Interesting. It looks like something from the set of a 1960s Japanese giant monster or robot film. I'm glad it works for you. My K2 has been less than stellar.
I like the low, swooping lines of the design of this one, and the typeface is excellent! Very clear and easy to read, and the impressions of the keys are even.
I'm with you on the K3. Mine also has a serial number beyond what is reported in the database -- 1115338. I like the angular styling. And mine is Robin's Egg Blue, which gives it a neo pop-art look. But its action is not as sharp as many other machines from the same era, and it's actually rather heavy for a portable. Indeed, the Lettera 32 and 22 are smaller, lighter and snappier than the K3. I like it and I use it from time to time, but it's not my favorite. -- Rob
What an intriguing find! Thanks for sharing these pictures and your review. The K3 is a typewriter I have yet to come across (Everests in general are not so common here), but I did find a K2 once which I thought was rather nice to use.
I think as time goes on we should revise our conceptions of "very rare" typewriters - given the higher serial numbers reported on your and rn's K3s, there are a few more of these out there than previously thought, even if they aren't exactly run-of-the-mill. When I first started collecting, I thought Brosette portables were the holy grail because they had been described as rare. I leapt at the chance to get one (and later sold it), but have now seen that they turn up for sale just about once a month in Germany. A tad scarce, sure, but not super rare.
Good point, Adwoa. Rare is a pretty squishy category. Is the Remington 3b -- perhaps 5,000 made -- rare? Certainly the Underwood 5 -- 4 million made -- is not. But an Underwood 5 with an unusual keyboard or a strange, heretofore unknown feature or mechanism might be.
BTW, the belief in the super-rarity of the K3 seems to stem from the assessment of one of the true gurus of the typerati that the K3 model "isn't supposed to exist" and that his was "one of four known specimens." (see the entry for the K3 at http://machinesoflovinggrace.com/others.htm.)
@Peter- I have never used a K2, but I have never really heard anything positive said about them either.
@Bill- Well thanks!
@Richard- I suppose most rarities are 'not the best typewriter on Earth'. It really isn't all that bad, and it doesn't have the slight escapement problems I have found with my Parva.
@Dwayne- As I mentioned to Peter, nothing good is ever really said about the K2's. I do find them to be nice looking machines, but cannot justify spending the money and shipping cost for a more modern typewriter I will never use just because it doesn't type nicely. Now, were I to find one at a flea market...I may just be tempted...
@ton- Now, if it were only made by Olivetti, then you could add one to your collection of Jetsons machines. I could definitely see it fitting in nicely there.
@Cameron- Yes. While bigger than I like it, the typeface is extraordinarily nice on this machine. Very easy to read and a few rather attractive letters mixed in there. The design of the machine is nice as well. Although, I think Robert Messenger's is a far more attractive red color. Either way, it is nice looking.
@Rob- I feel the same way about the action of my K3. Decent, yes, but definitely not on par with plenty of other machines of the same era and size. A nice once-in-a-while typer, but not something to use everyday. Ooohh..Robin's Egg blue. Very, very nice.
@Adwoa- I can agree with your point about the rarity of this, and other machines that were once considered rare only to pop up all over the place the *second* you buy one. Nevertheless, this is the first that I have come across on eBay (or anywhere else), and I am happy to have it here. Perhaps more will show up in the future, and this will just be considered another sub-par Everest. Who knows? And I do have to agree with Rob about my excitement stemming from what Alan and Dave have written about it. Then again, this is really the only information I could find. Either way, rare or not, a neat addition. Those Brosette typewriters look rather nice, and I wouldn't mind having one for the occasional letter or two. Can't wait to see your latest pink find!!
I had an opportunity to acquire a brosette once. Typed on it and was t too impressed. It was real eye catching tho, especiallly its name decal. I passed on it bc I was acquiring machines so blistering fast that if I brought home another, my wife who had been so supportive, would have likely started to object out of fear/sense of an uncontrolled addiction. Rightfully so too. I regret not getting the brosette at times to this day But I likely wouldnt use it anyhow. Like the $15 cole steel I passed on.
There were a couple everests on Craigslist Los Angeles for a couple months. Decent prices too... I think $50 which probably could have been bargained down to at least $40 and maybe even $30.
In an alternate universe Im sure I ended up buying them all hahaha like you are hahaha
We all have those machines we regret not buying. I think Peter Weil said to me "We never regret buying a typewriter; never any reason to. But, we always regret that machine that we passed up."
I like my Everest also - a K2 I call Mr. Jingles because it rings with most keypresses. Between the two of them they balance out, right?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting an Everest.
