Typewriter, pressed steel and plastic. Made by British Olivetti Ltd, designed by Marcello Nizzoli

Upright typewriter with the standard qwerty keyboard; the keys of circular black plastic with white numerals with the exception of the back space key in the top right hand corner which is picked out in burnt orange. The grey steel envelope has straight sides and back with curved edges. The front hood which is domed is completely detachable for access to the mechanism has softly rounded edges and a curved front. Its lower edge dips down in a broad arc. The central window to allow the keys to strike the platen is a continuously curved lozenge. The carriage, when moved into its central position, fits precisely into the side profiles of the stationary back bar. The chromed levers and handles grouped at either end of the carriage are subordinated to the strong sculptural character of the body. The back of the carriage is relieved by a series of closely aligned, parallel channels.

This object was selected by the Core Committee of the Twentieth Century Gallery Project. Found in PDP.

Nizzoli took over on a consultancy basis the design of all Olivetti's products in 1936. He was concerned especially with the appearance of the products rather than with how they worked. With this typewriter Olivetti became the first manufacturer to make the standard office typewriter into an object of style. Its mechanical components are hidden in an elegant grey casing. Its production ceased in 1968.

M.27-1993