Style One


54 mm   Diameter
5 mm     Centre Hole
3 or 5    Drive Holes
Often Marked
- DIN 2103  or DIN 32755
No Reversing Eyelets

Fits:   Adler, Olympia, Facit,
     Erika, Oliver Courier,
     Triumph,
     and many others


              

Options:

            

Style Two

52 mm      Diameter
6 mm        Centre Hole
3 square  Drive Holes
Sometimes held in place by
  a knurled nut 

(see Replacement Olivetti Spool Nuts page)

With Reversing Eyelets

Fits:   Olivetti,
     and some later
     Underwood Portables



              

Options:
All Black

    
or
Black/Red Nylon

         

Style Three


51 mm  Diameter
4 mm    Centre Hole
4 or 6   Drive Holes


With Reversing Eyelets

Fits:   Hermes, Brother, &
    Silver-Reed Portable.
    Will also fit some earlier
    Smith-Corona machines
    which take a larger spool

            

Options:
£7.00 each
£12.00 each
Purple
Nylon
£7.00 each
£12.00 each
Purple
Nylon
£7.00 each
£12.00 each
Purple
Nylon
Style One
Style Two
Style Three
All prices INCLUDE  UK postage !
Sorry, I do not supply plastic ribbon cartridges for modern daisywheel typewriters !
A range of ribbon fabrics in hard-to-find widths, for antique and non-standard typewriters - to rewind onto your old spools
5/16" - Black - e.g. Bing No.2, Early Hammond
7/16" - Black - e.g. Early Fox Visible, Hammond Multiplex, Varityper, Oliver No. 2, 3, 5 & 7, Royal No.1, 2 & 3, Early Underwood No. 3 & 4, Rooy
9/16" - Black/Red - e.g. IBM Electric, Electromatic, Oliver No. 9 onwards, Early Woodstock
5/8" -   Black - e.g. Bijou Folding, Continental Standard
3/4" -   Black - e.g. Empire No.1, No.8, Adler Thrust Action
1"    -   Black -        Suitable For Time Recording (i.e. 'Clocking-In') Machines and Music Writers. Empire No.2 and No.3, Wellington. Will also substitute for unobtainable 1 3/8" fabric used on Remington No1 to No9 'Blind Writers'
RIBBONS
Of the twenty-six different spools once available, only three kinds are still currently in production. If the ribbon spool on your vintage typewriter looks like any of the ones in the photographs below, I can supply a direct replacement on modern plastic spools. If your spool looks substantially different, I can supply the ribbon fabric that you will need to rewind onto your old spool.
HINT:    If in doubt, measure your spool across its diameter using a steel ruler and compare to the measurements below.
To check the size of the centre hole accurately, try different sized drill bits in the hole until you find one that fits correctly. Check the ends of your ribbon to see if small metal eyelets are present.
These are there to reverse the direction of travel when the ribbon comes to the end of its spool.

All Black

    
or
Black/Red Nylon
All
Black

    
or
Black/Red Nylon
NON-STANDARD RIBBON FABRIC FOR ANTIQUE TYPEWRITERS
£12 each INCLUDING UK postage  !
- sole UK source of supply !
£10 each INCLUDING UK postage !
Sorry, I do not supply plastic ribbon cartridges for modern daisywheel typewriters !
Ribbons for other makes of toy typewriter - please ask!
SPECIAL NARROW RIBBON FABRIC FOR 'PETITE' TOY TYPEWRITERS
( Manufacturer's Reference :  T4430 )
Where this symbol is shown, click and hold to use magnifier on a picture
Sample Image
Sample Image
Pre-War Remington Model 10, 12 or 16 Standard Spools
These Right Hand spools for the Pre-War Remington office manual have been unobtainable since the 1960's, and are thus very hard to find.
These BRAND NEW-old stock spools fit the right hand side of the Pre-War Remington black 'sit up and beg' machines (not to be confused with the post-war models, which take a different spool).  The left hand spool, which looks similar, is usually permanently attached to the typewriter by a fixing screw. Because the left spool is attached, it is normally the right hand one which goes missing. However, if both spools are absent from your typewriter, I can convert one of my Right ones to a Left one for an additional cost.
Price £15 each including UK postage

