself a teacher. If I recall correctly, the color combination was close to slate grey and an almost ivory cream. A very pretty machine.
If you can afford it, hang onto the Skyriter as well as getting the Tower Chieftain, you'll be surprised as to how convenient it is to have 2 typewriters. You don't have to pull a half typed letter out of your only typewriter in order to type a more urgent letter, you just get your other typewriter out and start using it. All the best,
Sky
I made an error as to the typewriter that Tom Hanks references in the film. It's the Smith-Corona Silent and he mentions the Skyriter as being among his top 5 favorites.
If it's financially feasible, I'm leaning towards keeping the Skyriter and searching for a 5LTT Tower President in great condition. It's my understanding that only the Chieftain III and President XII were offered with both the "Cadillac style" Tower emblem and two-tone paint.
"In memory, everything seems to happen to music." - Tennessee Williams
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