Olivetti Valentine Typewwriter

Designed by Italian Ettore Sottsass and Briton Perry King, and launched in 1969, this was probably the most famous of Olivetti's typewriters. Shown here in its signature bright red it, it was also produced in white, egg yellow, blue and pea green. It came with a slide-on case that ingeniously fastens to the back plate of the typewriter with rubber straps. Unfortunately, over time these would often dry out, crack, and break off. This example still has them intact, but given it's age, it's not a good idea to rely on them to carry it around!

The body is made largely of shiny ABS plastic, while the case has a heavy matte texture, and some key structural pieces, such as the ends of the platen, are of painted metal. The bright orange caps of the ribbon reels perk up the actual mechanism, something which in other typewriters is typically hidden from view.

Overall it's a very simple shape - an extruded rounded rectangle sliced at an angle where the keyboard is. The front bar appears to float in the air just below the front row of keys. As with any successful, simple, form, the proportions are perfectly managed, and there are successive layers of details and textures that add richness. It's a great example of a product that delivers a powerful first read (in this case mostly driven by the color) but then as you get closer and examine it from more angles and operate it, second and third reads of surface, proportion and details reveal themselves. As you pull the typewriter from its case, you are treated to one surprise of color and shape after another.