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| European Typewriters: Olivetti standard machines |
| The success story of Olivetti has been told so often that it need not be repeated here. The company entered the market as late as 1910-1911, but persevered to become one of the leading manufacturers of typewriters in history. |
| OLIVETTI M1 Tilman Elster collection This is the first Olivetti model produced, although this particular example was built in 1919. It is serial number 194887. |
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| OLIVETTI M20 Tilman Elster collection The M20 replaced the M1 sometime around 1920. This machine, with serial number 23/13805 dates to 1923. |
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| OLIVETTI M40 Tilman Elster collection The M40 entered the lineup in 1930-1931, and was produced from that time right through the Second World War, although at decreased numbers per month as dictated by supply problems and military action. Serial number 167114; manufactured 1937. |
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| OLIVETTI M40 Tilman Elster collection Here we see the M40 in its war-time production trim, with greatly simplified labeling. Serial number K367124, built 1944. |
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| OLIVETTI M40/3 Tilman Elster collection The M40/3 was an extremely short-lived model, appearing sometime immediately post-war but going out of production in about 1947 when the M44 replaced it. This example is serial number 513995, thought to correlate to 1947. |
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| OLIVETTI LEXICON 80 Tilman Elster collection The Lexicon appeared in this new body style around 1954, and was produced to a total of about 125,000 units before being dropped in 1959. This example is from the first year of production. |
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| OLIVETTI DIASPRON 82 Tilman Elster collection The Diaspron 82 replaced the Lexicon 80 in 1959, and was manufactured through 1967 or 1968. |
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| OLIVETTI GRAPHIKA Tilman Elster collection The Graphika looks much like the Lexicon, on which it is based. However, the Graphika (introduced in 1957, which is the year this example was built) included the peculiar feature of proportional spacing. This simply means that various letters have their own widths, instead of each letter having the same width, and that the machine adjusts for this so that no gaps appear between letters. This is one of only a handful of manual typewriters ever built with this feature. |
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| ~~~~~~Electric Standards~~~~~~~~ |
| OLIVETTI LEXICON 80E Tilman Elster Collection Introduced in 1955 as Olivetti's first electric machine. This example is serial number 1084521 and dates to 1959. |
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| OLIVETTI TEKNE 3 Tilman Elster Collection Introduced in 1965 as an updated and restyled version of the 80E. This machine is s/n 212116 and was built in 1967. |
| OLIVETTI EDITOR (TEKNE 5) Tilman Elster collection This machine also appeared in 1965 as the top-end electric office machine. Serial number 6000934, manufactured 1966. |
| OLIVETTI PRAXIS 48 Tilman Elster Collection First produced in 1969, the Praxis was designed as a semi-standard machine, capable of many office machine functions without the size and weight. This machine is serial number 5413234 and dates to 1970. |
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| Olivetti M40 Davis collection This example is slightly different from those seen above; it has enclosed sides, overall crinkle black finish, a full decimal tabulator and a German keyboard. (Segment shift.) Not obvious from photos is that the M40 had a quickly removable carriage. The drawband hooks to a small post on the right side of the machine; large thumb screws allow removal of the whole carriage and rail assembly as a unit (locking screws, one each side, prevent the carriage from rolling along the rails.) The decimal tabulator housing on the rear is unlatched by two levers prior to carriage removal and hinges at the lower end, back and away from the rear of the machine. This design allowed quick change of carriage (width or platen type being the considerations.) |
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