Fair Vintage  /  What We Buy  /  Sell Vintage Typewriters
Hermes · Olivetti · Underwood · Remington · Royal · Imperial · UK-wide

Sell your vintage typewriter.
Model, colour, condition — all assessed individually.

Hermes 3000, Olivetti Lettera 22 and 32, Underwood No. 5, Remington Noiseless, Royal Quiet Deluxe, Imperial Good Companion. Working or non-working. In original case or without. Every typewriter valued individually — model, colourway, condition, working state, and completeness all considered.

The typewriter collector market has grown significantly. The right model in the right colour in excellent condition is worth considerably more than most sellers expect. Free insured postage. Written valuation per typewriter. Paid in 72 hours.

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Per unit
Written valuation
model & colour assessed
Tested
Working condition noted
mechanical function assessed
£5,000
Insurance both ways
standard, no extra cost
72 hrs
Payment guaranteed
or +3% added

What we buy

Hermes

  • Hermes 3000 — seafoam green (later version especially sought)
  • Hermes Baby and Rocket portables
  • Hermes 2000 and Ambassador desk machines
  • Original cases add value
  • All versions and colourways considered

Olivetti

  • Olivetti Lettera 22 — especially turquoise/aqua colourways
  • Olivetti Lettera 32
  • Olivetti Valentine — iconic red design by Ettore Sottsass
  • Olivetti Studio 44 and 45
  • Olivetti Praxis desktop machines

Underwood

  • Underwood No. 5 — early examples (pre-1920) especially sought
  • Underwood Noiseless portables
  • Underwood Universal
  • Original glass key tops intact — significant value
  • Original decals and nickel-plated fittings condition noted

Remington

  • Remington Noiseless portable
  • Remington Quiet-Riter
  • Remington Standard No. 10 and No. 12 desk machines
  • Early Remington models (pre-1920)
  • Remington portable travel models with cases

Royal & Imperial

  • Royal Quiet Deluxe portable
  • Royal Futura portables
  • Imperial Good Companion (British-made)
  • Imperial Model T desk machine
  • All British-made typewriters considered

IBM & other

  • IBM Selectric II and III (with original type balls)
  • Olympia SM3, SM4, SM9 portables
  • Adler Tippa portables
  • Corona No. 3 folding portables (early)
  • Blickensderfer models (early collector pieces)

What drives value in vintage typewriters

The vintage typewriter market is driven by a community of writers, collectors, and design enthusiasts. The factors that determine value are well understood — and differ from most other vintage markets.

  • Model: The Hermes 3000, Olivetti Lettera 22, and Olivetti Valentine are among the most sought portable typewriters. The Underwood No. 5 is the dominant early desk typewriter. Model matters more than brand alone.
  • Colour: Colour is unusually significant in this market. The Olivetti Lettera 22 in its original turquoise is worth more than the same model in black. The Hermes 3000 in seafoam green is more sought than earlier grey examples. We assess colour as part of every valuation.
  • Condition: Cosmetic condition, platen condition (rubber dry or cracked affects usability), key top condition, carriage movement, and whether it types cleanly on all keys. We test every typewriter and note the results.
  • Completeness: Original case, cleaning brush, oil bottle, instruction booklet — these add to collector value. An Olivetti Valentine in its original red carrying case is worth more than the machine alone.
The process

Four steps to your typewriter valuation

Step 01

Request your free postage pack

Tell us the model and rough condition. We send a free prepaid, tracked and insured label the same working day.

Step 02

Pack your typewriter

Pad well with bubble wrap. Include the case if you have it. Use a box with at least 5cm of padding on all sides. Insured to £5,000 from courier scan.

Step 03

Live YouTube opening

Your parcel is opened publicly on YouTube before any specialist touches it. Every item visible on camera. Broadcast time confirmed in advance.

Step 04

Written valuation, then payment

Model and colour assessed, working condition tested, completeness noted. Accept or decline. Return anything free. Payment within 72 hours — or we add 3%.

Full process guide →
Common questions

Answered honestly.

Call us on 01234 815116 or email support@fairvintage.co.uk. We respond within one working day.

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Does a vintage typewriter need to work to have value?

Not necessarily. Certain typewriters are valuable primarily as collector or decorative pieces — early desk typewriters with striking visual design like the Underwood No. 5. However, working condition adds significantly to value for portable models like the Hermes 3000 and Olivetti Lettera series, since buyers use these for actual typing.

What makes a typewriter particularly valuable?

Model, colour, condition, and working state. The Hermes 3000 in seafoam green is more sought than the grey. The Olivetti Lettera 22 in turquoise is among the most collected portables. Unusual typefaces — script, italic, gothic — add value. Original cases add value. We assess all these factors individually.

I have an early Underwood typewriter from around 1910. Is it valuable?

Potentially. Early Underwood No. 5 typewriters from 1900–1920 in good cosmetic condition with intact original nickel-plated fittings, glass key tops, and original decals are actively collected. We assess condition of the decals, key tops, platen, carriage, and mechanical function.

Do you buy typewriter collections?

Yes. We assess typewriter collections of any size — individual machines or groups. Each machine is assessed by model, colour, condition, and working state. We provide an itemised written valuation covering every machine.

What about electric typewriters?

IBM Selectric models — Selectric II and III in working condition with original type balls — are assessed individually. Standard electric typewriters from the 1970s and 1980s without the Selectric mechanism have limited collector value.

How quickly will I be paid?

Within 72 hours of your parcel going live on YouTube — guaranteed. If we miss that window, we add 3% to your total.

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Everything we buy — full list
Model & colour assessed · Working condition tested · Free insured postage · No obligation

Find out what your typewriter
is actually worth.

Request your free pack today. Every typewriter assessed individually — model, colour, working condition, completeness. Open live on YouTube. Written valuation. Paid within 72 hours.

Get your free postage pack → Email a photo first
✓  MODEL & COLOUR ASSESSED ✓  WORKING CONDITION TESTED ✓  FREE INSURED POSTAGE BOTH WAYS ✓  PAID IN 72 HOURS OR +3%