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Home » Olivetti » Lettera 22 » 1950 #S680172
1950 Olivetti Lettera 22 Serial # S680172 1950 Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter, Serial # S680172 Tas Kyprianou's 1950 Olivetti Lettera 22 typewriter. 2022-06-24 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Tas Kyprianou: 1950 Olivetti Lettera 22 Serial # S680172 Shipped to me in a carrier bag, it's a testament to the Lettera 22's hardiness that it survived the journey with nothing more than a slightly bent carriage return lever mechanism. I had put off buying a 22 as (for some mental block reason) I could not see how it might be all that different from my dreamy 32. My old motto, "Assume nothing" needs to be resurrected. This thing is a BEAUTY. So much character and attitude. The paintwork looks and feels like that on a vintage Bristol motor car and everything about it screams "use me!". If, like me, you own a 32 and have put off buying a 22. Please reconsider. The more I use this, the more I like it. This 22 is a fabulous little portable that's quite clearly not afraid of hard work.

1950 Olivetti Lettera 22 #S680172

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Tas Kyprianou (Tas)
Created: 06-19-2022 at 02:01AM
Last Edit: 06-24-2022 at 02:57AM

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Description:

Shipped to me in a carrier bag, it's a testament to the Lettera 22's hardiness that it survived the journey with nothing more than a slightly bent carriage return lever mechanism. I had put off buying a 22 as (for some mental block reason) I could not see how it might be all that different from my dreamy 32. My old motto, "Assume nothing" needs to be resurrected. This thing is a BEAUTY. So much character and attitude. The paintwork looks and feels like that on a vintage Bristol motor car and everything about it screams "use me!". If, like me, you own a 32 and have put off buying a 22. Please reconsider. The more I use this, the more I like it. This 22 is a fabulous little portable that's quite clearly not afraid of hard work.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

All that's left of the runbber bushes. A 7mm grommet fits perfectly though. Easy fix.
All that's left of the runbber bushes. A 7mm grommet fits perfectly though. Easy fix.

Elite size typeface.
Elite size typeface.

The slugs are really cute. Small. *Top tip - spraying the linkage rod with alcohol and pushing and pulling it back and forth and rotating it SERIOUSLY improves the performance of this beautiful machine.
The slugs are really cute. Small. *Top tip - spraying the linkage rod with alcohol and pushing and pulling it back and forth and rotating it SERIOUSLY improves the performance of this beautiful machine.

A pewter finish to the segment. This is as shiny as I'm able to get it.
A pewter finish to the segment. This is as shiny as I'm able to get it.




Whilst the interior rubber washers had totally disintegrated, the feet are in incredible condition for 72 years of age.
Whilst the interior rubber washers had totally disintegrated, the feet are in incredible condition for 72 years of age.






Low profile. Note the carriage return arm is in a much higher position than normal. It was damaged on delivery and I "fixed" it with some Quick Steel.
Low profile. Note the carriage return arm is in a much higher position than normal. It was damaged on delivery and I "fixed" it with some Quick Steel.

Hunter: Tas Kyprianou (Tas)

Tas Kyprianou's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 896

UK member living in London with Greek Cypriot heritage.
New to the hobby - December 2021. The Linea 88 parts machine notwithstanding, my collection now stands at 19 machines (how did that happen?!).
My prettiest machine is an everlasting tussle between my Smith Corona Clipper and my Remington Non-Tab Portable. Like Bagpuss, they're both saggy and a bit loose at the seams but I love them. The utterly astonishing Blue Bird 18b has toppled my long-standing King of Typers, the Adler Universal. My Hermes 3000 Mk 3, 2000, the FACIT TP1, and the other Olympia SMs all regularly chomp at the heels of my top two typers and I count my blessings that I am lucky enough to have collected such a beautiful bunch if I'm honest.


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Olivetti Lettera 22 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Olivetti Serial Number page and the Olivetti Lettera 22 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

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