"Oliver" portable typewriter

OLIVER PORTABLE TYPEWRITER
model: ?
manufacturer: ?
serial number: 104896
year of production: ? (probably 1930s)
keyboard: QUERTZ / French (Swiss-French?)

"Oliver" typewriters are most commonly associatiated with the popular Oliver standard typewriter, which stands out by its "winged" shape (see the Wikipedia entry for more information on the Oliver Typewriter Company). The history of Oliver portable typewriters is somewhat complicated: the British Oliver Typewriters Ltd.'s portable typewriters were duplicated by several other firms (1). According to information available at Will Davis' website (1), the machine featured here would fall "into the family loosely known as the 'SIM / MAS' group of portables, made in Italy and which carried a wide variety of names and models over a number of years."

Special features:

1. The serial number 104896 is not a mechanical engraving as usually, but engraved by hand.


2. There is an extra "FR" currency key for (French or Swiss) francs. The ribbon selector in the colours green - white - red might reflect the Italian flag, where the typewriter was probably produced. Incidental gimmick: can you see the keyboard's "smiley"?




(1) Will Davis, OLIVER portables and relatives, http://www.geocities.com/wbd641/oliver.html (visited 2009-08-11)
last update: 8.3.2010