great post - love the mill especially. My first sm9 was script too. Happy blogiversary! The new direction would be a return to typosphere roots - we used to do writing prompts and everything.
Ahh, Olympias of the '60s sure are very fine typewriters.
You know I enjoy your fiction. Not every typewritten blog has to be about typewriters -- our infinitely resourceful machines can write about anything in the universe, and out of it. Post some of your work.
Good one, Ken. Now you got me thinking about a SM9! You should post your writings up on your blog. I put my Bond Fanfics up on mine whether people wanna read 'em or not. My blog is as much a 'storage facility' for my interests as much as it is about anything else. Life is a rich tapestry, as they say, and typewriters are but one thread. Congrats on your first year of collecting, too!
Thanks for the update. I've been enjoying my SM9 in "robot" font, and look forward to reading some of your work. Perhaps a serial story, with weekly installments?
Great collection of SM9s. I really like the Olympia script. I think it is one of the nicest. The Gothic (Mill) is very nice. I have see that typeface listed (Ted Munk's NOMDA book) for Olympia, but I never saw a machine with it.
My SM7 was coated with yellow gunk too. 90% sure it was WD-40. A good soaking in ZEP and also some scrubbing with the same fixed it, but the SM7 is still my slowest machine. I really like it, but I cannot type as fast on it as my other typewriters. All the keys are very free moving too. I need to find another one for comparison.
What better way to celebrate than to add to your already impressive array of Olympias! It's great that you've got so many different examples of the SM9 model, which is the best of the lot, in my humble opinion.
See what a positive response you are getting about sharing your fiction on this blog? The prospect of you posting some of your work here is very exciting!
Please remind me where to find the serial number on the SM9 -- I've got a surprise for you! ;-)
@Scott- I would definitely liked to have been part of the writing prompts you mentioned. Sound like a bunch of fun! My first (and second) SM9's were both senatorial, actually. I gave one to my brother and kept one for myself. It's nice from time to time, but gets old..you know?
@Richard- Thanks a bunch for the encouragement, Richard. I will definitely have to try posting some more of my shorts. It's how I spent a majority of my time (when I'm not writing a letter or reading), so why not share it? And yes, I, of course, agree that Olympia made some fantastic portables. 'The best, Jerry. The best!'
@Teeritz- I'm not sure that I've read any of your Bond fan-fics. Then again, I've never read nor seen any Bond movie, so I might not quite get it. I keep trying to convince my wife that we should watch some of the old Bond movies...
@Joe- Everyone enjoys a nice SM9, don't they? Rather, how CAN'T they? I had not thought of doing a serial story, but perhaps I will give it a shot. I've never written anything like that before.
@Bill- This is the first SM9 in mill that I've ever seen, which made it even more exciting. The script on Olympias is the best I've seen, definitely. A bit less swoopy and more compact. Very nice. I never did get around to cleaning that SM7, did I? You'd think I would after a year of owning it...
@Cam- Well thanks, bud. I like how all of my SM9's vary slightly from each other in appearance, as well as typefaces (except that my senatorial and script are exactly the same...). I will definitely get around to posting more of my work; thanks for the encouragement. The serial number of an SM9 can be found stamped on the underside of the machine, right into the frame. I cannot wait to see this surprise you've mentioned!!
Ken, congrats on that damn fine crop of SM9's. And of course the one year anniversary! I've read your blog on and off for quite a while but only now have I pulled my finger out and got a blogger account so I can comment. Good timing, I too am almost at exactly one year since I bought my first typewriter (and thus became somewhat obsessed).
This is a fine crop of machined. You've become quite the collector of Olympia machines, and I sense a strong theme forming. And definitely worth the money. I have been hoping to get my hands on an Olympia SM8 for a while now, but I've found other machines taking my interest first.
Great to see you're still collecting and writing. Hadn't heard from you in a while!
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great post - love the mill especially. My first sm9 was script too.
ReplyDeleteHappy blogiversary!
