1952 All-Black Olympia SM2 Typewriter with case
I find these all-black Olympia typewriters to be some of the handsomest typewriters ever made. The appearance is both bold and serious. It has a commanding—but very welcoming—presence on your desk or shelf and beckons you to write on it. This one comes from a Dutch family in Gouda (you know, the cheese...) who owned it since it was new.
This typewriter is an early version of the great "SM Model-line" of Olympia's that became the "standard" of typewriters in the mid-1950's and early 1960's. This one was manufactured in 1952. It is in excellent condition mechanically and cosmetically and the keyboard is QWERTY—so exactly what you are used to! It comes with the original hard-case, with a lovely green interior lining, all in fine condition.
On the back panel you can see the logo for a company called "ASPA", a Dutch company, that specialized in office supplies. ASPA was begun, in the 1920's, by a fellow after he was fired from a sales job with the written statement: "'Een hond met een visitekaartje om zijn nek, kan beter verkopen". Meaning: "A dog with a business-card on his neck could sell better". But ASPA soon became one of the most successful office supply company in the Netherlands!
This Olympia has been professionally serviced, aligned and adjusted comes with a new ribbon and is ready to type! It has been adjusted to have a softer and lighter touch than Olympia's generally have.
When comparison shopping for SM2's from other "dealers", please look for these things:
—Wear/Smoothness on either side of the top cover and below the space-bar where hands would sometimes rest too much
—A working paper-rest (pops up to hold the paper upright while typing)
—A clear imprint on paper and with all letters/numbers precisely aligned
—A full, Acme-quality reconditioning!
Acme typewriters have been the choice of discerning collectors and writers more than 1,000 times since we began selling online in 2016. They are fully guaranteed to work. Most shipments to the US arrive in 3 days--often much faster than most domestic shipments within the US. Acme typewriters are carefully selected, beautifully restored and come with a one-year mechanical warranty and lifetime customer-service. Each comes with a "signature seal", attached to the body, identifying it as a fully-restored Acme typewriter. Many new dealers strive to imitate us--none succeed.
Mechanically this SM2 is working perfectly, as originally manufactured. Cosmetically, it is in absolutely lovely condition. The chrome is in top condition as is the overall finish. The external finish has no noticeable blemishes. The rubber on the feet and feeder rollers is in top condition and still appropriately soft. The platen is smooth and clean and takes the imprint well (see sample).
The keyboard is QWERTY, and the typeface is Elite (11 c.p.i.). It has extra keys for European languages and comes with a new ribbon so that you can start typing immediately.
The case is in fine, solid condition, inside and out. There are however some scratches and other signs of wear. The hasp works perfectly and the handle is solid.
This wonderful example of an OLYMPIA SM2 will be packed and shipped with the greatest care to preserve its condition and beauty. We have a lot of experience in shipping typewriters and have an excellent track record for proper packing and safe delivery. It will be fully insured for shipment.
If you have any questions or wish to see more photos, please don't hesitate to contact us.