Everest Model 90 Typewriter in Pristine condition (1950)

EVEREST MODEL 90 · 1950 · Italy   ———  Original Red Finish
 
This fine and rare Everest typewriter, found in Burgenland (a region between Vienna, Austria and the Hungarian border), is remarkable for its fine state of preservation. And remarkable also for the context in which it was originally purchased and then rediscovered eight decades later. Although truly a museum-piece, this typewriter is ready for regular use, and to be visually appreciated again after decades in an attic closet.
 
First the typewriter: It is in extraordinarily fine condition with the original factory finish of red enamel (the colour is entirely original) retaining its richness of colour and crisp factory appearance overall. The finish is entirely free from the craquelure or dullness commonly encountered on Everest typewriters of this period. The chrome components remain bright and unblemished throughout, while the mechanism displays the same degree of preservation, consistent with a machine that appears to have seen remarkably little use. The original carrying case is in almost equally fine condition.

This typewriter has been given a museum-grade restoration. Every mechanical component has been carefully cleaned, adjusted, and calibrated to ensure the machine performs as its makers intended. It has a new ribbon on metal ribbon-spools. It bears the permanent Acme Seal, identifying restoration within our workshop and providing enduring provenance for the future.
 
Now the context: This typewriter was purchased only five years after the end of the Second World War. Burgenland had suffered terribly in the later years of the war. Buildings and the landscape still bore the scars of bombing and destruction, Soviet troops remained in the region, and the nearby Hungarian frontier was becoming an increasingly tense Cold War border. But by 1950, Austria was rebuilding again from the devastation of the war. Enough so that someone was prosperous enough to purchase this expensive typewriter.

As for provenance, we know only that this typewriter comes out of Burgenland. The interesting question is: Who would order an imported Italian typewriter in a rich red colour—at the cost of several months wages for a typical family—instead of one of many less-expensive options available? An aristocrat? A writer or poet rejecting the drabness and destruction around them? An industrialist benefitting from the post-war economic recovery? Sadly, we do not know. And we will never know why it remains today in such perfect condition.
 
Collector's Note: This Everest typewriter retains its original platen covering and rubber feet, preserving an important element of its authenticity. We can fit a newly manufactured platen covering and replacement rubber feet prior to shipment. This is available upon request for €215.

Manufactured by S.A. Serio in Crema, Italy, the Everest Model 90 became one of the company's defining portable typewriters during the 1950s. Contemporary advertising presented it as a compact machine offering the capability of a full-sized office typewriter, reflecting Everest's belief that portability need not compromise performance. Today, the Model 90 is admired for its sculptural bodywork, harmonious proportions, generous use of polished chrome, and distinctive glass keytops, giving it an unmistakably Italian identity among post-war European portable typewriters.
 
 
Specifications
Maker: S.A. Serio
Model: Everest Model 90
Year: 1950
Country of Manufacture: Italy
Finish: Original red enamel
Keyboard: QWERTY (original QWERTZ also available)
Typeface: Elite
Configuration: Portable manual typewriter with carrying case
Condition: Exceptionally fine original condition
Restoration: Acme Type Machine Company, bearing the permanent Acme Seal
Included: Newly fitted ribbon; original carrying case
Warranty: Two-year mechanical guarantee