The new direction would be a return to typosphere roots - we used to do writing prompts and everything.
Ahh, Olympias of the '60s sure are very fine typewriters.
ReplyDeleteYou know I enjoy your fiction. Not every typewritten blog has to be about typewriters -- our infinitely resourceful machines can write about anything in the universe, and out of it. Post some of your work.
Good one, Ken. Now you got me thinking about a SM9! You should post your writings up on your blog. I put my Bond Fanfics up on mine whether people wanna read 'em or not. My blog is as much a 'storage facility' for my interests as much as it is about anything else.
ReplyDeleteLife is a rich tapestry, as they say, and typewriters are but one thread.
Congrats on your first year of collecting, too!
Thanks for the update. I've been enjoying my SM9 in "robot" font, and look forward to reading some of your work. Perhaps a serial story, with weekly installments?
ReplyDeleteGreat collection of SM9s. I really like the Olympia script. I think it is one of the nicest. The Gothic (Mill) is very nice. I have see that typeface listed (Ted Munk's NOMDA book) for Olympia, but I never saw a machine with it.
ReplyDeleteMy SM7 was coated with yellow gunk too. 90% sure it was WD-40. A good soaking in ZEP and also some scrubbing with the same fixed it, but the SM7 is still my slowest machine. I really like it, but I cannot type as fast on it as my other typewriters. All the keys are very free moving too. I need to find another one for comparison.
HAPPY TYPOVERSARY, Ken!!
ReplyDeleteWhat better way to celebrate than to add to your already impressive array of Olympias! It's great that you've got so many different examples of the SM9 model, which is the best of the lot, in my humble opinion.
See what a positive response you are getting about sharing your fiction on this blog? The prospect of you posting some of your work here is very exciting!
Please remind me where to find the serial number on the SM9 -- I've got a surprise for you! ;-)
@Scott- I would definitely liked to have been part of the writing prompts you mentioned. Sound like a bunch of fun! My first (and second) SM9's were both senatorial, actually. I gave one to my brother and kept one for myself. It's nice from time to time, but gets old..you know?
ReplyDelete@Richard- Thanks a bunch for the encouragement, Richard. I will definitely have to try posting some more of my shorts. It's how I spent a majority of my time (when I'm not writing a letter or reading), so why not share it? And yes, I, of course, agree that Olympia made some fantastic portables. 'The best, Jerry. The best!'
@Teeritz- I'm not sure that I've read any of your Bond fan-fics. Then again, I've never read nor seen any Bond movie, so I might not quite get it. I keep trying to convince my wife that we should watch some of the old Bond movies...
@Joe- Everyone enjoys a nice SM9, don't they? Rather, how CAN'T they? I had not thought of doing a serial story, but perhaps I will give it a shot. I've never written anything like that before.
@Bill- This is the first SM9 in mill that I've ever seen, which made it even more exciting. The script on Olympias is the best I've seen, definitely. A bit less swoopy and more compact. Very nice. I never did get around to cleaning that SM7, did I? You'd think I would after a year of owning it...
@Cam- Well thanks, bud. I like how all of my SM9's vary slightly from each other in appearance, as well as typefaces (except that my senatorial and script are exactly the same...). I will definitely get around to posting more of my work; thanks for the encouragement. The serial number of an SM9 can be found stamped on the underside of the machine, right into the frame. I cannot wait to see this surprise you've mentioned!!
Ken, congrats on that damn fine crop of SM9's. And of course the one year anniversary! I've read your blog on and off for quite a while but only now have I pulled my finger out and got a blogger account so I can comment. Good timing, I too am almost at exactly one year since I bought my first typewriter (and thus became somewhat obsessed).
ReplyDeleteThis is a fine crop of machined. You've become quite the collector of Olympia machines, and I sense a strong theme forming. And definitely worth the money. I have been hoping to get my hands on an Olympia SM8 for a while now, but I've found other machines taking my interest first.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you're still collecting and writing. Hadn't heard from you in a while!