Marcello Nizzoli - Olivetti, Ivrea - Lettera 32 RARE Green Apple coloring with Original Case, 1963 - Exhibited at MoMA - Typewriter - 1960-1970
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The Olivetti Lettera 32 designed by Marcello Nizzoli, manufactured by Olivetti in Ivrea, Italy, in steel with a green apple colour, model 1963, complete with its original blue-green zip case, in good used condition and in working order, with dimensions 34 x 35 x 10 cm.
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Description from the seller
You’re not buying a simple vintage object. You’re about to own a piece of the history of Italian industrial, cultural and social excellence.
We are putting up for sale the legendary Olivetti Lettera 32 (launched in 1963), complete with its iconic original light blue–green zippered case. A work of art and mechanics that transcends time.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Adriano Olivetti’s Ivrea was not just a factory, but a unique cultural and ethical laboratory in the world. Olivetti believed that technology should be democratic and that aesthetics should elevate the human being. The Lettera 32 perfectly embodies this philosophy: a machine designed as “the Olivetti for everyone,” conceived to allow students, intellectuals and journalists to carry their ideas anywhere, free from borders.
The bodywork bears the signature of Marcello Nizzoli, one of the fathers of Italian industrial design. Nizzoli is the man who took the heavy, rigid office typewriter and transformed it into an aerodynamic, light, compact shell. With the Lettera 32, he created slender, modern, elegant lines enclosed in a beautiful alloy case painted in the original vibrant yellow-green (apple green).
The Lettera 32 was born as the direct mechanical evolution of the legendary Lettera 22. The latter redefined the history of global design by winning the first-ever Compasso d’Oro Award in 1954 and being chosen by the Illinois Institute of Technology as the “best design product of the last 100 years.”
Echoing the same stylistic DNA and the same path of excellence, the Lettera 32 has become a pillar of the permanent collections of the world’s most prestigious museums, starting with the MoMA in New York (Museum of Modern Art).
It is one of the icons of 20th-century design as it is the machine on which the greatest masterpieces of journalism and literature were born. It was the faithful travel companion of Indro Montanelli, Oriana Fallaci, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and American writer Cormac McCarthy (whose Lettera 32 was auctioned for a record $254,500).
The machine presents itself in good aesthetic condition (refer to the detailed photo gallery, which forms an integral part of the description).
It is supplied complete with its original light blue–green case with a functioning zipper, a fundamental accessory for preserving its collectible value.
Technical Sheet:
• Designer: Marcello Nizzoli (Style and Bodywork) / Natale Cappellaro & Adriano Menicanti (Mechanical Design).
• Country of production: Italy (Ivrea).
• Period: 1960s.
• Color: Original yellow-green (apple green) with black keyboard and red accents.
A professional service and replacement of the standard 13 mm ink ribbon (easily found on the market) is advised for immediate use.
An essential piece for antique collectors, lovers of analog writing, or anyone seeking a prestigious vintage first-rate decorative item to display in the world’s great museums, including MoMA in New York.
Seller's Story
Welcome to our Catawiki store. Our journey in online sales began back in 2004, driven by a clear vision: creating online auctions dedicated to high-value objects.
Today, more than twenty years later, we carry forward that exact same vision. We are proud to have remained a small, family-run business, yet operating with the solidity and scale of major industry professionals: each year, we welcome more than 100 new clients, purchase over 150 lots, and select between 3,000 and 5,000 unique items to offer you.
Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from the initial find to the final delivery to your doorstep:
• A Purchase with Social Value: Buying from us means securing a great deal while actively supporting the future of young Italian students. We collaborate closely with 3 graphic design and advertising schools in Milan, Bergamo, and Lecco.
We invest our time and expertise to teach these students the secrets of online sales, professional photography, and marketing. By choosing us, you are tangibly contributing to their education and career paths.
• Field Research and Discovery: For years, we have been personally scouting the most remote locations across Lombardy to find unique pieces, rarities, oddities, and mid-century modern design.
• We Invest Our Own Capital: We do not sell on consignment. We invest our own capital upfront to purchase and restore every single item, taking on all the risks ourselves.
• Direct Dealings with No Intermediaries: We manage every single price personally.
This allows us to eliminate third-party costs and ensure you get the best possible profit margin as a buyer or collector.
• Meticulous Restoration and Quality Control: We get our hands dirty. Every item is carefully restored and verified with an obsessive eye for detail before going up for auction.
• Secure and Eco-Friendly Shipping: To prevent inflated shipping costs and ensure indestructible packaging, my wife and I head out almost every evening, often at unusual hours, to collect heavy-duty industrial cardboard from businesses in our neighborhood.
We hand-select only pre-evaluated, ultra-resistant materials to offer you maximum protection at the lowest possible cost.
Choosing our lots means relying on the historic expertise of a family that has lived this passion since 2004, while investing in the next generation. Our schools and students thank you deeply for your trust.
Happy bidding!
