Typewriter models•Model guide
The Underwood 315
The Olivetti that doesn’t say its name. A portable from the 1970s, sold under an American brand, built in Italian workshops.
An Olivetti under an American nameplate
Underwood is one of the oldest typewriter brands, born in New York at the end of the 19th century. In 1959 it was bought by Olivetti. The name survived, the factory did not: from then on, machines bearing the Underwood plate were designed and built by the Italians.
The 315 is one of those, a portable of the 1970s. Under the cover, it is the mechanism of the Lettera 31, the lightweight that succeeded the Lettera 32. On some examples, you only have to peel off the aluminium plate to find the word Olivetti moulded into the plastic.
What it feels like to type on
Lighter and more plasticky than a Lettera 32, the 315 owns its era. The touch is supple, the travel short, the sound duller than on the metal bodies of the previous decade. You type fast on it, effortlessly.
It is a good first machine: compact, easy to move around, without the delicate adjustments of the big post-war portables. It is also one of the least expensive we offer, for an identical overhaul quality.
Which Underwood 315 to choose?
The 315 stands out above all for its colour. We have seen it in green, blue and orange, in the pop shades the decade loved. The mechanism doesn’t change from one example to another.
The neighbouring numbers, the 310 and 319, come from the same Olivetti-Underwood period and look very much alike. As always, the keyboard makes the difference, and it is stated in the title of each machine.
What we check at the workshop
- Body dismantled and the segment fully cleaned, where the typebars bind.
- Axles degreased and relubricated, strike and line spacing adjusted.
- Carriage check: travel, return, end-of-line ratchet.
- Condition of the rubber platen, often hardened with age.
- New ribbon fitted, then a full page typed, letter by letter.
The right ribbon
Every machine leaves with a new ribbon fitted. The day it needs changing, we sell the ribbons that suit this model: not all spools fit.
The questions we get about the Underwood 315
How much does a restored Underwood 315 cost?
The price depends on the series, the colour and the rarity of the example, never on the quality of the overhaul: they all go through the same workshop. The machines available right now, with their exact price, are just below.
Does the Underwood 315 come in AZERTY?
Yes. Like almost all machines of that period, the Underwood 315 was made for several markets: AZERTY for France and Belgium, QWERTY for English- and Spanish-speaking countries, QWERTZ for Germany and Switzerland. The layout is mechanical, engraved in the typebars: it can’t be changed afterwards. The keyboard is therefore stated in the title of each machine and on its listing.
Is it ready to type on delivery?
Yes. Every Underwood 315 is taken apart, its segment cleaned typebar by typebar, its axles degreased and relubricated, its strike and line spacing adjusted. A new ribbon is fitted, then we type a whole page before dispatch. It arrives ready to write, with nothing to buy.
Which ribbon for a Underwood 315?
The ribbon is the only consumable, and it is changed once or twice a year depending on how much you write. Not all spools fit: we sell those that suit the Underwood 315, and each machine’s listing gives the right reference.
Our Underwood 315 typewriters available now
3 exemplaires actuellement restaurés et prêts à écrire. Chacun est une pièce unique.
