Circa 1965 Olympia SM8 Vintage Manual Typewriter with Case

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Circa 1965 Olympia SM8 Vintage Manual Typewriter with Case

from $997.00

Welcome to one of history’s finest typewriters, lovingly restored for your writing pleasure.

Order now. In about 2 weeks, you’ll get a stunning, authentic, lovingly-restored specimen of this model in the condition selected.

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The Olympia SM8 was produced from 1966 to 1979. The SM9 launched in 1969, so there was about a decade of overlap (1969–1979) where both models were available. (These pictures are of an SM9 I realized. The machines are almost identical except for the tab set and clear key on either side of the space bar… the SM* doesn’t have them… will update pictures shortly).

Beautiful Olympia SM8, one of the peaks of typewriter technology, in a utilitarian frame. This machine rivals any other in history. More consistent than the earlier Olympias, more robust than the Hermes 3000, more precise than the Smith Coronas.

The SM8 only differs from the SM9 because instead of tab set and clear keys on either side of the spacebar, tabs are set in the rear.

This is beneficial, in my opinion, because the tabs are much more robust; the ones on the SM9 sometimes bend and jam. For this reason, the SM8 and the SM9 had some overlap in years of production. If you don’t change tabs frequently, I’d suggest the SM8.

All functions work as designed, including the two-tone ribbon selector, and the auto ribbon reversal mechanism. The tabulator.

The bell rings crisp and clear. The line-spacing works.

Specs:

Type: Portable
Keyboard Layout: U.S. QWERTY
Typeface: 10 or 12 CPI, usually serif, sometimes sans serif
Country of Manufacture: Western Germany
Color: White / Teal
Shift: Basket / Segment Shift
Steel casing. Plastic carriage knobs.

Features:

Tabs.
Single, 1.5, Double Spacing.
Touch Control.
Auto Ribbon Reversal
Two-Tone Ribbon Selector
Original hardshell plywood lined case.

Aesthetics:

The chrome still shines. Keys are clean. Paint is in excellent condition. The plastic components are strong and solid, and not warped or discolored. Plexi card guides are strong and clear.

Mechanics:

The innards are quite pristine. Most pieces look nearly factory fresh. These machines were designed to last a lifetime! Coated metal insides. Carriage return is smooth and fast; spring is strong. Carriage return lever is solid. Type is aligned and balanced.

Rubber:

The rubber feet are still soft; they grip the writing surface. The platen is medium-hard and a pleasure. It still grips the paper and has some bounce. The rollers are doing well. We often replace the feet on these. The originals are higher quality, so we replace them as needed rather than as a rule. Some originals crack and melt and some hold up perfectly and retain boyancy.

Case:

Original case is clean and latches well. No mold or strong smells. The handle is strong. There are some scuffs to the vinyl. Some surface rust on the hardware, which works well.

Included: