Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Ramblings on correspondence and thinning the hoard

*All wonky typing/ alignment issues solely my fault... always trying to write on every inch of paper, as usual!

Here's the only typewriter spotted this week - slim pickings:

11 comments:

  1. Adwoa, kinda sad to hear about the Olivetti Studio 44 gone, it still remains as my favorite typewriter in my (mini) collection. I guess with the unbelievable variety and quality of the machines in your stable, you do have to purge every now and then (Funny, every time I visit your catalogue page, I want to score a typewriter!).

    I'm a bit of O.C. about things so I might keep my collection to a max of 12 typewriters. Three to go and so many beauties out there. I wonder if this personal dogma would work at all!

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  2. Selling used computers can be a scary proposition, especially when they're a few years old. I'm very glad to hear that your Macbook story had a happy ending!

    I admire your restraint and "thinning the herd" mentality re. typewriters. It is probably fortunate that you do not have a lot of space in which to store them; it "keeps you honest", so to speak.

    I may have room for a few more machines, but I too am trying to be more selective. I need to concentrate on getting a few of my quirky typewriters (like the SM-3) working better, rather than acquire more at the moment.

    But the year is YOUNG -- ha ha! Anything can happen, and it probably will. ;-)

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  3. It is surprising to see you post and not posting on finding or getting a new typewriter. Nice that things worked out for you with the old Mac.

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  4. That's one of the nicer stories I've heard recently about Apple. I also have to give my MacBook Pro some positive press; after my daughter slopped some boiling tea on the keyboard the touchpad was not working, but once everything dried out, it worked as good as new.

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  5. Thinning is such sweet sorrow. I too will need to focus. Unfortunately, that means sending some glass key machines out into the wilds populated by key cutting hoards.

    I'm glad your old Mac was brought back to life. I abandoned the brand years ago when they changed systems and rendered all of my expensive software obsolete. It's good to know that they are in a position to make brand loyalty a priority.

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  6. @lo-tech: Yes, it was hard to part with the Studio 44, but I am glad to have taken good (I hope) pictures of it that will remain part of the blog and whet others' appetites for this wonderful machine. If anyone is inspired to get one from my write-up, I will have done my part!

    @Cameron: I have always believed in buying used (and well-maintained) computers as well, on the theory that if they will fail, it would have happened during the first few months of ownership as a result of a factory error. Having this one die out of the blue was very scary, and has made me wary of used electronics. Now I don't know what to think!

    @Bill: Don't worry, I have a few machines in the collection that I haven't shown off yet, but I will get to them by and by. I like to simply typecast every once in a while; keeps things interesting!

    @Richard: I'm babying the new MacBook Pro as much as I can, with a keyboard protector and hard shell case, but I admit I still drink tea a bit too close to it and it makes me nervous. But I have to use the thing after all... glad to hear about your positive experience!

    @Dwayne: Aww, I am trying to hold on to the glass-keyed ones as long as possible, although they are most likely to have the most standard typefaces! No keychoppers here though... at least not yet, thankfully.

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  7. I haven't yet thought about shrinking my collection... For from it, I got a new machine (the Underwood Finger-Flite, today's topic) yesterday and watch a few more on ricardo.

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  8. A nice Hermes 2000 - what's the serial number? Personally, I consider the Hermes 2000 one of the top 5 most elegant machines ever made. And it writes very well, too, I would rate it higher than the Hermes 3000, but then again it's a personal choice.

    Interesting considerations as to replying to letters - reminds me that I still need to answer one 2011 ITAM letter... by the way, what about ITAM 2012??


    As to buying, I usually buy first, and think of the space later.

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    1. What about ITAM 2012 indeed! We need to come up with a plan, although I am tentatively shooting for a (short) post a day as a way to celebrate. Hope I can pull it off; it will be tough!

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  9. I'm also starting to run out of space but can not stop buying them...
    It is a pity to know that you're selling some of your machines. If you're selling a cursive please let me know! I've been madly looking for one but they seem impossible to find. I'll be glad to pay for the machine and shipping charges :)

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    1. Usually the first machines to go when I am downsizing are the plain pica/ elite... I love the unusual typefaces too much to part with them! If I change my mind and decide to sell a script typewriter, you'll be the first to hear of it :)

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