Sample Image
Sample Image
Spools for Imperial 66,
Good Companion 3,5 and 7,
plus Imperial Messenger

These spools for the Imperial 66 standard office typewriter, plus the above portables, have been unobtainable since the 1970's, when they were superceded by a spool of the same dimensions but made of plastic. Although the plastic versions fit and work OK, they don't have the same 'vintage' appearance as the originals. If you have a machine where the spools are on open display, these BRAND NEW old stock spools preserve the originality !
Price £15 each including UK postage
'Bar-Lock' Standard Spools
These spools for the 'Bar-Lock' Standard (NOT the 'Bar-Let' portable) have been unobtainable since the 1960's.
These spools fit either the left or the right hand side of the machine by simply turning them over.
Price £15 each including UK postage
Sample Image
Sample Image
'Underwood Touchmaster'
and 'Imperial 70' Spools
These spools for the 1960's 'Underwood Touchmaster' (earlier Underwoods take a different spool) and 'Imperial 70' standard office typewriters have been unobtainable since the 1980's. These are BRAND NEW-old stock.
Price £15 each including UK postage
Imperial 50,55,58,60 and 65 Standard Spools
These Right Hand spools for the Pre- and Immediate Post-War Imperial office typewriter have been unobtainable since the 1970's, and are thus very hard to find.
These BRAND NEW-old stock spools fit the right hand side of the black Imperial 'sit up and beg' machines.
The left hand spool, which looks similar, is an exact mirror image of the right hand spool and was only available as a factory spare part when the machine was in production. Because new ribbons always came on a replacement right hand spool, it is usually the right hand one which goes missing. However, if both spools are absent from your typewriter, I can convert one of my Right ones to a Left one for an additional cost.
Price £15 each including UK postage
OBSOLETE RIBBON SPOOLS
the last remaining stock of empty obsolete ribbon spools from the family
of a long-gone typewriter ribbon manufacturer
'Continental' Spools
- 16mm Ribbon or 13mm Ribbon
These spools for the 'Continental' Standard have been unobtainable since the 1960's.
Earlier (1920's) machines take a special 16mm width ribbon, later (1930's) machines take a 13mm ribbon.
I can supply BRAND NEW old stock spools for either !
Price £15 each including UK postage
Pre-War 'Hermes' Six Standard Spools
These spools for the Pre-War 'Hermes' office manual have been unobtainable since the 1960's.
These BRAND NEW-old stock spools fit most earlier Hermes black 'sit up and beg' machines (not to be confused with the post-war models, which take a different spool).
These are universal fitting - meaning that they will fit either the left or the right hand side of the machine.
Price £15 each including UK postage

These are just a selection of the metal spools I have in stock.
If you do not see what you  are looking for - please ask!
'Woodstock' Spools
These spools for the American 'Woodstock' Standard have been unobtainable since the 1960's.
These are BRAND NEW old stock spools!

Price £15 each including UK postage
ANY OF THE SPOOLS SHOWN HERE CAN BE SUPPLIED
RE-WOUND WITH BRAND NEW RIBBON FABRIC FOR AN ADDITIONAL £7.00

DO YOU COLLECT VINTAGE ADDING MACHINES?
I also keep obsolete metal spools to fit a variety of vintage mechanical adding machines and calculators.
Please enquire!

The picture shows an original Olivetti nut on the left
and two of the replacement nuts on the right.
Worth buying and putting away in a safe place in case you ever lose one!
These are the little knurled nuts that hold the ribbon spool down on many Olivetti machines.
They are easy to lose, and the machine will not work without them.
They have not been available as a spare part for decades - UNTIL NOW!
I am pleased to announce that I can now supply these in black finish
for £10 PAIR, including UK postage
REPLACEMENT OLIVETTI SPOOL NUTS
SET OF FOUR - £30 including UK Postage
BRAND NEW REPRODUCTION RUBBER FEET
FOR 1920's/1930's CONTINENTAL STANDARD
The 1920's/1930's Continental Standard has quite a following, particularly in Germany where they were originally made.   Very similar to the Underwood, but improved in so many ways, examples of this machine have survived in surprising numbers. Unsurprisingly the rubber feet have often disintegrated, exposing the fixing screws which then scratch the desk.   A real nuisance - they can eventually make your machine unusable once they have crumbled away completely.   Spare feet have been unobtainable from the manufacturers since the 1940's, but now there is a solution !

