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My humble collection of prehistoric keyboards and other stuff.

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 07:04
by Mr.Nobody
Warning: Many Pictures!!!
An olympia Splendid 33 typewriter.Originally in a rather rusty conditon.
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After restoration:
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A hermes 3000 typewriter, I bought it from Ebay, imported from Australia,item+shipping in total 150 US$ hefty stuff...real bargin, "I stole it" that's how American folks say :D .This one is in almost mint condition, doesn't need restoration at all.

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A Triumph Perfekt with cursive typeface. In total 160 US$ from ebay, imported from U.S. Again, I stole it.
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Just like the one in the French movie "Populaire"
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And a Triumph Tippa, portable version of Perfekt I think. However it's plastic casing.
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Here is my desk, I am sitting right in front of it now...
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but sometimes I just want to play lo-tec unplugged :D
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Reading and drinking like in good old days...
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Or a little meditation when I feel ill-at-ease.
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The Zen of restoring vintage stuff.

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I bought this Motherfucker from a U.S. seller on Ebay. But found it's almost useless to me then sold it to some other crazy collectors.
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it's complicated like a bitch.
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Oh...How could I forget my piano, my love which has lovely German-made Abel hammers in it. Musical keyboard is still keyboard right? One key had strange noises, so I took it apart and found some kind of sawdust ball in a peg hole of the keyboard. Now it's perfectly well.

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I am barely a smoker, but I love this brass ashtray, the seller told me it's from Germany, who knows...bought it I just love it.

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When I feel idle I'd like to keep my rooms tidy, but most of the time, they are just disarray like hell.

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Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 07:25
by Mr.Nobody
And a hand-made VFD clock, using 6 USSR IV-11 tubes. The designer and creator of it kindly signed it for me. It's hard to take photos of this clock with my mobilephone because of the glow of it, so I just borrow one from its creator.
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Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 15:18
by ideus
The typeface of the Triumph Perfekt is really nice. Do you know if there is a similar font in Windows?

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 15:33
by Firebolt1914
Wow, I really like that clock. I was planning on running a Numitron based clock group buy, although due to file issues/sourcing issues I haven't gotten started.

Would you know if the files to create said clock are open source?

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 16:42
by livingspeedbump
1. That was a HUGE glass of scotch, and a very empty bottle of scotch.

2. Nice collection! I especially love the Hermes 3000. I have one as well that really is just a superb machine. It's kind of what inspired Jukebox originally.

3. What the hell are the pictures of crumbs?

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 16:47
by livingspeedbump
ideus wrote: The typeface of the Triumph Perfekt is really nice. Do you know if there is a similar font in Windows?
Ive actually looked before and didn't have luck finding one :(

But it is some of the most gorgeous typeface of any typewriter I've ever seen for sure.
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Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 21:47
by ideus
Wow! Again, that font looks so nice.

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 22:05
by Mr.Nobody
Firebolt1914 wrote: Wow, I really like that clock. I was planning on running a Numitron based clock group buy, although due to file issues/sourcing issues I haven't gotten started.

Would you know if the files to create said clock are open source?
You can contact the designer through his web site: Nixieclock.org, he speaks Cantonese Chinese English...since I know nothing about electronic engineering of programming... :cry:

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 22:08
by Mr.Nobody
ideus wrote: Wow! Again, that font looks so nice.
Windows has many better options in terms of fonts, for manual typewriters, this is the only cursive handwriting font as far as I know. IMHO, it's not necessary to stick to this one if you are using a computer.

Posted: 21 Dec 2016, 22:13
by Mr.Nobody
livingspeedbump wrote: 1. That was a HUGE glass of scotch, and a very empty bottle of scotch.

2. Nice collection! I especially love the Hermes 3000. I have one as well that really is just a superb machine. It's kind of what inspired Jukebox originally.

3. What the hell are the pictures of crumbs?
1.I didn't finish that bottle at once, sometimes I do but now I don't drink like that, in fact I havn't drink a drop for almost 4 months...addicted to internet now... :lol:

2.You mean the actual Jukebox or a typewriter named Jukebox?

3.Sorry I don't quite get you, "pictures of crumbs" refers to?

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:04
by Wodan
Mr.Nobody wrote: Reading and drinking like in good old days...
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Unless that's tea in the tumbler, you've got an alcohol problem ...

Still, very impressive collection. I sometimes see typewriters like that for sale online but I am not up to the task.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:14
by Mr.Nobody
If it's tea how would I have alcohol problem? I should have tea problem...:D But I do have intenet issue...can't live without it, I am obviously addicted to assorted contents on internet.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:24
by Wodan
The way I put it could be misleading. If there is anything OTHER THAN tea in that tumbler, you have an alcohol problem.

