This charming typewriter is a 1963 Olivetti Lettera 22. Uncommon in this original pink colour scheme, this Lettera 22 is a good example of this famous mid-20th century portable. Its nice lines and compact design won the Lettera 22 the Compasso d'Oro Prize in 1954, and since then the typewriter has been a favourite among journalists, writers and typewriter aficionados.
Having been cleaned, polished and waxed with micro-crystalline wax, the original pink paint on this Lettera 22 gleams nicely. However, it does have some battle scars. Most evident is a scrape on the right front corner, caused by the typewriter rubbing against the case handle's internal metal frame, which over time had torn a small hole in the front right corner of the case's internal lining (I have recovered the two front corners of the case with similar coloured felt to avoid further scraping). Other imperfections to the paint can be found just above the upper left and right corners of the keyboard, near to where the main pink shell meets the ribbon cover. There are also a few scrapes to the top edge of the back. These imperfections to the paint are reflected in the typewriter's price. The photos in the listing were taken in natural light, and the colour is true to life.
All nickel and chrome-plated pieces have been polished with metal polish and are in very good shape. The foldable nickle-plated carriage return arm, quite a unique and smart design, is in good shape. The plastic platen knobs and keytops are in good condition and have each received a plastic polish. There is some minimal surface scratching to the tops of the "E," "D," and "F" keytops caused by general use.
This Lettera 22 has been dismantled and the internal mechanics have been cleaned with a suitable solvent. The escapement of this Lettera 22 was completely disassembled, cleaned and adjusted/lubricated to ensure a mechanical performance in line with the typewriter's lovely exterior. A light application of lubrication has been added to other areas where necessary.
The platen and feed rollers have been cleaned with rubber rejuvinator. Though it has hardened with age, the platen is smooth and not pitted by use. The feed rollers are in good, soft condition and grip paper well. The paper release lever is occasionally needed when inserting new pieces of paper. The rubber feet have also been removed and cleaned, and they grip tabletops well.
Mechanically this Lettera 22 is in fine form - the basket shift is light, and the silent carriage return is steady and smooth. The bell rings, margins work, and the touch control under the ribbon cover provides a slight increase or decrease in the pressure needed from fingers to type. The tabulator, backspace, shift-lock, margin release, line space selector and variable line spacing knob all work as intended.
The blue vinyl case is in poor condition, mostly because its zips are partly broken. The zip on one side cannot be used, but the other zip, which has a break in it, can be fed into the zipper to zip-up one side of the case. It has been cleaned inside and out, though there remains some staining to the exterior. With one zip closed, the case offers more of a dust cover function than a case for carrying. There are the remains of a sticker that once read "Beware the Red Baron," which I have left. It can easily be removed if you so choose. The condition of the case is reflected in the price.
This typewriter prints elite typeface in 12 cpi (characters per inch) in black or red. A new ribbon has been installed onto the typewriter's original metal spools, and the print quality is very good.
This Lettera 22 will be carefully packaged in a well-sized cardboard box with signed-for delivery and insurance. Shipping to the US and other international destinations is available.
Dimensions(w x l x h): 27 x 37 x 10 cm (height includes the carriage return lever folded out for use); weight - 3.7 kg
