The Olympia Splendid

Slimmer than the SM

The Splendid machines are Olympia’s flat portables, built from the 1960s into the 1970s. They carry the brand’s build discipline into a low body, markedly lighter than the SM series.

The Splendid 33 and 66 are the most common. They come in several shades, from restrained beige to the bolder colours of the later runs.

A good compromise

Balance is what makes them interesting: more portable than an SM, better built than many compacts of the same era. The strike stays crisp, the carriage precise.

They are frequently found in AZERTY, the brand having sold heavily in France.

What we check in the workshop

• Segment and typebars cleaned and degreased.
• Typing action, line spacing and margins adjusted.
• Carriage and return checked.
• Condition of the rubber platen.
• New ribbon, then a full test page.

The right ribbon

Every machine leaves with a new ribbon fitted. When the time comes to change it, we stock ribbons that fit this model — ordinary spools will not always do.

See the compatible ribbon