On the Iberian Typewriter Safari: Surfin' from Malibu to Newport, it's as simple as ABC (for Chevron)

One of the world's most extensive typewriter families stretches out across the globe from the Iberian Peninsula. It is one that embraces brand names such as Siemag (Siegener Maschinenbau AG), Koch's Nähmaschinenwerke AG, ABC, Cole Steel, Royal, Imperial, Sears and (in Portugal) Oliva; as well as Australian labels Chevron and Lemair. Model names include Safari, Malibu and Newport, to name but a few. The common denominator across this vast range of machines is the Lisbon company Messa:

The arrival here this week of a Lemair 3002 portable typewriter was a reminder of just how many variations there are in this family. The Lemair label easily peeled off to reveal it was in fact an ABC 3002. And of course barely readable under the left side of the carriage is the country of origin of this model:

I could already clearly tell from the eBay listing that the ABC 3002 was a very close relation to my Imperial 2002. I was quite surprised when I was given the Imperial 2002 last year, because I hadn't previously seen a design like it. That just showed how easily a typewriter's mask can confuse.  When the ABC 3002 arrived and I slipped off the ribbon spools cover, I can see instantly that the mechanics are identical to every other Messa machine I have ever owned - most commonly the ABC and Lemair 2000 series. The added figure of 2 on the end of 2000 simply represents a new, more "modernised" mask.
Here is the latest addition to my collection, the ABC 3002, aka the Lemair 3002:

Among the models in this range of mechanically identical family members are:

The original Messa version of the 3002

ABC/Lemair 2000S

Sears Newport (Ryan Adney Collection)

Sears Malibu

Sears Chevron

The Messa 2002 range includes:

Royal Safari II

Imperial 2002

Messa 2002

Oliva 2002

Here are a couple of Messa 2000s

ABC 2000

Sears Chevron

Image above from Will Davis's Portable Typewiter Reference Site

The earlier Messa small portable, a direct (plastic) descendant of the ABC-Cole Steel, was variously marketed as an ABC, Lemair, Sears and Oliva, among other names:

This one, made for Messa in Pakistan, is a close relation to the Neckermann Brilliant S, designed by Koch's-ABC

Sears

Oliva

But back to the ABC 3002:

SPACEBAR NOTE: I loved the story told about a Messa 3002 by a Portuguese blogger. It seems there was a man who had owned one of these machines since at least the early 1980s. His 20-something sons referred to it as his "computer". They asked him why he didn't sell it. "The father sharply pressed several piano keys, producing a sound dark, and said, 'I wrote letters to your mother on that 'computer', without it you would not be here. Sell ​​it? Never ... Little ones, this is a typewriter, it's like a computer but with paper, no Facebook and no pornalhada'."