Typewriter Talk / Olivetti Lettera 36

**Posted by OregonJim** 05-3-2023 01:19:54

M. Höhne wrote:
Jim, the importer supplying the power cord makes sense, except for the socket; Olivetti wouldn't change that just for the market and if they did, they might as well throw in the cord. Maybe it varied by year or some production requirement, like availability or price. Also, the cord exiting straight out obviates the need for the clever draping, but forgoes the space advantage of the 90-degree plug. Oh, the poor unfortunate completist collectors.

I wasn't suggesting that Olivetti changed the socket on the typewriter just for export models. They changed the socket for ALL models, as the typewriter above is a newer iteration of the same design.

The IEC socket (on the typewriter above, in this thread) is the "newer" standard. The socket on YOUR typewriter is an older standard (non-IEC), but could still be supplied in the same manner.

As I said, the practice of adding the cord by the importer was often done, but by no means always. I have no idea what Olivetti's practice was. In any case, the version that you own is certainly a clever design. The same cannot be done with the later IEC version that the whole world seems to have settled on. You can buy a generic 90-degree IEC cord that exits to the left or right, but not both in one cord (by simply flipping it over).

This has probably gone woefully past the stage of TMI for most. Bottom line is that Olivetti had an elegant and clever design - and then later decided to follow the rest of the world by implementing a generic (and uninteresting) "standard". The only saving grace is that, with the newer one, if you ever lose or damage the cord, you can buy a replacement just about anywhere for a buck or two.

**Posted by M. Höhne** 05-3-2023 07:53:49

Great response, Jim. Thanks for fleshing out this issue. It's this kind of back-n-forth that can give us some better understanding of how the world works. Whether anyone thinks that it is an important understanding is a different question, though I, for one, do not think there is any such thing as Too Much Information. So, Onward.

**Posted by Pete E.** 05-3-2023 09:55:35

Based on the serial number of my machine (SN-641262) and that of Michael's machine (SN-561161)...maybe we can surmise that the cord/socket change happened sometime in 1981.

**Posted by Uwe** 05-3-2023 13:06:13

As you would expect, my second generation 36 [0812508] also has the updated IEC connector. Frankly, I've always been intrigued by the link between Olivetti, and the former Russian-occupied region of Germany.

The futuristic, ribbed travel case used for the 36 was made in the GDR (DDR), and I have always wanted to do a deep dive into the history of the relationship between its manufacturer and Olivetti. Maybe someone else has already looked into it?

Some of these cases had a white sticker that indicated the country of origin, while in others the wording was a part of the mould that made them. I've never determined whether or not this is an indication of the 36's production history. The history of the DDR's typewriter industry in general - much like many of its other industries (i.e. cameras) - is in a way the analysis of scavengers tearing apart a carcass.

It's possible that I'm belabouring my point: the myriad segues exploring the who, how, and why of typewriter manufacturing is equally worthy of discussion as the typewriters themselves.

**Posted by OregonJim** 05-3-2023 15:42:36

Pete E. wrote:
Based on the serial number of my machine (SN-641262) and that of Michael's machine (SN-561161)...maybe we can surmise that the cord/socket change happened sometime in 1981.

That makes sense, as 1981 was also the year of the introduction of the IBM PC with its power supply using the very same IEC connector.

**Posted by M. Höhne** 05-3-2023 16:12:16

Well, I fixed the snow; as I half-feared, I didn't fix the Lettera 36 puzzles.

My second one, SN-659230, has the IEC C13/C14 connector, non-polarized. Both this and the one with the "Olivetti" connector have the nice wall plug that started this thread. I cannot date any of them closer than 198x. This one has the square keytops with the legends in a common font on them; the other, earlier, one has the round keytops with the striking Cooper Black legends.

Both my cases are molded with the note: "Case and typewriter/made in Olivetti plant Barcelona (Spain)" (to distinguish this one from the typewriters made in Barcelona, Arkansas). They are, of course, slightly different from each other (the cases), different latches and slightly different design of the interior shapes.

Nobody said this hobby would be easy; nobody promised it would be non-trivial.

**Posted by Uwe** 05-3-2023 17:06:35

M. Höhne wrote:
Both my cases are molded with the note: "Case and typewriter/made in Olivetti plant Barcelona (Spain)" ... They are, of course, slightly different from each other (the cases), different latches and slightly different design of the interior shapes.

Interesting! I'm posting a photo of my (as received) case with the GDR reference - is this at all similar to either of yours? Someone could have a lot of fun matching serial number ranges and the models' country of origins with the cases that were used.

Case identification is a useful skill when you're power-hunting typewriters in large antique centers. I used to be quite good at it, but since my interest in typewriters has waned over the years, I'm beginning to forget which cases went with which manufacturers and models.

**Posted by Pete E.** 05-3-2023 18:17:01

Hi Uwe,

My case is identical to your case and my case and my machine are indicated to have both been maid in Spain.
.

**Posted by Pete E.** 05-3-2023 18:18:56

Case exterior view...
.

**Posted by Uwe** 05-3-2023 18:36:05

It looks like the Spanish case has different latches and handle, and I'm not sure from the photo, but those latches can be locked? The plot thickens...