24. Portable typewriters

The final floor starts with an exhibition of various portable typewriters. With the progressive development of standard typewriters, the need for smaller typewriters increased at the turn of the century. The small cheap typewriters which already existed on the market, mostly pointer or index typewriters, were not suitable for professional use so that very soon every larger manufacturer also launched a small typewriter alongside the standard models. On the one hand, there were small typewriters which were technically very good, which in this respect were on a par with the larger standard models. On the other hand, simpler models were also soon manufactured which developed into true people’s and family typewriters. The small typewriter, however, was used by travelling salesmen, journalists, authors and war reporters.

The almost legendary red “Olivetti Valentine” from 1969 right at the back on the left was produced by the famous designer Ettore Sottsass. The “Erika”, in the first row on the right, manufactured by Seidel and Naumann in Dresden, was probably the most popular German portable typewriter. The model on display here is a present from a German holidaymaker whose great great-grandfather used it in the First World War in German South-West Africa, now Namibia.