Typewriter Talk / If you could only keep a five typewriters from your collection....

**Posted by OliverNo.9** 09-8-2017 23:23:41

...what would those machines be?
For me, my 1927 Remington #2 portable, and 1948 Remington Rand De Luxe Model 5 would be at the top of the list... followed by (I think) my 1928 Underwood 5, 1913 Royal Model 5, and finally... honestly... it's a toss up between the Oliver No. 9 and the Hammond Multiplex... and perhaps a few others....

**Posted by Uwe** 10-8-2017 10:23:38

Five of my Olympia SG1s.

Seriously though, although the day will come when I'll actually have to narrow the collection down to five (I was thinking ten would be a more realistic number), I don't even want to think about it until then because it's just too difficult a notion to entertain. And besides, who know which machines will be added to the collection before that point that might be in that group?

**Posted by Markmotown** 10-8-2017 10:25:50

Hammond Multiplex, Underwood 46 "semitic," a Martin Tytell custom Remington 16 in cyrillic, Continental portable, Noiseless.

**Posted by Javi** 10-8-2017 11:45:23

If that day comes I´ll have a seizure, and when I recover I´ll take these I feel more attached to, instead of the "good" (i.e. valuable, collectible, notorious...) ones. Then these will be:

- My grandpa´s Olivetti Linea 98 (The first typewriter of my collection)
- My girlfriend´s grandpa´s Olivetti Lettera 32 (The second, and the one which really bit me)
- My other grandpa´s Olivetti Studio 44
- Continental Silenta (a "good" one)

I have many candidates for the final slot, but most probably it would be my real first typewriter, the one I was given when I was 10, a Nakajima 8000. Again, nothing special in terms of performance or collecting potential, but it´s MY typewriter!

Except for the Silenta (and I include it because I really appreciate it) one could say that´s a budget collection, and this demonstrates that collections are not made just by pouring money into them. But let´s hope the day of getting rid of all typewriters doesn´t ever come!

**Posted by OliverNo.9** 11-8-2017 15:46:24

Thank you all for your posts! It is really interesting to see what everyone would keep!

**Posted by Fleetwing** 11-8-2017 16:43:01

I'm with Uwe at this point, though an SG1 would no doubt be in the mix. The Noiseless Portable 7 I just got would probably be there too; Royal FP? It's all evolving.

**Posted by Uwe** 11-8-2017 18:49:42

Fleetwing wrote:
It's all evolving.

Yes, that's a good point. As collections grow a collector's interests usually matures along with it.

And I like Javi's sentiment too about keeping what you have a real connection with. My final five would have to be special because of their provenance, and because they're great performers, and not because they have fancy paint jobs or typefaces. I don't care how rare a machine is, or how pretty it looks, if it doesn't type extremely well it's nothing more than a paperweight to me.

**Posted by OliverNo.9** 11-8-2017 19:43:20

Uwe wrote:
Fleetwing wrote:
It's all evolving.
Yes, that's a good point. As collections grow a collector's interests usually matures along with it.

And I like Javi's sentiment too about keeping what you have a real connection with. My final five would have to be special because of their provenance, and because they're great performers, and not because they have fancy paint jobs or typefaces. I don't care how rare a machine is, or how pretty it looks, if it doesn't type extremely well it's nothing more than a paperweight to me.

Uwe, I completely agree.

**Posted by schyllerwade** 12-8-2017 00:59:03

I think at this point the only one that will be there of a certainty is my Erika 8. So perfect.
I would also want an ultraportable, probably my Hermes rocket but not necessarily.
And I would want a cursive machine as well. Could be the same rocket, or maybe something else I've never come across..
I'm loving my noiseless as well, but, too soon to tell if it's here to stay

So many that I'd like to try but haven't had the chance to yet...

**Posted by jscene** 10-9-2017 19:31:04

My Hermes Rocket for sure.... pretty much perfect in every way...form and function.

My Lettera 22 ... The best little typer.....so so smooth.

My Hermes 3000 ... solid...like super solid, beautiful and a great substantial typer.

I'm not sure about the others....I have about 12 others, but these three are my total favs at this point. When I have time to clean the rest up and fix the various and numerous problems they have I might change my mind...but I kind of doubt it!