Does Anyone Use Electric Typewriters?

[Margaret]

I need to get rid of a couple of old electric typewriters, but I would rather give them away than dump them in the trash. Does anyone have any idea if anyone still uses these for any reason? I know there are some writers who are 'old school', but those people usually have antique manual machines that they're sentimentally attached to. I don't know if anyone would have any use for electrics.

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by Margaret

I need to get rid of a couple of old electric typewriters, but I would rather give them away than dump them in the trash. Does anyone have any idea if anyone still uses these for any reason? I know there are some writers who are 'old school', but those people usually have antique manual machines that they're sentimentally attached to. I don't know if anyone would have any use for electrics.

Well, they can be used for torture and interrogation! There was this old IBM electric I had used in the past, it would randomly zap me. Ah, bad grounding and steel body, bliss!

 

[operationexpat]

I'm sure Goodwill or Salvation Army would take them. They take just about anything.

 

[Lucky Strike]

They're very good for forging old letters and documents, particularly the IBM Selectrics with the ability to delete letters, even in very old documents.

Ahem - or so I've heard.

 

[hermes]

a lot of law firms still have electric typewriters around for such oddities as completing government forms that don't have writable abode versions on-line but must be typed for submission

so they still do have application

find a store in your city/town that services them and they may buy them for resale or parts

 

[LabelKing]

I sometimes use a manual typewriter for short notes and other things.

I've also seen electric typewriters being used in doctors' offices and police stations.

 

[Margaret]

Good ideas, folks. Thanks.

 

[Horace]

I prefer the typewriter to the word-processor for a lot of letters and quick notes.

 

[acidboy]

it is still widely used here in the third world. specially the non-electric kind. i think whoever makes typewriter nowadays have 3rd world government offices as their target market.

 

[LabelKing]

I use an Olivetti Valentine, which was by Ettore Sottsass:

 

[faustian bargain]

that is one sweet machine. vintage?

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by faustian bargain

that is one sweet machine. vintage?
Yes, late '60s. It is in the permenant collection of the MOMA along with the Olivetti Lettera 22.

 

[matadorpoeta]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Yes, late '60s. It is in the permenant collection of the MOMA along with the Olivetti Lettera 22.
labelking, there is a sottsass exhibition at LACMA going on until the beginning of june.

 

[Dakota rube]

LK, that is an awesome-looking machine! I'm jealous.