Fully Restored Olympia SM8 Portable Typewriter | Rare Post-War Fraktur Script & Brand-New Platen

📖 Product Overview: A Ultra-Rare Collector’s Piece with Post-War Fraktur Typography

Presenting an extraordinarily rare, museum-grade mechanical discovery: an Olympia SM8 portable typewriter fitted with an authentic, highly coveted post-war Fraktur script typeface on a QWERTZ keyboard layout.

There is a fascinating history behind these unique post-war Olympia Fraktur machines: according to its previous owner & European typewriter typefaces expert, a specialized club dedicated to "preserving historic German typestyles" commissioned Olympia to custom-adapt a limited run of later SM series machines directly from the factory. To accommodate more traditional typestyle ligatures than pre-war models offered, the factory re-engineered key combinations—for instance, lowercase x was mapped to the = key, while s and X share a key matrix to allow the uppercase S to pair with the traditional Fraktur "middle s."

Meticulously overhauled at our UK workshop, every individual key was removed, and the segment was completely deep-flushed and realigned. Upgraded with a brand-new fitted rubber platen roller, this machine delivers exceptionally smooth, crisp ink impressions and is built for heavy usage and long hours of continuous writing.

📊 Technical Specifications & Workshop Restoration Data

• Brand & Model: Olympia SM8.

• Origin: Precision-engineered in Western Germany.

• Keyboard Layout: QWERTZ Layout with custom factory-adapted Fraktur symbols and extended ligatures.

• Mechanical Condition: 100% Fully Functional & Serviced. Professionally restored to perfect working order—fluid, snappy key action, and optimal carriage advancement.

• Brand-New Fitted Platen Rubber: Upgraded with a freshly recovered rubber platen roller to cushion key strikes, reduce typing noise, and ensure pristine paper feed friction for decades to come.

• Deep Workshop Service: Every single keytop was individually removed, and the entire segment linkage was thoroughly flushed and chemically degreased.

• Ribbon System: Configured with a two-colour ribbon selector (Black/Red); pre-installed with a fresh  PURPLE colour fabric typewriter ribbon on spools to get the perfect prints. 

• Usage Grade: Heavy-Duty / Heavy Usage Approved—smooth, responsive, and fully recommended for long hours of typing and manuscript production.

✍️ Typeface & Font Details

• Typeface Style: Rare Fraktur Script Typeface (Post-War Custom Factory Adaption).

• Typography Special Features: Features unique historical ligatures and non-standard character placements optimized for traditional German typestyles.

🎨 Cosmetic Condition & Original Carrying Case

• Cosmetic Presentation: Excellent overall vintage condition. The main metal body shell is thoroughly cleaned and hand-polished, displaying only minor, honest surface marks on the frame consistent with age.

Main marks on front lid and the top of the lid. 

• Original Carrying Lid: Includes its authentic original carrying lid / Very good example. 

📋 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 prompt EU dispatch and express delivery options available at checkout).

• Proprietary Global Packaging Protocol: To guarantee your machine survives international air transit, we mechanically lock the carriage, wrap the frame in multi-layered shock-absorbing cushioning, and suspend the typewriter within a heavy-duty, double-walled outer shipping carton.

🤝 The "Ready-to-Write" Package & Lifetime Support

• Unbox & Start Writing: Your Olympia SM8 arrives pre-installed with its fresh ink ribbon, original carrying lid, 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 Olympia typewriter.

• 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 vintage typewriters or machine maintenance? Read our master guide: Typewriter FAQ: The Ultimate 100 Questions Answered