Fully Restored 1938 Olympia Simplex Portable Typewriter | Serial #187284 | Classic Pica Typeface, New Rubber Feet & Unsealed Wool Felt Pad

📖 Product Overview & Historic Significance: 1938 Pre-War German Engineering Discover the exquisite craftsmanship and historic charm of this 1938 Olympia Simplex portable typewriter (Serial Number: 187284). Manufactured in Western Germany on the eve of the Second World War, the Olympia Simplex series represents a golden era of European mechanical engineering, celebrated for its robust build quality, refined type action, and exceptional longevity.

Meticulously overhauled in our Milton Keynes workshop by Walid & Joujou (featured restoration experts on BBC’s The Repair Shop), this machine has been chemically degreased, segment-flushed, and precision-calibrated to deliver a smooth, reliable typing action. Featuring clear, bold character impressions, brand-new rubber feet fitted for enhanced stability, and a brand-new unsealed wool felt pad, this pre-war classic is fully functional and ready to write.

(Platen & Custom Upgrade Note: The original platen has been thoroughly cleaned and conditioned, showing minor age marks while delivering great prints. If you prefer to upgrade this machine with a brand-new recovered rubber platen roller, our workshop can provide this custom service upon request. Please note that because we do not currently have a new platen in stock, a replacement will require an additional 4 to 5 weeks for specialist vulcanization and fitting).

📊 Technical Specifications & Restoration Data

• Brand & Model: Olympia Simplex Portable Typewriter (Serial #187284).

 • Manufacturing Year: 1938 (Pre-War Vintage).

• Manufacturing Origin: Germany.

 • Keyboard Layout: Standard QWERTY Layout.

• Mechanical Condition: 100% Fully Functional & Serviced. Professionally overhauled, segment deep-flushed, and calibrated for a smooth, reliable typing action.

• Platen Roller: Original rubber platen, thoroughly cleaned and conditioned to grip paper evenly and deliver clear, bold character prints. (Optional Brand-New Platen Upgrade available: +4 to 5 weeks processing time).

 • Chassis & Sound Enhancements: Fitted with brand-new rubber feet for secure desktop traction and supplied with a brand-new unsealed wool felt pad for superior desk protection and acoustic dampening during typing sessions.

• Ribbon System: Pre-installed with a fresh purple fabric ribbon on spools.

✍️ Typeface & Font Details

• Typeface Style: Classic, bold, and highly legible Pica Typeface.

• Font Pitch: 10 Characters Per Inch (10 CPI / Pica Scale)—delivering prominent character spacing, crisp definition, and exceptional readability across every page.

🎨 Cosmetic Presentation & Case Status

• Visual Presentation: Authentic pre-war vintage character. The historic metal frame displays honest signs of age and handling, most notably minor marks on the frame and localized worn paint with surface rusting specifically concentrated on the right-hand side.

• Keytop Condition: Individual keycaps have been hand-cleaned, sanitized, and polished.

• Carrying Case Note: Supplied with its original protective carrying case. The case is in good overall condition, and we are currently restoring the handle to pristine operational order (photographs of the fully restored case and handle will be provided as soon as work is finalized).

📋 Quick Specifications Overview

🛡️ Peace of Mind & Workshop Mechanical Guarantee✅ 1-Year Mechanical Guarantee | ✅ 14-Day Returns | ✅ Lifetime Aftercare | ✅ Featured on BBC's The Repair Shop

Every typewriter leaving our workshop represents the highest standard of vintage mechanical conservation. To ensure complete confidence in your investment, your typewriter is backed by our Comprehensive 1-Year Mechanical Guarantee, covering all internal mechanisms, segment linkages, and moving parts. Each machine is logged in our digital workshop registry under its unique serial number for full traceability and long-term support. Please read our dedicated workshop guarantee page on our website for complete details and peace of mind.

🌍 Global Shipping, Timelines & Tariff Information • 🇺🇸 United States & 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Shipping (100% Free & All-Inclusive): Standard local & international shipping to the US and UK is completely free and included in the listed price. Furthermore, all US import tariffs and customs duties are fully prepaid by our workshop. There are absolutely zero hidden checkout fees, surprise border holds, or cash-on-delivery demands at your door. • 🌐 International Shipping (Europe, Australia, Canada & Rest of World): We dispatch all website orders in less than 24 hours via fully tracked premium air courier directly to your door in 3 to 7 working days (with express delivery options available at checkout). • Proprietary Global Packaging Protocol: To protect this historic 1938 classic during international transit, we mechanically lock down the carriage rail, insulate the frame in multi-layered shock-absorbing cushioning, and suspend the entire unit within a heavy-duty, double-walled outer shipping carton.

🤝 The "Ready-to-Write" Package & Lifetime Support • Unbox & Start Writing: Your 1938 Olympia Simplex arrives pre-installed with its fresh ribbon, restored case, brand-new wool felt pad, and our primary step-by-step startup instructions. Simply unbox, release the carriage lock, and begin typing immediately. • Video Learning Academy: Your package includes a direct link to our dedicated YouTube video tutorial, teaching you exactly how to type on, care for, adjust the margins, and change ink ribbons on your specific typewriter model. • Lifetime Technical Partnership: Every typewriter we sell comes with lifetime technical support. You receive direct email and video-call troubleshooting access to Walid and Joujou, the celebrated restoration experts from BBC's The Repair Shop and major Netflix productions.

🎬 We prepared a video on how to use this Typewriter on YouTube.

📖 Have questions about pre-war typewriters or machine maintenance? Read our master guide: Typewriter FAQ: The Ultimate 100 Questions Answered