First, Olivander/Collapsing World found some rubber feet that fit perfectly on my Underwood Noiseless #77. The old feet were horrific, crumbly, squashed things. It looks a thousand percent better now.
Then, out of the blue, a nice fella out on the west coast pointed out to me a machine on shopgoodwill - a machine local to me - that didn't seem to be getting much attention. This was a machine that has been on my Lust List for quite some time. I love it when a machine sort of falls into your lap. It's even better when a machine is in the process of floating by when a friendly typospherian gives you a timely shout-out.
So, below is the newest addition to my growing collection:
From what I've seen online, this is basically the last gasp of the Torpedo line of machines made in West Germany. Its case is very much like the Voss's. Its ribbon cover is now plastic (which, on the Torpedo 18b, it was metal), and its keytops are more Remington than Torpedo. Ditto with the carriage-return arm.
It turns out it's a script machine. That was kind of a surprise. And, oddly enough, it's twin (sans the ribbon cover) showed up a day or so later at the same shopgoodwill location. That one's mine, too.
Here's the thing: this machine is FAST. Really a well-made machine. Reminds one quite a bit of the SM-series Olympias, but with a basket shift. Different feel than the Olympias, though.
So, thank you, friendly typospherians.
(I didn't call y'all out by name, out of respect for y'all's anonymity and whatnot. But you deserve a big old public thank-you, I think.)
Whoever it was must have been a swell guy. And humble, too! Mercy yes, so humble.
ReplyDeleteKNEEL BEFORE ME IN GRATITUDE
*cough*
Ooh, that's an attractive machine!
ReplyDeleteScript machines should be typecast from, though. I demand a type sample! :D
Gotta love that German engineering. Oh, and Clemens' humility.
ReplyDeleteI like the squared keys. And the rather boxy look of the whole thing. Appealing, it is.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we do need a typecast.
A typecast shall be forthcoming. As soon as I find an all-black ribbon with some life left in it. I've been buying only bi-color ribbons, and it seems that might make for less-than-optimal copy (something about descending something-or-others with this typeface).
ReplyDeleteThe twin Torpedo is non-script, and is just as awesome. Perhaps its typospherical debut will come first.
Oh, and (as I mentioned in a self-congratulatory PTF post) I'm thinking of naming them "Mike" and "Clemens". Or, maybe, "Clickthing 1" and "Clickthing 2". (/kneeling)
That's more like it.
ReplyDelete