I have had a batch of reproduction feet made which are an improvement on the originals. Not only are they the exact height and diameter to match the originals, you can actually fit them yourself without dismantling the machine !   Simply turn your Continental upside down on a carpet, remove the old foot screws with a screwdriver, then screw the new feet (complete with integral screws) into the sockets by hand.   All done! The photograph shows the reproduction feet at the back, with an original damaged Continental foot and fixing screw in the foreground.

These will also fit L.C. Smith models originally fitted with round 'push in' feet. However, you will have to cut a specially-shaped retaining washer and add a metric nut for each foot to hold them in place. Please ask for details.

Here's a recently serviced Continental to show the type of the machine for which these feet are suitable, and a view of a foot installed on the machine.
The 1960's/1970's Adler Gabrielle is an excellent typewriter but they all have a common problem - disintegrating rubber feet !    A real nuisance, they can eventually make your machine unusable once they have crumbled away.   Spare feet have been unobtainable from the manufacturers for over thirty years, but now there is a solution !   

I have had a batch of reproduction feet made which are an improvement on the originals.    Not only are they the exact height to allow the machine to sit correctly in the carry case and allow the lid to be closed, you can actually fit them yourself without dismantling the machine (impossible with the original feet).   Simply turn your Adler Gabrielle upside down on your lap, pull or prise the old damaged feet away, then force the new feet into the holes in the machine's frame using a turning movement - like screwing in a lightbulb.

Amazingly, these feet also fit the 1920's/1930's Corona Four - another machine that suffers from corroding feet.   However, since the front feet also act as spacebar buffers on the Corona, it would be necessary to trim the top of the 'cone' with a sharp knife to reduce the overall height.   The photograph shows the reproduction feet at the back, with an original damaged Adler foot in the foreground.

SET OF FOUR - £30 including UK Postage
BRAND NEW REPRODUCTION RUBBER FEET
FOR ADLER GABRIELLE AND CORONA FOUR
Here's a recently serviced Adler Gabrielle to show the type of the machine for which these feet are suitable
SET OF FOUR - £30 including UK Postage
The original Imperial Good Companion is screwed down to a baseboard which also forms part of the carry case. Underneath the baseboard are four rubber feet that are effectively the typewriter's feet when it is being used. These often go hard and then begin to crumble. One or more may be missing entirely on your machine. To overcome this problem, I have had a batch of replacement feet specially machined from solid rubber. These are direct replacements for the originals. They are held to the baseboard by a washer with two lugs that pass through the rubber foot. To fit the replacement feet, use a sharp blade to make two slits in the counterbore for the lugs, then push the washer back into place. Some pre-war 'Torpedo' and 'Blue Bird' typewriters use exactly the same moulding as a foot on the typewriter itself.
BASEBOARD FEET  IMPERIAL GOOD COMPANION/TORPEDO/BLUE-BIRD
To solve this problem, I have commissioned a special batch of new rubber grommets. Each one has been hand machined from solid rubber - not moulded - for a perfect fit.
These are a straightforward job to push into the holes in the Remington's casing, but do require some dismantling to fit to the Imperial.

Here's a recently serviced Imperial Good Companion to show the type of the machine for which these items are suitable
SET OF FOUR - £30 including UK Postage
Both the Imperial Good Companion and the Pre-War Remington portable typewriters are screwed down to a wooden baseboard which forms part of the carry-case. The fixing system is the same with both makes; a screw passes through a large rubber grommet in the bottom of the typewriter's metal casing.
The grommet also acts as the typewriter's foot when the baseboard is removed. Like many of the other rubber parts on old typewriters, these foot/grommets harden and crumble away over time, leaving a footless machine rattling about on its baseboard!