The message behind it was ... don't fill the tumbler like a glass of water, you fill it to ~15% of its capacity and refill when you haven't reached the desired state yet.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:38
by Mr.Nobody
Those typewriters are made in Germany or Swizerland(Which is also Germanic), high-quality stuff and rather elegant designs...I have to admit people from two countries are really good at making things, Germany and Japan both are former Fascist countries....maybe because people from these two countries are liable to push the envelop...well push the envelop while dealing with things. don't push the envelop when dealing with people. :)

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:39
by Mr.Nobody
Wodan wrote: The way I put it could be misleading. If there is anything OTHER THAN tea in that tumbler, you have an alcohol problem.

The message behind it was ... don't fill the tumbler like a glass of water, you fill it to ~15% of its capacity and refill when you haven't reached the desired state yet.
My bad I misread a word...In fact I put several ice cubes into the tumbler, and they melted, but 15% is a little too less for me, 30% at least, mostly 50%...

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 08:56
by Wodan
One thing is for sure ... the Swiss people are more German than the Germans ... measuring them by the "positive" stereotypes for Germans. And they were never fascists ...

But the Italians came up with the whole fascism thing and ... I don't see many people go crazy about their typewriters ;)

I rather believe it was the conjunction of an innovative/productive society and fascism that made Germany and Japan so very dangerous. Neither is the cause of the other.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 09:17
by Muirium
Quite true.

Back when Britain made any damn thing, we could do a nice job every once in a while. Spitfires, the Flying Scotsman, Cornish pasties. Not exactly fascist chic, though. Wrong moustaches.

Kind of hard to pin such stereotypes on nations nowadays though. What can we tell from Chinese culture, given the sheer range and quantity of exports from you guys now? Umm… That you aren't exactly work shy?

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 13:18
by Mr.Nobody
Wodan wrote: One thing is for sure ... the Swiss people are more German than the Germans ... measuring them by the "positive" stereotypes for Germans. And they were never fascists ...

But the Italians came up with the whole fascism thing and ... I don't see many people go crazy about their typewriters ;)

I rather believe it was the conjunction of an innovative/productive society and fascism that made Germany and Japan so very dangerous. Neither is the cause of the other.
But people do go crazy about Italian sports cars and furnitures and fashion right?

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 13:31
by Mr.Nobody
Muirium wrote: Quite true.

Back when Britain made any damn thing, we could do a nice job every once in a while. Spitfires, the Flying Scotsman, Cornish pasties. Not exactly fascist chic, though. Wrong moustaches.

Kind of hard to pin such stereotypes on nations nowadays though. What can we tell from Chinese culture, given the sheer range and quantity of exports from you guys now? Umm… That you aren't exactly work shy?
Chinese people lack some kind of spirit or attitude comparing to German and Japanese, as long as mass production stuff is concerned. My countrymen have a tendency to be smart asses in an inappropriate way or timing sometimes which is rather annoying.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 14:55
by alh84001
Well, Olivetti is Italian and they have some of the nicest typewriters.

That Hermes is great, too.

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 15:10
by derzemel
very elegant collection you have there :)

I had a teacher in primary school who had the handwriting almost as beautiful like the the typeface of the Triupmh Perfekt. She was an absolute bitch though

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 19:46
by pr0ximity
Beauuuutiful piano, I'd love one some day. Need to learn to play first...

Posted: 22 Dec 2016, 23:12
by Mr.Nobody
In fact, Hermes 3000 was designed by an italian designer from Olivetti, manufactured in Swiss.

Posted: 26 Dec 2016, 05:00
by vivalarevolución
Of course, this has turned into a conversation about alcohol and nationalist stereotypes. How Deskthority.

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 03:04
by Mr.Nobody
Just chitchat; please don't take it too seriously. ;)

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 03:42
by vivalarevolución
Mr.Nobody wrote: Just chitchat; please don't take it too seriously. ;)
Certainly, we don't take anything too seriously on Deskthority, as I am sure you have learned.

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 16:39
by ohaimark
We take all sorts of things too seriously! Lies and slander. :lol:

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 22:44
by Mr.Nobody
derzemel wrote: very elegant collection you have there :)

I had a teacher in primary school who had the handwriting almost as beautiful like the the typeface of the Triupmh Perfekt. She was an absolute bitch though
Thank you, in fact handwriting is an intersting and big topic...why there is no handwriting sytle legends? I think that could be novel if somebody does it.

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 22:46
by Mr.Nobody
pr0ximity wrote: Beauuuutiful piano, I'd love one some day. Need to learn to play first...
I haven't touch my beloved piano for quite a while... :oops:

Posted: 27 Dec 2016, 22:48
by Mr.Nobody
"Certainly, we don't take anything too seriously on Deskthority, as I am sure you have learned."

"We take all sorts of things too seriously! Lies and slander. :lol:"

You guys make me dizzy~~~:)