Stevetype33 wrote:

Can’t make out the brand. They’re not Adlers are they?

When I looked at the first image (below), two things were immediately apparent: the platen knobs definitely looked like those used by Olympia, and the metal ID plate on the back/bottom of the machine was the exact size and shape as those mounted on most Olympia models of that era.

When you add the other characteristics such as the machine's colour, case shape, carriage design, and its overall size, you know it has to be an Olympia SG3 that was used, as the author claims in the second photo.

So although the staging for those photos is quite impressive, especially considering that that they lined up a number of identical models, the era those typewriters were produced in would be mismatched to a "Mad Men" '50s theme. An SG1 would have been a far more appropriate model to represent that decade. However, which decade was this fashion designer trying to mimic? If it was the '60s, then the SG3 was a percect choice.



EDIT: Just watched the video, which was well done, and it makes it much easier to identify the SG3s that were used. What was very interesting is that they stripped off the Olympia badging on the front of the machine for the video (presumably).

Last edited by Uwe (04-4-2013 15:01:25)

Stevetype33 wrote:

I also noted that the badges had been taken off, which is a shame.

I'm sure whoever owns those typers put them back on again the moment the even was over. 

Stevetype33 wrote:

But Mad Men is 1960s, not 50s (JFK gets assassinated in Series 3).

Oops, really? I've only watched one episode - or tried to anyway - and for some reason remembered it as being a post-war, '50s thing. Looks like I was way off. If JFK got it in the third season, I guess the series supposedly started around 1960, so yes, those SG3s are a good fit after all... 
 

'Nother old 'un, okay.  Take a look at the ladies at the top, how nice and young they look.  That was about forty-odd years ago.  Anyone born when that picture was taken (like me) would be older now than those women were back then. Hopefully, at least most of them are still enjoying good health, and that the typewriters landed in the hands of loving collectors and NOT SOME BLANKETY_BLANK KEYCHOPPER CARRYIN' SNIPS IN HIS HANDS!!! 

In that case Ms. Kiely went all out.  She got a hold of three Olympias that were around 40 years old that look like they were in good shape.  Question:  I have heard there are businesses that specialize in props in America.  They rent out older office equipment, including typewriters, phones, etc, and a host of other things.  Do they have a similar setup in Europe?  Either Ms. Kiely used a prop shop, or she was very lucky to find three Olympia typewriters, old filing cabinets, a rubber stamp, and some vintage outfits when she was going garage-saling or antiquing. I'd like to see what the stores had left and go shopping myself. 

Orla Kiely is a multi-million-pound business selling very high-end clothes - they will use industry props and model agencies. Europe has some world-class cities in it, as it happens - they even make full-budget movies over here! And the outfits are not vintage, they are designed by Orla Kiely. Fashion Week (in London, as in New York, Paris or Milan) is a mega-money event, attracting the fashion press, buyers and designers from all over the world. I'm not sure why you're being so patronising about this photo shoot. It's a fashion spread. You're the one who chose to comment on it.