I'm back.

My Etsy store will probably be reopened from June.
Restrictions on international shipments are being phased out :)

For safety reasons, the machines will be sanitized with an ozonator before shipment.
They are also always cleaned with a preparation with a high alcohol content.

See you soon!

DINOPlaten

I wasn't very active in April because I was secretly working on a new service for my store. For some time I was looking for a producer who would undertake regeneration of platen in Poland. Sending it abroad, especially overseas, would mean weeks of waiting and double the costs.



From a dozen or so queries sent, only two bidders responded altogether.

And with one I decided to try.

Olympia SM3 was chosen as the prototype, and more specifically the one I bought for parts. So I had no fear that the item would be damaged or lost.



After dismantling the element and getting rid of the rubber layer (which turned out to be quite simple), I sent the whole thing to the company

Japanese weirdos.

I'm not sure when and why Japan manufacturers begin to brand their typewriters with european names. Apart from Hermes I've also came across Olympia, Brillant Neckermann (one at my shop for example), and at least few others.

It had to be around 80's, since all of the factories made their own typewriters since 70's with more or less success.
I'm not sure if this was even legal, but after the personal computers hit the market I can imagine that most manufacturers could sold the name at least in the terms of typewriters.
And japanese could sold their products not only back to europe (I found few machines in v.good condition... as unused), but mostly to poorer parts of the world.

They are far better than many clones or licensed products made in europe for example, whitch were also part of selling off what they could (classic manufacturers), before it will be worth nothing...
Mechanics is working v.good, the aligment is straight, and typing isn't a problem... I can't say that about UNIS or TBM products that I came across (Olympia, Olivetii licensed models, made in Jugoslavia).

If you want something fresh and reliable I think these japanese models are still better option that new "made in china" typewriters.

Sculpture

Some time ago (fall of 2018), small bronze sculptures depicting the symbols of Radom (one of Polish bigger cities), incl. the legendary "Łucznik" sewing machine and typewriter, a telephone from Radom Telephone Factory, a Vis pistol and shoes from "Radoskór" appeared in the city center. The project is implemented as part of the civic budget.

The objects are made in 1:1 scale, and are placed around city center for turists to discover :)

It looks that typewriter had at least one monument around the globe!
Or there are more?