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool and enjoyed seeing it in person at the meeting. It's always neat to have a rarity even if it's not the greatest typewriter on earth.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. It looks like something from the set of a 1960s Japanese giant monster or robot film. I'm glad it works for you. My K2 has been less than stellar.
ReplyDeleteI like how it looks, it could be a Jetson typewriter.
ReplyDeleteI like the low, swooping lines of the design of this one, and the typeface is excellent! Very clear and easy to read, and the impressions of the keys are even.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the K3. Mine also has a serial number beyond what is reported in the database -- 1115338. I like the angular styling. And mine is Robin's Egg Blue, which gives it a neo pop-art look. But its action is not as sharp as many other machines from the same era, and it's actually rather heavy for a portable. Indeed, the Lettera 32 and 22 are smaller, lighter and snappier than the K3. I like it and I use it from time to time, but it's not my favorite. -- Rob
ReplyDeleteWhat an intriguing find! Thanks for sharing these pictures and your review. The K3 is a typewriter I have yet to come across (Everests in general are not so common here), but I did find a K2 once which I thought was rather nice to use.
ReplyDeleteI think as time goes on we should revise our conceptions of "very rare" typewriters - given the higher serial numbers reported on your and rn's K3s, there are a few more of these out there than previously thought, even if they aren't exactly run-of-the-mill. When I first started collecting, I thought Brosette portables were the holy grail because they had been described as rare. I leapt at the chance to get one (and later sold it), but have now seen that they turn up for sale just about once a month in Germany. A tad scarce, sure, but not super rare.
Good point, Adwoa. Rare is a pretty squishy category. Is the Remington 3b -- perhaps 5,000 made -- rare? Certainly the Underwood 5 -- 4 million made -- is not. But an Underwood 5 with an unusual keyboard or a strange, heretofore unknown feature or mechanism might be.
ReplyDeleteBTW, the belief in the super-rarity of the K3 seems to stem from the assessment of one of the true gurus of the typerati that the K3 model "isn't supposed to exist" and that his was "one of four known specimens." (see the entry for the K3 at http://machinesoflovinggrace.com/others.htm.)
@Peter- I have never used a K2, but I have never really heard anything positive said about them either.
ReplyDelete@Bill- Well thanks!
@Richard- I suppose most rarities are 'not the best typewriter on Earth'. It really isn't all that bad, and it doesn't have the slight escapement problems I have found with my Parva.
@Dwayne- As I mentioned to Peter, nothing good is ever really said about the K2's. I do find them to be nice looking machines, but cannot justify spending the money and shipping cost for a more modern typewriter I will never use just because it doesn't type nicely. Now, were I to find one at a flea market...I may just be tempted...
@ton- Now, if it were only made by Olivetti, then you could add one to your collection of Jetsons machines. I could definitely see it fitting in nicely there.
@Cameron- Yes. While bigger than I like it, the typeface is extraordinarily nice on this machine. Very easy to read and a few rather attractive letters mixed in there. The design of the machine is nice as well. Although, I think Robert Messenger's is a far more attractive red color. Either way, it is nice looking.
@Rob- I feel the same way about the action of my K3. Decent, yes, but definitely not on par with plenty of other machines of the same era and size. A nice once-in-a-while typer, but not something to use everyday. Ooohh..Robin's Egg blue. Very, very nice.
@Adwoa- I can agree with your point about the rarity of this, and other machines that were once considered rare only to pop up all over the place the *second* you buy one. Nevertheless, this is the first that I have come across on eBay (or anywhere else), and I am happy to have it here. Perhaps more will show up in the future, and this will just be considered another sub-par Everest. Who knows? And I do have to agree with Rob about my excitement stemming from what Alan and Dave have written about it. Then again, this is really the only information I could find. Either way, rare or not, a neat addition. Those Brosette typewriters look rather nice, and I wouldn't mind having one for the occasional letter or two. Can't wait to see your latest pink find!!
I had an opportunity to acquire a brosette once. Typed on it and was t too impressed. It was real eye catching tho, especiallly its name decal. I passed on it bc I was acquiring machines so blistering fast that if I brought home another, my wife who had been so supportive, would have likely started to object out of fear/sense of an uncontrolled addiction. Rightfully so too.
ReplyDeleteI regret not getting the brosette at times to this day
But I likely wouldnt use it anyhow.
Like the $15 cole steel I passed on.
There were a couple everests on Craigslist Los Angeles for a couple months. Decent prices too... I think $50 which probably could have been bargained down to at least $40 and maybe even $30.
In an alternate universe Im sure I ended up buying them all hahaha like you are hahaha
We all have those machines we regret not buying. I think Peter Weil said to me "We never regret buying a typewriter; never any reason to. But, we always regret that machine that we passed up."
DeleteAnd it is ever so true.