1919 Oliver No. 9
Up for sale is a really nice Oliver No. 9 "Printype" which was made in Chicago, IL in late 1918 or early 1919. No typewriter collection is complete without at least one Oliver. This typewriter is a fairly uncommon Oliver that is actually in functional shape, although it is certainly not a machine that I would recommend for any sort of heavy writing. The original carriage drawband on the Oliver typewriters were no more solid than a shoelace, and so the vast majority of Oliver typewriters are not functional. The batwing design is iconic for Oliver machines, and allowed it to be one of the first 'visible' typewriters, meaning you could see what you were typing as you were typing it. That being said, there were plenty of other visible-writers on the market by the time this machine was produced (which continued until 1928). The Oliver's down-strike mechanism never ended up being as popular as the front-strike mechanism that most of us think of when we imagine typewriters. Oliver typewriters such as this one are a bit clunky. It's not that the mechanism isn't smooth or anything, but the print tends to be a bit more uneven, the ergonomics of the machine as a whole suffer a bit, and the 3 bank keyboard feels very much out of place for a full size desktop typewriter, especially what other options were on the market in 1921. That being said, this individual typewriter with the "Printype" typeface actually prints rather neatly and clearly and looks great on paper.
The platen and feed rollers work well and were likely replaced not too long ago as they are certainly not 100 years old like the rest of the machine. The carriage drawband was also replaced, although the arresting hook is still present in order to be able to easily remove the carriage. Cosmetically, this typewriter is also pretty impressive for being over 100 years old. The original paint does have some scratches and dings, but it is largely in good shape. The labels are also relatively crisp and clear and look great. The nickel plated parts are mostly in good shape, although there are a few areas of light pitting as can be seen in the photos, which is really not surprising for its age! The pencil holder on the right-hand 'bat-wing' is missing, however this doesn't impact functionality in any other way than not being able to mount a pencil to draw straight lines across the paper in the platen. The ribbon covers are also missing, however it allows universal ribbons to fit in this machine with ease.
The owner's manual can be referenced for free here: https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/oliver9-11.pdf
If you're in the market for a functioning Oliver, then this is a perfect machine for you!
This typewriter, along with other desktops are expensive to ship because of their extremely heavy weight (close to 40-50 pounds in most cases) and the large boxes that they require. If you decide to purchase a desktop typewriter, you can be assured that the expensive shipping costs will ensure that your typewriter arrives safely and in one piece. That being said, if you are local to Southeastern PA, you are welcome to pick this typewriter up and avoid the cost of shipping completely.