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I felt strong this evening so moved the "Goliath" to the work desk for tomorrow.
1977 Olympia SGE A62. Which is a variant of the SGE 50 but made for schools/students. It does not have a paper injector and does not have the fragile plastic paper support.
This was my $ 9.99 win on SGW. No one else bid at all. Add $ 40 for S/H and it was very well-packed by the SGW folks (with my suggestions sent to them via email).
This is a machine for typing final drafts for days-at-a-time.
This one has had very little use and no wear what's so ever...so probably did not go to a school district and off to a grey-market, instead. No school property tag anywhere. School/student machines lusually ook like they came through a war.
This 1977 SGE A62 weighs in at 52.3 lbs. Compared to my 1916 SG1 that weighs "only" 38.3 lbs. Side-by-side photo of the two, below :
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That's a great score. Those heavy machines stay put when you type on a sturdy table.
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1958 Tower President, which is a Smith-Corona Silent Super in a Sears uniform. Found in close to mint condition. The "holiday case" looks so good you would think it was a Pete E. restoration!
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I am partial, but I think the Sears President is the loveliest of them all.
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Up on the desk for tomorrow's work day.
1971 Hermes 10 (Electric). Electrified version of the Hermes 3000 lineage.
Weighs in at 25.8 lbs. without its case.
Fast and very pleasant machine. I added some felt padding to help tone it down. It has both touch-control and copy/sheet adjustments.
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If I add an electric that's one I would consider. But I'm a little worried that it might seduce me away from the manuals.
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I do all of my gardening and landscaping around the house and with advancing age, my hands are painful after those hours around our home.
Those are the days I really appreciate having some electrics.
I was in shock to see asking prices for Hermes 10 well over $ 555-600 of late...and some of those not even "serviced".
I had to cough-up $ 200 USD for mine...but did not give it a 2nd. thought. And $ 10 for a bag of 25 O-rings as replacement belts.
I like typing on my Olympia SGE 35 a bit more, but since it is cursive font...this Hermes 10 is probably at the top of my electrics. Olympia has a better feel for me and is quieter...but the Hermes with its "normal" font is much more practical for many typing tasks.
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For tomorrow's time on the desk, a newer machine to my home.
197x Olympia 3 (in the Traveller style) but made in Japan.
It has the back panel of the Olivetti-type machines.
This one is a very good and adequate "ultra" typewriter...weighs in at 9.4 lbs. with its case/lid weight. It has a more Japanese feel to the typing action and not like the Olympias. But I do not regret adding this one to my horde.
It has a Tabulator with fixed, factory Tab stops.
And a touch control lever (not under the ribbon cover) but at the left side of the key-tops. Ribbon color-selection is there on the right side.
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This is the newest arrival into our home.
1967 Olivetti Lettera 32, made in Italy.
Machine is in excellent condition, including its case. Platen rubber even allows a thumb-indent.
Has all the important features for a ultra portable machine...full Tabulator with lever-set controls and a bi-color ribbon selection.
It even has that oh-so-Olivetti feature of the M-R key-top also serving as an "indent" feature...when you hold down the key-top while using the CR lever for a new line of typing.
Without its case weight, the machine comes in at 9.4 lbs.
It has a very light touch to the typing action. and is sure-footed and accurate. Key-tops seem a bit closer together...so getting a bit used to that.
We have a small "nook" in between our kitchen and our family room. This little machine might be perfect for the machine to type-up grocery lists, to-do lists, and notes to my wife to let her know where I am off to. It may just stay out for use, there, all the time.
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I w as just working with my L32 this evening (1965). It is my favorite typer of all on most days, and certainly among the portables. We could just type all night about how awesome it is. Here it is with its big brother, a 1961 Studio 44.
I actually have a line right now on a Lettera 22 for a song, comparatively -- don't know the year yet, but it is true Olivetti (pe-Undrwood) and taupe, which I understand could mean early days...that is a mythic creature I am dying to get my hands on. Hope it works out!