Weapon of Choice: “Thunderbird 4“, 1968 Mongomery Ward Signature 440T (Brother JP-1) In process of writing a letter to Joe.
While many things are coming apart, there’s a few nice things coming together. (:
International Olivetti Valentine survey! Know your machine better & contribute to typewriter history. Gather your data and email it to valentine@oli-type.com:
1. serial number
2. color
3. where was it made? (on back)
4. model name on back?
5. big or small spool covers?
6. little bumps over keyboard?
7. tabulator?
8. keyboard
9. typeface
The Pocket Tigers snuggling my Aceliners. If the current dating theory is proven by further data collection, the grey one is an April 1971, the cream one an April 1986 and the walnut one is the grand-daddy, dating to around 1962-ish.
Protip: The Aceliner Stapler has a hidden compartment for your secret agent needs. A little gentle prying with a penknife between the back foot and the bottom plate will pop it right off, and the plate just snaps right back in with 4 small bumps that fit into 4 indentations stamped into the inside frame. Very stealthy!
In other news, the USA has apparently surpassed 200k dead from the NCV so far, and I felt like that deserved a mention. I seem to recall that number being pretty near the worst case scenario for late summer that a lotta people were laughing at in May. I haven’t got it yet, but there’s still the Fall & Winter Christmas Wishbook of calamity to avoid. One thing you *can’t* get for love nor money in this nation is guns & ammunition – despite heavy production increases by manufacturers store shelves have been bare all Summer and primers are rationed like diamonds. None of that seems much like the makings of the happiness and prosperity that I was hoping to live out in the 21st Century, no siree, Bob…
Here’s five and a half minutes that pretty much sums up my feelings about everything happening outside The Sanctuary lately, from 1982’s “Koyaanisqatsi“:
I have an Aceliner (with its accompanying Ace staple remover) within arm’s reach, and can confirm the existence of a secret compartment! Looking forward to the dating data.
I showed Koyaanisqatsi in a philosophy and film series a couple of years ago. Students were dazed and baffled. “What did I just see??” said one young woman. Answer: the implosion of modern industrial civilization.
Interesting note: the Ace staple remover was the first appearance of the now-ubiquitous “snake bite” style. I think when Frank publishes his work we might just see the Aceliner become akin to the Hermes 3000 in pushing the popularity of stapler collecting. There is a great deal of perceived value in being able to confidently put a date on the thing you are collecting. (:
Personally, I get a pretty straightforward and non-confusing message from “Koyaanisqatsi” – your students should be grateful that you didn’t whip out “The Holy Mountain” on them and demand a thesis interpretation. :D
Perhaps we will soon have a solution to undue all the damage of the past few years, especially 2020.
I don’t have either a neat Valentine or the stapler.
Hope springs eternal, my friend, but I prefer significant trending corroborating evidence. If we make it past the next 4 months without starting a civil war, I’ll feel a bit better. C’mon people, let’s stop hating on one another and play nice with our fun toys! /: