FYI, I have the user manual for this machine. Regarding line spacing, they say, "The 1 is for single spacing. The 2 is for intermediate spacing. The 3 is for double spacing." The manual suggests that setting 2 is useful for very informal correspondence done on smaller pieces of paper.
hi, I really enjoyed your video, but I'm Italian, I live quite close to the city of Ivrea, where the historic Olivetti factory in Piedmont once resided, and I must warn you of an error, actually two, the first is that it was not Underwood to acquire Olivetti, but rather, it was Olivetti to acquire Underwood, and the second is that the one manufactured by Olivetti in Italy often had a preference for using higher quality products than those supplied to Underwood , as the US market generally required less maintenance on laptops, which is why the Underwood-Olivetti one has the paint slightly peeling on the edges. You know, Olivetti was a brand that completely changed Italy, and the letter 22 revolutionized the world of typewriters, so much so that American intelligence tried to sabotage its production both in Italy and abroad. . Those of the Italians who are fond of typewriters consider the Olivetti letter 22 sacred. Se qualcuno apprezzasse lascio il commento anche in italiano : If anyone appreciated I leave the comment also in Italian: "Ciao, ho apprezzato molto il tuo video, ma io sono italiano, ad abito piuttosto vicino alla città di Ivrea, dove risiedeva la storica fabbrica della Olivetti, in Piemonte, e ti devo avvisare di un errore, anzi due, il primo, è che non fu la Underwood ad acquisire la Olivetti, ma bensì, fu la Olivetti ad acquisire la Underwood, ed il secondo, è che quella fabbricata dalla Olivetti in Italia, spesso aveva preferenza nell'utilizzare prodotti di maggiore qualità, rispetto a quelli forniti alla Underwood, poichè il mercato statunitense, richiedeva genericamente, meno manutenzione sulle portatili, motivo per cui, quella della Underwood-Olivetti, ha la vernice leggermente scrostata sui bordi. Sai, la Olivetti, è stata una marca che ha cambiato completamente l'italia, e la lettera 22, ha rivoluzionato il mondo delle macchine da scrivere, tanto che l'intelligence americano, tentò di sabotarne la produzione sia in italia che all'estero. Chi tra gli italiani, è appassionato di macchine da scrivere, considera la Olivetti lettera 22 sacra".
È proprio vero. Poi la CIA voleva sabotare soprattutto il settore dell'elettronica dell'Olivetti. Comunque io ho una prima serie di colore rosa in perfette condizioni, completamente originale, probabilmente mai portata da un tecnico a far manutenzione e ancora perfettamente funzionante. Con un carattere molto piccolo e molto particolare tra il resto. Sembra un libro stampato.
In theory, the round keys one should be the oldest (first series Lettera 22) whereas the square keys one should be second series, therefore newer. But the Underwood label makes things more confused indeed, since Olivetti started acquiring Underwood trademark only in 1959. Try checking the serial numer with table here: www.typewriterstory.com/index.php/ol-lettera-22 Cheers from Italy, great videos on your channel!
5 ปีที่แล้ว
Buongiorno Lorenzo, dove trovo il numero di serie? Sul frame non c'è ... ho anche delle foto se possono essere utili. Grazie, Gianvittorio@gmail.com
Yeah the Underwood Olivetti with the round keys are the oldest in the Lettera 22 series of typewriters. I have a Underwood Olivetti Letters 22 with a serial number that dates back to 1957! 2 years prior.
Thanks Joe! Glad to hear I’m not a complete idiot. After not finding a barrel release,I ended up typing on paper, then spray mounting onto the card. Labels, much better idea for next time! Again, thanks for your awesome videos
Actually, I don’t believe the line spacing indicator “is incorrect”; it’s simply a 3-position indicator: position 1 = single line position 2 = 1.5 line position 3 = double line
I have a square key Lettera 22. It's one of my favourite typewriters! I also have an Olivetti Valentine, it's mechanically similar to the Letters, but looks very different with its red body and red case.
Joe, Thank you for your videos. I wanted to mention that that is a Lettera 32, regardless of the fact that someone has changed the label. Not just the shape of the machine, but also the shape of the squarish keys give it away. Also, as Mizan Somani says, it was Olivetti that bought Underwood, not the other way around. The one with the round keys most likely used some 22 parts from the 32s for whatever reason at some point when they needed to fix it. I have seen that happen right in front of my eyes to make a complete set of similarly shaped keys because some had been lost. Thank you again for your videos.
They are indeed 22s. I've read somewhere that the squarish keys were posterior to the round ones, and that would make Joe's Underwood-Olivetti older than the Olivetti. The name plates are odd, though. Maybe it was because Olivetti wanted to keep Underwood's name for a while, after its takeover, and then switched to simple Olivetti. I also recall reading the story somewhere in the Typosphere, just don't remember where.
