Typewriter Talk / An "albino" SG1?

**Posted by Fleetwing** 18-1-2018 22:55:04

Take a look: https://longisland.craigslist.org/atq/d/vintage-olympia-werke-ag/6462918831.html

Added photo from link in post.

Last edited by Uwe (19-1-2018 18:39:05)

**Posted by beak** 19-1-2018 06:33:16

My screen shows it as a light grey - which I have seen occasionally, but not often.

**Posted by Fleetwing** 19-1-2018 07:11:49

Yes, most likely a light gray. Still, I've never seen one this color.

**Posted by Uwe** 19-1-2018 18:37:24

Pretty sure that's just the late model, light green variant. I have a few of them and if a digital camera's white balance isn't set correctly it can look white-grey. One clue that the colours in the photo are off is how dull the green keys look.

This one, for example, I hadn't yet cleaned when the photo was taken and the paint has a more yellow hue from the cigarette tar clinging to it:

**Posted by Fleetwing** 19-1-2018 21:16:27

Never seen one with the off-white keys and light green shift keys. I'll have to keep an eye out.

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 20-1-2018 04:11:45

This is the 'transitional' model circa 1966. Olympia were phasing the SG1 out and bringing in the new SG3. The first SG3s had the same colour keyboard. The paint finish is a sort of hammered enamel and not as pretty as the dark green crackle finish of the original SG1. Note also that a lot of knobs and levers have changed to white plastic from the mid-green of the original.

**Posted by Fleetwing** 20-1-2018 05:50:45

Thanks. It may be that the SG3 looks better in this color scheme -- still, I'd love to have one.

**Posted by Uwe** 20-1-2018 15:59:10

thetypewriterman wrote:
This is the 'transitional' model circa 1966.

The SG3 was introduced in 1963.

thetypewriterman wrote:
The first SG3s had the same colour keyboard.

The SG1 in my previous post is a '63, as is this SG3 below:

**Posted by thetypewriterman** 21-1-2018 05:27:44

Well, that is very interesting ! You live and learn ! I always understood that the changeover from SG1 to SG3 was circa 1966, although I have no doubt that both models were made simultaneously for a while to 'build out' existing SG1 parts stock. Trade serial number dating sources simply list 'SG' models, and as they were all numbered consecutively you cannot tell the change over period from those.