Lexikon 80

One Saturday morning in the Spring of 2016 I pulled over into a lay-by off the A46 just south of the Tormarton Interchange with the M4. A couple of minutes later, a white van pulled in just ahead of me. Both I and the van’s driver left our vehicles. This, alas, was nothing as interesting as a sordid tryst, or an exchange of contraband. The man opened his passenger-side door and I looked inside, nodding with approval when I saw what was there: an Olivetti Lexikon 80 typewriter that I’d bought via ebay for about £20.

It’s a later-model Lexikon 80 with the thicker keys. This particular one was made in 1958 at Olivetti’s factory in Glasgow. Unsurprisingly it has a UK keyboard layout including the usual plethora of fractions: ⅛, ¼, ⅜, ½, ⅝, ¾ & ⅞. Also standard-issue is the taupe finish. The type is 12cpi Elite. The obvious scratch on the ribbon cover was there when I bought it, as were some spots of rust. At first, the keys were stiff and reluctant to move. With some light cleaning and regular use, however, everything freed up very nicely.

The Lexikon 80 is more often mentioned in connection with Marcello Nizzoli’s elegant design (which has made this typewriter a museum piece) than with its typing action. For me, though, it has become a firm favourite, hitting a sweet spot between smoothness and snappiness. It looks good and feels good. Its hefty bulk lends it a satisfying stability, yet it’s more compact and manoeuvrable than an Olympia SG-1 or an Hermes Ambassador. Latterly it’s been seeing the most action out of all of my typewriters.