I've got two Lettera 22s as well. One is blue Underwood-Olivetti with square keys, and the other is a tan Olivetti proper with round keys. The touch on my two machines is the same as your video describes. In fact, I bought the tan Olivetti because I didn't care for the touch in the Underwood-Olivetti because of the difference you noted. Incidentally, the touch of the tan Olivetti 22 is identical to my Underwood-Olivetti Lettera 32. Makes one wonder!
The symbol is Italian Lira, not British pound. Lira predates the Italians adoption of the Euro and has two horizontal lines. The British pound has one horizontal line.
Thanks for the informative videos. It's been fun getting back into typing. Seems worlds apart from using an electric typewriter in high school. I now have an Olympia SM3 and Hermes 3000 series 2 to enjoy!
I seem to recall that the Pound sign, too, used to be written with two horizontal bars. My early English books were from the 70s, before the school decided to get more modern ones (in the 1990s), and I have dim recollections of the two bars. I also asked my British boyfriend, who has confirmed this. It is quite possible that both the Lira and the Pound Sterling are represented by the same symbol, what with both of them having their origins in Roman ( Latin) terminology.
Hi Joe, really enjoy the videos and thank you for the help in sorting out which machines are worth the while, and I would ask if you could please help me answer the following question : is the "@" something that existed on typewriter keyboards before the advent of PCs and email, or is the something you find today on refurbished machines? Thanks and all the best to you, cheers! DJ
It proceeded the era of email by centuries. Typewriters were manufactured with these symbols. Here's a Smithsonian article about it: www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-accidental-history-of-the-symbol-18054936/
Thanks! I never would’ve thought to use the half space key that way. I’ve always just used the half space key to insert a letter. Doesn’t look very good, but it’s typing! In fact my machines that have that half space give me a little difficulty in that I need to learn to pause a little bit when I hit the space bar because often, especially with left hand Characters, they print after only half a space. I guess I need to learn to pause a little bit after space. Perhaps two finger typing might help that, as well. Any other suggestions?
Another great vid!!! I have an Underwood-Olivetti. Seems with the merger getting a date on serial numbers is difficult. 465712 anyone got a year on this? Tips on a paint match for what looks like a duck egg blue? Thanks.
Hi Joe! Thanks so much for the informative videos. I have a Lettera 22 & cannot find a source to help me load cardstock. I tried releasing the paper feeder but no go. Any advice?
On the smaller typewriters with skinnier platen rollers sometimes it's impossible to successfully feed thicker card stock into them. The same is true with post cards. What I do for post cards is carry several sheets of Avery labels of the appropriate size. I roll a sheet into my small typewriter, type the note, then stick it onto the back of the postcard. One way that sometimes works for card stock is to roll the paper in corner-first, then straighten it out after it feeds through.
I recently bought this model for cheap but the carriage return flip up handle assembly was missing. Does this share parts with other models and what are the odds of a repair shop helping me?
Hi there, I recently got the same one ( lettera 22), but the thing is the space bar doesn't work and I really want to fix it and use it as well, is there any information out there for me? Let me know please and thank you for taking the time to read this. I really do hope I can use it.
One common cause is the carriage lock lever could be engaged, preventing the carriage from moving. It's on the left side near the bottom. If that isn't the issue, it'll need servicing. Check out Phoenix Typewriter's channel for extensive videos on servicing specific machines. Not sure if he's covered this problem. Good luck.
They're not being manufactured, nor are replacement parts. There is no aftermarket industry for typewriter parts, besides some people 3D printing plastic platen knobs on some machines. The only source is a junk machine being used for parts.
Oh ok, I figured it would be difficult finding one. Is there a good source online to buy ribbons from? Thanks for the info, ... I am new to the vintage typewriter game so still trying to learn.
Good video. No offense, just being candid, but it is hard for me to watch someone poking their index fingers on a keyboard. It is the visual equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. I know a Ms. Mavis Beacon who will teach you to type!
FYI, I have the user manual for this machine. Regarding line spacing, they say, "The 1 is for single spacing. The 2 is for intermediate spacing. The 3 is for double spacing." The manual suggests that setting 2 is useful for very informal correspondence done on smaller pieces of paper.
hi, I really enjoyed your video, but I'm Italian, I live quite close to the city of Ivrea, where the historic Olivetti factory in Piedmont once resided, and I must warn you of an error, actually two, the first is that it was not Underwood to acquire Olivetti, but rather, it was Olivetti to acquire Underwood, and the second is that the one manufactured by Olivetti in Italy often had a preference for using higher quality products than those supplied to Underwood , as the US market generally required less maintenance on laptops, which is why the Underwood-Olivetti one has the paint slightly peeling on the edges.
