& alba
Domus is Latin for "home" and when this little Alba toy typewriter arrived here last week, it was at "home" with its matching-colour Antares Domus "parent" portable typewriter.
Domus is Latin for "home" and when this little Alba toy typewriter arrived here last week, it was at "home" with its matching-colour Antares Domus "parent" portable typewriter.
Knowing that Georg Sommeregger and I both had the earlier Alba toy models (each in fawn) Richard Polt tipped me off about this later Alba for sale on Italian eBay. But it was only when it reached here that I realised it was in the same teal and cream colours as my much-neglected Antares Domus.
(Please excuse my inability to master the AZERTY French keyboard in these typecasts, especially the 'Q' and the 'A'.)
Perhaps the only two companies which produced both toy and real typewriters were Jardine in Nottingham, England, and Antares in Milan, Italy. At least they are the only two that I can think of, just off the top of my head.
I now own three of each, toy and real typewriters, from the Antares stable. It is interesting to see how closely the mechanics match up (as well as the fonts in the case of the Domus and the tiny Alba A4).
This last machine is a later model Antares, also known as the Underwood 16.
Remember chocolate blancmange? Straight out of one of glass moulds?
ReplyDeleteGlad I could help you get the new Alba. It's so angular that it looks like a piece of origami; it also reminds me of some Olivettis of the time, like the Diaspron.
ReplyDeleteThe Alba A4 is a really good looking typewriter.
You probably have the best Alba collection in the world now!
What a super round-up. I find all of them very well designed. The A4 is something in between, it is aimed at youth, but really a fully-fledged typewriter.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of spool can I use on this toy machine? 2 inch diameters or less. Many thanks. Davide from Italy!
ReplyDelete