CASE FOOT GROMMETS FOR IMPERIAL GOOD COMPANION AND REMINGTON PRE-WAR SMALL PORTABLES - ALSO FIT PRE-WAR ERIKA FIVE
SET OF FOUR - £12 including UK Postage
Here is a picture showing where one of the grommets is located on an Olivetti Lettera
A common problem with Olivetti portable typewriters - the 1950's Lettera 22 in particular - is disintegrating rubber case grommets.  The machine's casing is attached to the frame by four screws which pass through these grommets.  When they finally fall apart, the casing starts to move about on the frame, making awful rattling noises.
Of course, these grommets have not been available from Olivetti as spare parts for many years now.  Having found that there is no 'off the shelf' rubber grommet that would fit, I recently had a mould made so that these could be manufactured once more.
As well as the Lettera 22, these grommets fit most other Olivetti portables right through to the 1980's, and - so I have discovered - the full-size office manual typewriters too!   For instance, Lexicon 80 and Olivetti 82. The new grommets are made from a harder and more durable rubber than the originals, and once in place will solve your rattling case problems for the forseeable future.
OLIVETTI CASE GROMMETS FOR LETTERA PORTABLES AND STANDARD TYPEWRITERS
Price £20 including UK Postage
Place one of these under your machine to make your typing much quieter !
Unobtainable for many years, I have had a batch of traditional wool felt typewriter mats specially made in England.
The perfect gift for typewriter lovers
- they are not available anywhere else!
300mm x 330mm (12" x 13")
Suitable for Standard or Portable Typewriters
TRADITIONAL WOOL FELT TYPEWRITER MATS or PADS
The correct brush in natural bristle for removing dust from the inside of your typewriter !
Like many of the items on this page, these brushes have been unobtainable since the 1980's.
I was delighted to find a source at last, since I use these myself and was getting desperate to find some more!

Price £4.50 each including UK postage
TYPEWRITER DUSTING BRUSHES
The ideal brush for cleaning old ink from the typeface to remove those 'filled in' characters. Use this brush vertically with a small quantity of methylated spirits (de-natured alcohol) and scrub from front to back. Ideal for standard typewriters with an inaccessible segment since you can clean from above. Good for portable typewriters too! Hard-wearing Nylon bristles.
Price £4.50 each including UK postage
TYPE CLEANING BRUSHES
The Imperial 50, 55 and 58 office typewriters were manufactured in huge numbers from 1927 right through to 1961. No wonder they are amongst the most common of vintage ‘finds’, both in the UK and many of the former British colonies that were a huge export market for Imperial. Unfortunately, the special rubber feet deteriorate over time, leaving the fixing screws and metal shrouds to scratch the desk ! This is such a common problem that I have commissioned a batch of BRAND NEW feet to fit these machines. These haven’t been obtainable as a spare part since the late 1960’s ! Simply turn the machine onto its back, unscrew the old feet and screw on the new feet. The screw holes line up as they should, and the metal shroud fits perfectly. It is as simple as that !






Tippex Correction Slips

Although you can still buy Tippex correction fluid (because it is still used for handwriting), the Tippex Correction Slips were discontinued many years ago. For the uninitiated, these are used for correcting typed errors by back-spacing over the incorrect character, holding the slip over it, and typing the incorrect character again. A white film which obliterates the mistake is transferred from the back of the Tippex slip, and you are then free to re-type over it. It works like magic and is quicker and less messy than using fluid! I have obtained a limited quantity of new-old-stock Tippex Slips. These are factory-sealed in their packets and still work perfectly. ONCE THEY ARE GONE, THEY ARE GONE !
£4.50 including UK postage.
Imperial 50/55/58 Feet
Here is a picture of an Imperial to illustrate the sort of typewriter these feet are intended for. If you have an Imperial Good Companion Portable, I sell feet for those too!
£30 per Set of Four including UK Postage

Here's a recently serviced Underwood 5 to show the type of machine for which these feet are suitable.
BRAND NEW REPRODUCTION RUBBER FEET
FOR 1910's/1940's UNDERWOOD STANDARD 3, 4, 5 and 6
The Underwood Five and its brothers, the Three and Four, sold in vast numbers during the 1920's/1930's. It remains one of the most common vintage typewriters thanks to its' amazing build quality. With the earliest machines now being over 100 years old it is not a surprise that the rubber feet have often disintegrated, exposing the fixing screws which then scratch the desk. A real nuisance - they can eventually make your machine unusable once they have crumbled away completely. Spare feet have been unobtainable from the manufacturers since the 1950's, but now there is a solution !