You know, Olivetti was a brand that completely changed Italy, and the letter 22 revolutionized the world of typewriters, so much so that American intelligence tried to sabotage its production both in Italy and abroad. .
Those of the Italians who are fond of typewriters consider the Olivetti letter 22 sacred.
Se qualcuno apprezzasse lascio il commento anche in italiano :
If anyone appreciated I leave the comment also in Italian:
"Ciao, ho apprezzato molto il tuo video, ma io sono italiano, ad abito piuttosto vicino alla città di Ivrea, dove risiedeva la storica fabbrica della Olivetti, in Piemonte, e ti devo avvisare di un errore, anzi due, il primo, è che non fu la Underwood ad acquisire la Olivetti, ma bensì, fu la Olivetti ad acquisire la Underwood, ed il secondo, è che quella fabbricata dalla Olivetti in Italia, spesso aveva preferenza nell'utilizzare prodotti di maggiore qualità, rispetto a quelli forniti alla Underwood, poichè il mercato statunitense, richiedeva genericamente, meno manutenzione sulle portatili, motivo per cui, quella della Underwood-Olivetti, ha la vernice leggermente scrostata sui bordi.
Sai, la Olivetti, è stata una marca che ha cambiato completamente l'italia, e la lettera 22, ha rivoluzionato il mondo delle macchine da scrivere, tanto che l'intelligence americano, tentò di sabotarne la produzione sia in italia che all'estero.
Chi tra gli italiani, è appassionato di macchine da scrivere, considera la Olivetti lettera 22 sacra".
Bravo Andre. Hai detto bene.
@@88Kelevra88 grazie 😅
È proprio vero. Poi la CIA voleva sabotare soprattutto il settore dell'elettronica dell'Olivetti. Comunque io ho una prima serie di colore rosa in perfette condizioni, completamente originale, probabilmente mai portata da un tecnico a far manutenzione e ancora perfettamente funzionante. Con un carattere molto piccolo e molto particolare tra il resto. Sembra un libro stampato.
@@agricolturadimontagna2.0 io non ho la fortuna di avere una 22, ma ho ripiegato su una bellissima lettera 32 verde perfetta.
nice video, it was actually Olivetti that bought out Underwood. I thought it was the other way around as well.
In theory, the round keys one should be the oldest (first series Lettera 22) whereas the square keys one should be second series, therefore newer. But the Underwood label makes things more confused indeed, since Olivetti started acquiring Underwood trademark only in 1959. Try checking the serial numer with table here: www.typewriterstory.com/index.php/ol-lettera-22
Cheers from Italy, great videos on your channel!
Buongiorno Lorenzo, dove trovo il numero di serie? Sul frame non c'è ... ho anche delle foto se possono essere utili. Grazie, Gianvittorio@gmail.com
Yeah the Underwood Olivetti with the round keys are the oldest in the Lettera 22 series of typewriters. I have a Underwood Olivetti Letters 22 with a serial number that dates back to 1957! 2 years prior.
Thanks Joe! Glad to hear I’m not a complete idiot. After not finding a barrel release,I ended up typing on paper, then spray mounting onto the card.
Labels, much better idea for next time!
Again, thanks for your awesome videos
Actually, I don’t believe the line spacing indicator “is incorrect”; it’s simply a 3-position indicator:
position 1 = single line
position 2 = 1.5 line
position 3 = double line
I have a square key Lettera 22. It's one of my favourite typewriters! I also have an Olivetti Valentine, it's mechanically similar to the Letters, but looks very different with its red body and red case.
Joe, Thank you for your videos. I wanted to mention that that is a Lettera 32, regardless of the fact that someone has changed the label. Not just the shape of the machine, but also the shape of the squarish keys give it away. Also, as Mizan Somani says, it was Olivetti that bought Underwood, not the other way around. The one with the round keys most likely used some 22 parts from the 32s for whatever reason at some point when they needed to fix it. I have seen that happen right in front of my eyes to make a complete set of similarly shaped keys because some had been lost. Thank you again for your videos.
They are indeed 22s. I've read somewhere that the squarish keys were posterior to the round ones, and that would make Joe's Underwood-Olivetti older than the Olivetti. The name plates are odd, though. Maybe it was because Olivetti wanted to keep Underwood's name for a while, after its takeover, and then switched to simple Olivetti. I also recall reading the story somewhere in the Typosphere, just don't remember where.
I've got two Lettera 22s as well. One is blue Underwood-Olivetti with square keys, and the other is a tan Olivetti proper with round keys. The touch on my two machines is the same as your video describes. In fact, I bought the tan Olivetti because I didn't care for the touch in the Underwood-Olivetti because of the difference you noted. Incidentally, the touch of the tan Olivetti 22 is identical to my Underwood-Olivetti Lettera 32. Makes one wonder!
