IT arrived a few weeks ago – with the UPS delivery guy being so thoughtful in how he handed the big box to me. I was beaming with pride in announcing, “It’s my Dad’s typewriter. My Mom sent it to me for my birthday!” His knowing smile and approving nod told me he has made this kind of delivery before – a family favorite item that gets handed down to the next generation, trusted to his company for the cross-country journey.
Right after I had posted my blog post on Typewritten Letters (USB optional) on May 3rd my Mom and I were on the telephone and I shared I was saving up to get a typewriter for trying out the USB device onto and she said, “Helen, would you like your Dad’s typewriter for your birthday?” I was thrilled and the anticipation of the delivery of the present itself was a fun part of receiving the gift!
The typewriter is all metal and appears to be a Olympia SM3 Typewriter, 1958. Thank you to The Antikey Chop Typewriter Collection (on Twitter @AntikeyChop) for his page on Olympia Typewriters. And thank you to myTypewriter.com for their page on Olympia SM 3 and 4 with this info describing: “Olympia’s SM models from West Germany are generally regarded as some of the best manual typewriters ever engineered. The solid, well-constructed machines are perfect for typewriter enthusiasts who not only want to own an aesthetically pleasing object, but truly want to type, type, and type to their heart’s content.”
We did figure out that the current typewriter ribbon is plastic and not metal so it gave some idea of timeline for age of the current ribbon. It types fine! I’m just wanting to have it ‘spiffied’ up as I plan to use it.
The point in sharing today’s topic is to say, do not under estimate the prized value something you have sitting around the house may be to someone in your family. This typewriter of Dad’s had been nicely stored in a closet in the house with heating and air and is in great condition.
Soon after it arrived I made inquiries and found a trusted business in town that will actually condition your typewriter and I mentioned to them then that it “may be a few weeks” before I would be able to allow myself to be separated from it for its tune-up. Today has been that day – I carried it in and left it with them, and learned my new typewriter is actually a ‘she’ and not a ‘he’ as I had been referring to it. Everyone there was telling me they would take good care of ‘her’! The case I have carried home with me as they did not need for the job.
It is the story of the typewriter which is why I cherish it – it is the typewriter that my Dad traveled with around the world and used as a technical writer on engineering projects. The typewriter case still has some of the original tags on it from traveling. This typewriter along with his guitar were the two items to make it out with him and my three older brothers when they were airlifted out of East Pakistan in September/October of 1965 during a dispute with India.
In high school my Dad insisted I take typing and learn how to type which has served me well.
When I “checked” in the typewriter today before leaving it they did do a quick search to figure out its monetary value and although it is in fantastic condition it is not valued at ‘winning the lottery’ – it is priceless to me nonetheless! Now that I have posted about it – I will print off today’s blog post and include in my handwritten ‘proper’ thank you note to my Mom. Speaking of proper thank you’s there is a great article on what to include in them by Carla McKeown in “How to Write a Thank You Note” at 365 Letters. If the name sounds familiar, you are right, this is who The Anchored Scraps Address Book is designed and customized for AnchoredScraps.com blog readers!
Is there something perhaps that is sitting around in your home that you are really no longer using but it would be of big delight to someone in your family if you arranged to give it to them now? It could be a sewing machine, a desk, an old watch, fountain pen, vase, a list as varied as we have interests!
This weekend please consider taking a few minutes to putt around your home and see if there is an item that would make a great gift to share and make arrangements to share it soon!
Anchors Aweigh,
Helen
