Once upon a time, you got all dressed up to buy a typewriter or an adding machine . . .

[joeekaitis]

. . . and if you were in New York, you went to the Olivetti store at 584 Fifth Avenue.

You don't need to understand Italian to enjoy the pictures which include a few shots of the Olivetti stores in San Francisco and Chicago. Click Successiva to move to the next picture. Click Dimensioni originali to blow up the picture in a new tab or window.

http://www.storiaolivetti.it/fotogallery.asp?idPercorso=652#viewfotogallery

 

[whirlcool]

Wasn't Joe Namath a "Olivetti Girl"?

 

[kenmore58]

Nobody, but nobody ever designed a more interesting typewriter or adding machine than Olivetti. I have several different ones in my typewriter collection. They had such an interesting look.

Ron

 

[jamiel]

TOO COOL!

One of my favorite books in about third grade was "From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler". The plot was a brother/sister in New York going on an adventure in the city, with one of the adventures typing a ransom note (or something) on the typewriters at the front of the Olivetti store. I had in my mind what it looked like, but it wasn't as cool as this.

 

[joeekaitis]

"Wasn't Joe Namath a "Olivetti Girl"? "

In print and on TV. . .

Link opens a media player.

http://www.georgelois.com/pages/milestones/olivetti.namath.html

 

[mysteryclock]

The whole "Temple of Technology" design aesthetic of the pictures echoes today in the Apple stores, doesn't it?