(This typewriter has been reserved. Please do not purchase.)

This is a 1966 Olympia Splendid 66 with italic typeface. It is in excellent condition, with a still-soft platen and well-preserved internal parts; but, what makes this Splendid special is its italic typeface (italic elite No. 89). Perhaps more uncommon than script (cursive) typeface, it is a nice, soft typeface that many prefer to the common elite and pica typefaces. To get the typewriter in tip-top shape and ensure its operation for years to come, the machine has been disassembled, deep-cleaned, adjusted, waxed and buffed to a shine.

The typewriter comes ready to use out of the box, with a new black/red ribbon installed. Expertly packaged in a well-sized cardboard box, this Splendid can be safely shipped to many overseas destinations, including the US.

Cosmetically, this Splendid is in very good condition. The paint has been cleaned, polished and waxed with museum-grade microcrystalline wax. The only mark to speak of is a small knick on the left side of the ribbon cover, where the return arm has rubbed against the ribbon cover (a common malady on Olympia Splendid machines). Otherwise, there is an inconspicuous outward deformation on the bottom of the right side.

The plastic keytops are in excellent condition, and have been cleaned and polished with plastic polish. The green plastic platen knobs are in excellent condition and have also been polished with plastic polish.

This Splendid's internal mechanisms are of high quality, and the carriage return is smooth and steady. The chrome return arm is larger than those on many other ultra-portables, perhaps making the Splendid a better choice for those who struggle with small return arms. The typing action, very secure for an ultraportable, can be adjusted by a touch control lever, which makes slight adjustments to the tension required to depress keys. Good, punchy touch-typing is required for good, consistent print quality on a Splendid.

The platen is in very good shape and has a sufficient amount of give, unlike the hard platens found on many vintage and antique typewriters. The rubber rollers are in excellent condition and, along with the platen, have been cleaned and renewed with rubber rejuvinator. All mechanical features found on this typewriter are in working order and include carriage shift, shift lock, margins, margin release, backspace, line space regulator, colour selector, silent return, platen detente release, paper support and bell.

The "Olympia" decal on the ribbon cover is in good condition, as is the "Splendid 66."

All chrome finishing has been polished to a shine and is in excellent shape.

This typewriter comes with its original leatherette case, which has been cleaned and is in very good condition. There is a little rippling of the leatherette at the front beneath the handle, but otherwise the case is in great shape. The handle fixings are in great shape and have received a metal polish. The zip is intact and closes, and the handle is in great shape and can be used to carry the closed case.

Also included is the typewriter's original user manual, an accessory infrequently found with typewriters.

A new ribbon has been installed, and print quality is good. It prints italic elite at 11 cpi (characters per inch).