Gray Olympia SM3 Typewriter • Chocolate Keys • w/Cleaning Kit & Case • Tested
$549.00
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OLYMPIA SM3 PORTABLE TYPEWRITER
Gray Hammertone • Chocolate-Brown Keys • Original Case and Cleaning Kit
Model Olympia SM3 Manufacture Date Pending serial-number confirmation Finish Warm gray hammertone with chocolate-brown keys and controls Case Original hard carrying case included Accessories Original Olympia cleaning kit with brushes and polishing cloth Bench Work See Bench Record below Typing Feel Clicky, responsive, and substantial without feeling heavy Ideal Use Daily writing, correspondence, journaling, and collecting
THE MACHINE
There is something quietly confident about an Olympia SM3. Its balanced proportions, beautifully resolved controls, and purposeful engineering do not depend upon bright paint or novelty to command attention. It looks like exactly what it is: a serious writing instrument built to be used for decades, with rather more beauty than such practicality strictly required.
This example is especially handsome in warm gray hammertone, with rich chocolate-brown keys and controls providing a subtle contrast against the textured body. The combination lends the machine a restrained, almost tailored elegance and suits the SM3’s substantial mid-century form beautifully.
The SM3 was produced from the early 1950s into the beginning of the 1960s and earned an enduring reputation as one of Olympia’s finest portable writing machines. The precise manufacture date of this example will be added once its serial number has been checked against the Olympia records.
BENCH RECORD
This machine has been cleaned, lightly serviced, and tested. It was typing well at the bench before listing, and its principal functions were operating properly during inspection.
The machine is described according to its observed condition before shipment. As with any vintage mechanical typewriter, small adjustments can occasionally shift during modern parcel transit even when the machine has been properly immobilized and packed.
TYPING IMPRESSION
The keyboard has a pleasantly clicky, responsive action, with enough substance to remind you that you are operating a precision mechanical instrument without becoming heavy or tiring. The stroke feels positive and composed, and the machine seems eager to settle into a working rhythm.
This is a particularly good fit for someone seeking a substantial everyday writer: refined enough to reward an experienced typist, approachable enough for regular correspondence or journaling, and steady enough for longer work at the desk.
CONDITION
Cosmetically, this is a particularly handsome SM3. The original textured finish presents beautifully, the chrome remains bright, and the chocolate-brown controls contrast wonderfully against the gray body.
Light signs of honest use are present, including a few marks and small areas of coloration consistent with age, but nothing that meaningfully detracts from the machine’s overall presentation. It remains an attractive, well-preserved example rather than one that has been cosmetically overworked. Please review the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
INCLUDED
* Olympia SM3 portable typewriter
* Original hard carrying case
* Original Olympia cleaning brushes
* Original Olympia polishing cloth
The original hard case presents well inside and out and remains suitable for storage and transport. The accompanying Olympia cleaning kit is a particularly pleasing survival: the original brushes and polishing cloth are seldom still found with these machines and give the package an uncommon sense of completeness.
Curious how this machine types? I’m happy to provide a short typed sample by request—a sentence or two of your choosing, within reason—so you can see the actual imprint, alignment, and ribbon performance before purchase.
SHIPPING
Estimated packed dimensions: 18 × 18 × 10 inches
Estimated packed weight: 25 pounds
The machine will be immobilized, packed with serious care for modern parcel shipping, and fully insured.
----------------------------------------
Please read before purchase: This is a vintage mechanical typewriter, carefully tested and described according to its condition before shipment. It will be packed with serious care and fully insured. Because these machines are often 50–100 years old, minor adjustment may occasionally be needed after transit, even when properly packed. Slight alignment variance, ribbon behavior, or small mechanical quirks can be part of vintage typewriter ownership. Please review the photos and condition notes closely, and feel free to ask questions before purchase.
Gray Olympia SM3 Typewriter • Chocolate Keys • w/Cleaning Kit & Case • Tested
$549.00
Gray Hammertone • Chocolate-Brown Keys • Original Case and Cleaning Kit
Model Olympia SM3 Manufacture Date Pending serial-number confirmation Finish Warm gray hammertone with chocolate-brown keys and controls Case Original hard carrying case included Accessories Original Olympia cleaning kit with brushes and polishing cloth Bench Work See Bench Record below Typing Feel Clicky, responsive, and substantial without feeling heavy Ideal Use Daily writing, correspondence, journaling, and collecting
THE MACHINE
There is something quietly confident about an Olympia SM3. Its balanced proportions, beautifully resolved controls, and purposeful engineering do not depend upon bright paint or novelty to command attention. It looks like exactly what it is: a serious writing instrument built to be used for decades, with rather more beauty than such practicality strictly required.
This example is especially handsome in warm gray hammertone, with rich chocolate-brown keys and controls providing a subtle contrast against the textured body. The combination lends the machine a restrained, almost tailored elegance and suits the SM3’s substantial mid-century form beautifully.
The SM3 was produced from the early 1950s into the beginning of the 1960s and earned an enduring reputation as one of Olympia’s finest portable writing machines. The precise manufacture date of this example will be added once its serial number has been checked against the Olympia records.
BENCH RECORD
This machine has been cleaned, lightly serviced, and tested. It was typing well at the bench before listing, and its principal functions were operating properly during inspection.
The machine is described according to its observed condition before shipment. As with any vintage mechanical typewriter, small adjustments can occasionally shift during modern parcel transit even when the machine has been properly immobilized and packed.
TYPING IMPRESSION
The keyboard has a pleasantly clicky, responsive action, with enough substance to remind you that you are operating a precision mechanical instrument without becoming heavy or tiring. The stroke feels positive and composed, and the machine seems eager to settle into a working rhythm.
This is a particularly good fit for someone seeking a substantial everyday writer: refined enough to reward an experienced typist, approachable enough for regular correspondence or journaling, and steady enough for longer work at the desk.
CONDITION
Cosmetically, this is a particularly handsome SM3. The original textured finish presents beautifully, the chrome remains bright, and the chocolate-brown controls contrast wonderfully against the gray body.
Light signs of honest use are present, including a few marks and small areas of coloration consistent with age, but nothing that meaningfully detracts from the machine’s overall presentation. It remains an attractive, well-preserved example rather than one that has been cosmetically overworked. Please review the photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
INCLUDED
* Olympia SM3 portable typewriter
* Original hard carrying case
* Original Olympia cleaning brushes
* Original Olympia polishing cloth
The original hard case presents well inside and out and remains suitable for storage and transport. The accompanying Olympia cleaning kit is a particularly pleasing survival: the original brushes and polishing cloth are seldom still found with these machines and give the package an uncommon sense of completeness.
Curious how this machine types? I’m happy to provide a short typed sample by request—a sentence or two of your choosing, within reason—so you can see the actual imprint, alignment, and ribbon performance before purchase.
SHIPPING
Estimated packed dimensions: 18 × 18 × 10 inches
Estimated packed weight: 25 pounds
The machine will be immobilized, packed with serious care for modern parcel shipping, and fully insured.
----------------------------------------
Please read before purchase: This is a vintage mechanical typewriter, carefully tested and described according to its condition before shipment. It will be packed with serious care and fully insured. Because these machines are often 50–100 years old, minor adjustment may occasionally be needed after transit, even when properly packed. Slight alignment variance, ribbon behavior, or small mechanical quirks can be part of vintage typewriter ownership. Please review the photos and condition notes closely, and feel free to ask questions before purchase.