Translated by Google TranslateYou’re not buying a simple vintage object. You’re about to own a piece of the history of Italian industrial, cultural and social excellence.
We are putting up for sale the legendary Olivetti Lettera 32 (launched in 1963), complete with its iconic original light blue–green zippered case. A work of art and mechanics that transcends time.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Adriano Olivetti’s Ivrea was not just a factory, but a unique cultural and ethical laboratory in the world. Olivetti believed that technology should be democratic and that aesthetics should elevate the human being. The Lettera 32 perfectly embodies this philosophy: a machine designed as “the Olivetti for everyone,” conceived to allow students, intellectuals and journalists to carry their ideas anywhere, free from borders.
The bodywork bears the signature of Marcello Nizzoli, one of the fathers of Italian industrial design. Nizzoli is the man who took the heavy, rigid office typewriter and transformed it into an aerodynamic, light, compact shell. With the Lettera 32, he created slender, modern, elegant lines enclosed in a beautiful alloy case painted in the original vibrant yellow-green (apple green).
The Lettera 32 was born as the direct mechanical evolution of the legendary Lettera 22. The latter redefined the history of global design by winning the first-ever Compasso d’Oro Award in 1954 and being chosen by the Illinois Institute of Technology as the “best design product of the last 100 years.”
Echoing the same stylistic DNA and the same path of excellence, the Lettera 32 has become a pillar of the permanent collections of the world’s most prestigious museums, starting with the MoMA in New York (Museum of Modern Art).
It is one of the icons of 20th-century design as it is the machine on which the greatest masterpieces of journalism and literature were born. It was the faithful travel companion of Indro Montanelli, Oriana Fallaci, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and American writer Cormac McCarthy (whose Lettera 32 was auctioned for a record $254,500).
The machine presents itself in good aesthetic condition (refer to the detailed photo gallery, which forms an integral part of the description).
It is supplied complete with its original light blue–green case with a functioning zipper, a fundamental accessory for preserving its collectible value.
Technical Sheet:
• Designer: Marcello Nizzoli (Style and Bodywork) / Natale Cappellaro & Adriano Menicanti (Mechanical Design).
• Country of production: Italy (Ivrea).
• Period: 1960s.
• Color: Original yellow-green (apple green) with black keyboard and red accents.
A professional service and replacement of the standard 13 mm ink ribbon (easily found on the market) is advised for immediate use.
An essential piece for antique collectors, lovers of analog writing, or anyone seeking a prestigious vintage first-rate decorative item to display in the world’s great museums, including MoMA in New York.
Seller's Story
Welcome to our Catawiki store. Our journey in online sales began back in 2004, driven by a clear vision: creating online auctions dedicated to high-value objects.
Today, more than twenty years later, we carry forward that exact same vision. We are proud to have remained a small, family-run business, yet operating with the solidity and scale of major industry professionals: each year, we welcome more than 100 new clients, purchase over 150 lots, and select between 3,000 and 5,000 unique items to offer you.
Our commitment is reflected in everything we do, from the initial find to the final delivery to your doorstep:
• A Purchase with Social Value: Buying from us means securing a great deal while actively supporting the future of young Italian students. We collaborate closely with 3 graphic design and advertising schools in Milan, Bergamo, and Lecco.
We invest our time and expertise to teach these students the secrets of online sales, professional photography, and marketing. By choosing us, you are tangibly contributing to their education and career paths.
• Field Research and Discovery: For years, we have been personally scouting the most remote locations across Lombardy to find unique pieces, rarities, oddities, and mid-century modern design.
• We Invest Our Own Capital: We do not sell on consignment. We invest our own capital upfront to purchase and restore every single item, taking on all the risks ourselves.
• Direct Dealings with No Intermediaries: We manage every single price personally.
This allows us to eliminate third-party costs and ensure you get the best possible profit margin as a buyer or collector.
• Meticulous Restoration and Quality Control: We get our hands dirty. Every item is carefully restored and verified with an obsessive eye for detail before going up for auction.
• Secure and Eco-Friendly Shipping: To prevent inflated shipping costs and ensure indestructible packaging, my wife and I head out almost every evening, often at unusual hours, to collect heavy-duty industrial cardboard from businesses in our neighborhood.
We hand-select only pre-evaluated, ultra-resistant materials to offer you maximum protection at the lowest possible cost.
Choosing our lots means relying on the historic expertise of a family that has lived this passion since 2004, while investing in the next generation. Our schools and students thank you deeply for your trust.
Happy bidding!
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Era
1900-2000
Country of origin
Italy
Material
Steel
Designer/artist/maker
Marcello Nizzoli
Model
Lettera 32 RARE Green Apple coloring with Original Case, 1963 - Exhibited at MoMA
Manufacturer/ Brand
Ivrea, Olivetti
Style
Industrial
Condition
Good condition - used with small signs of aging & blemishes
Height
10 cm
Width
34 cm
Depth
35 cm
In Working Order
Yes
Estimated period
1960-1970
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