What is an Olympia typewriter worth?
Olympia Typewriter Values Now, if you’re in the market for buying one of these superb vintage machines, you’ll find that values generally range between $300-$900 depending on the amount of restoration that needed to go into making the machine run again.
Where is the serial number on an Olympia sm9?
(Look for the serial number on the right top of the frame, under the right end of the carriage.)
What ribbons do Olympia typewriters use?
Extreme Exception: All Olympia Typewriter Made for the US market takes Group 9 Ribbons. you can tell from the $ sign in the keyboard as a main Currency on the first line.
How old is Olympia typewriter?
Olympia typewriters began in 1903 and were at one point regarded as the “Mercedes Benz of typewriters” showcasing the effects of solid German engineering.
Do old typewriters have any value?
Not all typewriters, even vintage models, are valuable. Generally speaking, the older the typewriter, the more valuable it is. Non-working antique typewriters are typically worth about $50, but refurbished models can earn $800 or more.
How can I tell how old my typewriter is?
Locate the serial number on the typewriter to determine the year of manufacture. The serial number may be located on the back of the machine or on the inside, near the ribbon holder. Look up the serial number in the Typewriter Serial Number Database listed in the Resources section.
Can you still get typewriter ribbons?
One of the most frequent questions I receive is “Can you still buy typewriter ribbon”? The answer is “Yes!”. We’re very fortunate that typewriter ribbons continue to be manufactured and sold. One can buy ribbons for most typewriters, everything from the Selectric I typewriter to vintage manual typewriters of all kinds.
How long do typewriter ribbons last?
How long should a ribbon last? Cotton ribbon should yield approximately 900,000 characters or about 180,000 words. If you’re typing double-spaced pages, that gives you 720 pages of rough draft perfection!
What happened to Olympia typewriter?
In 1930 the typewriter was renamed Olympia. During the World War II the factory in Erfurt was partly destroyed. After the war “VEB Optima Büromaschinenwerke” continued to produce typewriters. This company was later renamed “Optima Büromaschinenwerk Erfurt”.
Is Olympia a good typewriter?
They were regarded by many as some of the best manual typewriters ever produced. The Olympia typewriters are solid, well-constructed machines perfect for the typewriter enthusiast who not only wants to own an aesthetically pleasing object, but who could put it through the rigors of use.
Is the Olympia SM9 typewriter a good typewriter?
The SM9 is the culmination of that typewriter expertise. The keys are solid. The carriage movement smooth. When you begin typing you realize quickly that you’re in capable hands. The journey of words has found its companion. About the only mark against this typewriter is just how plain it looks.
Is the Olympia SKM based on the SM9?
The Olympia SKM is another design based off of the SM9, it appears to essentially be a wide-carriage SM9 with some modifications to make it look more imposing on a desk. I have dated this model to 1971 based on the accompanying sales slip, which does not align with the numbers on the typewriter database.
When did the Olympia SM8 keys come out?
The SM8/SM9 was introduced in 1964 with an all-new segment shift design and a new body. The keys were off-white with turquoise accents. The logo was originally turquoise as well. The SM8 is an SM9 without the keyset tabulator and touch selector.
Where was the original Olympia typewriter factory located?
Although the Olympia factory survived the capture of Berlin by Allied forces, following the Soviet takeover when the new East German government took control and renamed the company Optima, a number of employees fled to West Germany and in 1948 re-established the company in Wilhelmshaven.