I have had a batch of reproduction feet made which are an improvement on the originals. Not only are they the exact height and diameter to match the originals, you can actually fit them yourself without dismantling the machine ! Simply turn your Underwood upside down on a carpet, remove the old foot screws with a screwdriver, then screw the new feet (complete with integral screws) into the threaded holes by hand. All done ! The photograph shows the reproduction feet at the back, with an original Underwood foot in the foreground. These feet are particularly suitable for the earlier machines, but will substitute for the larger and more elaborate feet fitted to later models made into the 1940's, especially the Underwood Six.
SET OF FOUR - £30 including UK Postage
PORTABLE TYPEWRITER COVER - SMALL
This universal cover - proudly made in England - is designed for Medium and Heavy-Duty portable typewriters.
Typical fitments include Adler Gabriele and Olympia SM series.
This cover is also intended for older, more upright portable typewriters such as Imperial Good Companion, Royal Quiet DeLuxe, Remington Quiet-Riter etc., which are too tall to fit the Small Typewriter Cover.
Based around the dimensions of a 1970's original, it will fit a whole range of other machines.
Perfect to protect your typewriter from gathering dust whilst you are away from the desk, it saves the bother of putting it back into its carry case each time.
Note: Colour may vary from the illustration.

Price £20.00 each including UK Postage
This universal cover - proudly made in England - is designed for lightweight portable typewriters.
Based around the dimensions of the Olivetti Lettera 22, it will also fit the Olivetti Lettera 32, Lettera DL, Brother, Olympia Splendid, SF DeLuxe and Traveller, Adler Tippa, Hermes Baby and Empire Aristocrat plus many, many other small machines.
Perfect to protect your typewriter from gathering dust whilst you are away from the desk, it will save you the bother of putting it back into its carry case each time.
Note : colour may vary from the illustration.

Price £20.00 each including UK postage

A custom-made real black leather version of this cover is also available
Price on Application
PORTABLE TYPEWRITER COVER - SMALL
PORTABLE TYPEWRITER COVER - MEDIUM/HEAVY DUTY
STANDARD TYPEWRITER COVER - OFFICE TYPEWRITERS
This quality vinyl cover is for full-size office manual typewriters.
Because carriage lengths vary from machine to machine, these are custom-made to order.
The cover in the picture is fitted to a 13" carriage Hermes Ambassador. We have patterns for many other machines.
The cover always seems to go missing with vintage typewriters, and because office typewriters do not have carry cases, they soon start to gather dust.
A new cover will keep your machine pristine when not in use, and may also discourage inquiring little fingers!

Note: Colour may vary from the illustration.


Price £40.00 each including UK Postage
The original Imperial Good Companion was introduced in 1932. The spools were exposed on the top of the machine, and each spool had a tiny decorative chromed 'finial' which was a friction fit in the centre hole. However, within a few years, a problem became apparent. The size of the hole in the spool was increased slightly by the manufacturers with the result that the finial was no longer a tight fit. As soon as a replacement ribbon on a new spool was fitted, the finial would fall out and get lost. It is therefore very common to encounter these machines with just one finial (where there is one original spool and one newer one), or possibly both finials missing. It is true that the typewriter will work perfectly well without them, but it certainly spoils the look of the machine. Following several requests for this part, which has been unobtainable for over sixty years, I am pleased to say that I have had a batch specially made! These are an improvement over the originals, in that they have been redesigned to work with both the original 1930's spools, and the later ones with the slightly larger centre hole. Thus, if your Good Companion has a pair of 'odd' spools there will be no problem with the finials falling out! The reproductions are a slightly different shape to the originals and are therefore only supplied as pairs. Here is the opportunity to make your Imperial Good Companion 'complete' at a very reasonable price!


£30 per pair, including UK Postage
Here is a picture of a pre-war Imperial Good Companion complete with original Ribbon Spool Finials
IMPERIAL 'GOOD COMPANION' RIBBON SPOOL FINIALS
THIS IS A TEST FOR IMPERIAL 50/55/58 FEET


If you would like to purchase any of these items, please contact me for payment details,
UK cheques and PayPal accepted.    I am happy to quote for shipping outside the UK.
The Typewriter Man

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