The symbol is Italian Lira, not British pound. Lira predates the Italians adoption of the Euro and has two horizontal lines. The British pound has one horizontal line.
Thank you for the correction!
Thanks for the informative videos. It's been fun getting back into typing. Seems worlds apart from using an electric typewriter in high school. I now have an Olympia SM3 and Hermes 3000 series 2 to enjoy!
I seem to recall that the Pound sign, too, used to be written with two horizontal bars. My early English books were from the 70s, before the school decided to get more modern ones (in the 1990s), and I have dim recollections of the two bars. I also asked my British boyfriend, who has confirmed this. It is quite possible that both the Lira and the Pound Sterling are represented by the same symbol, what with both of them having their origins in Roman ( Latin) terminology.
I think it should be British pound. If it's Lira they should have Italian keyboard layout (qzerty).
Hi Joe, really enjoy the videos and thank you for the help in sorting out which machines are worth the while, and I would ask if you could please help me answer the following question : is the "@" something that existed on typewriter keyboards before the advent of PCs and email, or is the something you find today on refurbished machines? Thanks and all the best to you, cheers! DJ
It proceeded the era of email by centuries. Typewriters were manufactured with these symbols. Here's a Smithsonian article about it: www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-accidental-history-of-the-symbol-18054936/
Thanks Joe!
Thanks! I never would’ve thought to use the half space key that way. I’ve always just used the half space key to insert a letter. Doesn’t look very good, but it’s typing! In fact my machines that have that half space give me a little difficulty in that I need to learn to pause a little bit when I hit the space bar because often, especially with left hand Characters, they print after only half a space. I guess I need to learn to pause a little bit after space. Perhaps two finger typing might help that, as well. Any other suggestions?
Another great vid!!! I have an Underwood-Olivetti. Seems with the merger getting a date on serial numbers is difficult. 465712 anyone got a year on this? Tips on a paint match for what looks like a duck egg blue? Thanks.
I was told the black round keys are older machines than the gray squared keys.
Hi Joe! Thanks so much for the informative videos. I have a Lettera 22 & cannot find a source to help me load cardstock. I tried releasing the paper feeder but no go. Any advice?
On the smaller typewriters with skinnier platen rollers sometimes it's impossible to successfully feed thicker card stock into them. The same is true with post cards. What I do for post cards is carry several sheets of Avery labels of the appropriate size. I roll a sheet into my small typewriter, type the note, then stick it onto the back of the postcard.
One way that sometimes works for card stock is to roll the paper in corner-first, then straighten it out after it feeds through.
I recently bought this model for cheap but the carriage return flip up handle assembly was missing. Does this share parts with other models and what are the odds of a repair shop helping me?
Hi there, I recently got the same one ( lettera 22), but the thing is the space bar doesn't work and I really want to fix it and use it as well, is there any information out there for me? Let me know please and thank you for taking the time to read this. I really do hope I can use it.
One common cause is the carriage lock lever could be engaged, preventing the carriage from moving. It's on the left side near the bottom. If that isn't the issue, it'll need servicing. Check out Phoenix Typewriter's channel for extensive videos on servicing specific machines. Not sure if he's covered this problem. Good luck.
Why nobody talks about the Lettera 82?
Eu pesquisei e esse parece ser um modelo fabricado somente no Brasil
@@marceloaugusto3302 está explicado agora. Valeu, brother!
Olivetti bought Underwood, not the contrary
Thanks! I was wondering that question! Just bought one in mint condition (zipper even works on case!) for $75!
Great video! I have a Lettera 22 that is missing the top cover that protects the typebars and ribbons - any idea where I can find one?
They're not being manufactured, nor are replacement parts. There is no aftermarket industry for typewriter parts, besides some people 3D printing plastic platen knobs on some machines. The only source is a junk machine being used for parts.
Oh ok, I figured it would be difficult finding one. Is there a good source online to buy ribbons from? Thanks for the info, ... I am new to the vintage typewriter game so still trying to learn.
Cool video! Does anyone know if the body/exterior of this typewriter is made of metal, plastic, or a combination of both? Thanks!
😊❤👍
Metal, I just got it for a Christmas present
@@niceone550 Wow! Congratulations on such a wonderful gift! Merry Christmas!
😊🌲🎅❤
@@thethriftyfawn Thankyou, you too
Good video. No offense, just being candid, but it is hard for me to watch someone poking their index fingers on a keyboard. It is the visual equivalent of fingernails on a chalkboard. I know a Ms. Mavis Beacon who will teach you to type!