We’re expecting an ancient Oliver No. 9 any day now.
Since we dragged our Remington Rand KMC in from the curb, I’ve developed a taste for typewriters. My eyes, previously closed, are now open to a world of machines full of mystery and adventure.
I have been lurking around online auctions, ogling typewriters. And I found a new typewriter: a nonfunctional Oliver No. 9. It should arrive some time in the next few days.
It fit all my special criteria:
- Beautiful
- Weird
- Old
- Broken
That last item was most important to me: I wanted something that I could spend happy hours fixing and cleaning – a project I could cut my teeth on. According to the seller’s description, the carriage doesn’t move and some of the keys are stuck, but I am hoping that a drawband replacement and deep cleaning will remedy the situation. And I couldn’t resist that little pot-bellied Printype mascot.
My daughter and I are very excited. We enjoyed researching and repairing our Remington Rand KMC so much. Here is another mechanical creature in need of some gentle attention.
This is a picture from the seller – looks pretty good!
myoldtypewriter 
You have a good potential there. That Printype logo is more than cute—it indicates a beautiful typeface. Have Fun!
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It is a beautiful typeface – I am looking forward to getting the machine running so I can see it in person.
I get a chuckle out of old Printype advertisements that declare, “Nine-nine out of every hundred business men, when they see a Printype letter for the first time, exclaim, ‘Why, that’s like print!'” I am glad that there are scientific studies backing up Printype.
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Aha! I suspected that you might develop a typewriter habit. You will enjoy discovering the fascinating quirks of the Oliver.
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Obviously, I’ve got the fever – typewriter fever. I can’t tell you how much fun I had nursing that Remington Rand back to health. This Oliver No. 9 seems like a perfect project.
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