Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Elements of Type Styles: A Collection

Typewriter-themed mail art!

The cast of characters, from the top of the roll call:
  1. Olivetti Lettera 35 (Pica)
  2. Rheinmetall KST (Script)
  3. Hermes 3000 (Epoca)
  4. Swissa Junior (Bulletin/ Display, not yet featured)
  5. Hermes Baby (Elite)
  6. Hermes 3000 (Director Pica)
  7. Scheidegger Princess-Matic (Congress Pica)
  8. Adler Tippa S (Continental Elite)
  9. Olympia SF (Script, typestyle 69)
  10. Adler Tippa (Script)
  11. Adler Tippa S (Techno)
  12. Swissa Junior (Techno)
  13. Hermes Media 3 (Pica - same style of machine as in the link, but different typeface)

10 comments:

  1. Those are some nice looking typefaces. I also really like the envelope with the typewriter ribbon drawn on it.

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  2. Thanks for posting this! Quite useful. I must start to look for some machines with script typeface (I have none, despite my ever-growing collection!) - I just love the variantion on that theme from your Rheinmetall KST...

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  3. Yes, quite the artiste on that drawn typewriter ribbon...I can almost see the black and red in it:)

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  4. Wonderful sampling of typefaces (and ribbon colors and densities)!

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  5. Wow, lots of diversity in the typefaces (and the ribbon colors, have you ever said where you get those ribbons? Did I miss that? Someone had a brown ribbon at the Snohomish type-in and it was fabulous).

    I think my favorite is the Adler Tippa 1. Amazing.

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  6. Very cute title...made me smile!

    Amazing assortment! For my own general use I always end up coming back to boring old pica (I really love Olivetti's pica), but it sure is fun seeing others! And you *must* tell us more about these colored ribbons.

    The brown ribbon on that typewriter at the Snohomish type-in was sooo cool!

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  7. LFP - I was hoping a fellow Strunk & White fan would notice the title :)

    Besides basic black, there are three other colors shown in the roll call: green (Rheinmetall KST), blue (Adler Tippa S), and purple (Adler Tippa 1). Now I wish I'd flicked the lever on one of these machines and written in red as well!

    Anyway, there are no interesting stories, I'm afraid. I too wish I knew where to find these ribbons! A certain Mr. Vieira has promised to scour the stationery shops of Portugal for new old stock.

    The green ribbon came with the Rheinmetall (and the seller kept assuring me I could easily swap it out with black, as if!) Likewise, the blue ribbon was already on the Tippa when I bought it. Both of these colors have been sparingly used, and when they fade to illegibility I will resort to enliven them by any means necessary... including the WD-40 trick. The purple ribbon was a lucky find on eBay France and I wrote a post about it last month: http://genevatypewriters.blogspot.com/2011/01/vintage-accessories-cotton-typewriter.html

    LFP and Strikethru - if you're interested in colored ribbons, you could try dropping Richard Polt a note. I think he mentioned that the Spitzfaden's stationery store in his neighborhood still has old stocks; he might be able to pick some up for you.

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  8. Fantastic - I love it. Typeface is an important consideration in typewriter purchase(s). I think you need some Remington action!

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  9. Don't worry Adwoa, you will receive a first parcel soon (not yet with blue ribbons, but interesting nevertheless)...

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  10. Rino - You're right, I don't have any Remingtons... yet! I don't think they made any really great ultra-portables, and their "flagship" models, the Quiet-Riter and its brethren, are a bit too large for my small apartment. Maybe one day.

    Ruy - Sounds promising :)

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