Typewriter Talk / Optima Elite 2 sans paper rest

**Posted by Ixzed23** 09-5-2023 21:39:48

I found an Optima Elite locally in Ottawa, Ontario, with serial number 42221. It has a label on the back that refers to a business address in Augsberg, Germany, and was brought to Canada by its first owners. QWERTZ keyboard layout, natürlich.

It is a little bit different than the ones I have seen on photos, as it does not have a paper rest. It's not missing a paper rest, there is no provision for holes in the carriage cover for the "M" shaped wire rest usually seen on machines with a serial number close in sequence.

It also does not have a carriage lock, but has otherwise all of the same keys and functions as an Elite 2 and the same storage case.

Does anyone else have or seen a similar machine? Thanks!

Daniel

**Posted by Uwe** 10-5-2023 12:09:56

Is there a hole in the middle of the backside of the paper table ("paper guide plate")?

**Posted by Ixzed23** 10-5-2023 13:27:47

Uwe wrote:
Is there a hole in the middle of the backside of the paper table ("paper guide plate")?

No, there isn't a hole.

Photos here: https://typewriterdatabase.com/see.20383.typewriter

**Posted by Uwe** 11-5-2023 17:11:39

I have a pair of Elite 2s, one earlier than yours (1953 #27576) with the wire paper rest, and one later (1955 #74612) without a paper rest, but it does have a square cut-out in the middle of the paper table that looks like it would accept something like a paper rest (I really should have spent some time and looked into this feature).

All of my Elite 3s have the traditional swing-out bar paper rest. The Plana has a fixed wire rest. And the Humbers something similar to the 3s.

I checked my notes for Optima and found a model that I had dubbed the Elite 2.5. That model is like yours in that it didn't have a paper rest of any kind. Based on the paper rest feature alone, it would appear that Optima changed the Elite 2 at least three times during its production history.

**Posted by Ixzed23** 11-5-2023 18:44:54

Thanks Uwe.

I read elsewhere, but cannot find it now, that the middle hole you refer to in the later model is for a detachable paper rest.

I found one photo that shows the said paper rest attached to the case base here: https://typewriterdatabase.com/1954-optima-elite-2.20285.typewriter

**Posted by Uwe** 12-5-2023 10:32:52

Well, that's one mystery solved. What a terrible system, and it does explain why I've never come across an Elite 2 with a paper rest so far. I don't recall having noticed the clip that holds the rest in the travel case, but I will certainly look for it now.