A few more images of the photogenic 1947 Smith-Corona Silent 4S …

A few more photographs of the 1938 Erika M at the workshop today. As one vintage typewriter collector put it: “… this is not a typewriter that lives in an ordinary office, it’s meant to grace the desk of a writing aficionado.”

You are to be banished to a desert island with shelter, food, water, plus a large supply of paper and ink spools. You can choose one of these typewriters to take with you. Would you go for the 1938 Erika M or the 1946 Smith-Corona Silent?

A beautiful day with low humidity — so airing typewriters and guitars on the workshop balcony, including the 1946 Smith-Corona Silent …

A newly restored 1941 Remington Envoy pictured on the workshop balcony earlier today; this beautifully simple and reliable typewriter together with a Mint InstantFlex twin-reflex camera …

It took me two week to restore this 1934 Royal typewriter and — during the process — I found a handwritten message (see photo) on the platen rack, revealing that the typewriter was last serviced on the 24th of June, 1939.

A few more photos of the 1934 Royal during repair and restoration. The typewriter was made in the same year that “Tender Is The Night” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Murder On The Orient Express” by Agatha Christie were first published.

A fully restored 1942 Hermes Baby, made in the same year that the movie Casablanca premièred in New York. One of the smallest and lightest typewriters, this particular model was created for the Norwegian market.

Just finished restoring this 1972 Olivetti Lettera 35 L. Its predecessor, the Lettera 32 had dinky keys and a pencil-thin space bar; the 35 L has chunky keys and an enormous space bar. A solid typewriter in every sense.

Two of a kind: the AlphaSmart 2000 distraction-free writing device — made in 1997; and a 1960s Olivetti Lettera 22 portable typewriter on the workshop balcony.

I am currently cleaning and repairing this legendary typewriter. Kudos to anyone who can guess the brand, model AND year this classic portable manual typewriter was made …

There are very few post-1970 manual typewriters that I recommend, but this Adler Gabriele 25 is a wonderful writing machine and took top honours in a 1979 Which magazine survey of portable typewriters.

The 1939 Continental Wanderer 50 portable typewriter enjoying a little R&R — between between rain storms — on the rooftop above my workshop.

I avoid restoring desktop typewriters simply because I do not have the space for them. However, I could not resist this Underwood Noiseless Standard; it is my second (the first sits regally on top of the workshop refrigerator). This Noiseless was made in 1935 …

The year is 1956. “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Till We Have Faces” by C.S. Lewis are first published. The English poet Ted Hughes and American poet Sylvia Plath marry. 1956 is also the year that this Rheinmetall KsT (mark III) typewriter is made in East Germany.

The best advice given to a typewriter novice: “Punch the keys for God’s sake!” From the 2002 movie, ‘Finding Forrester’ …