This beautiful ultraportable typewriter is an Olivetti Scribe. An uncommon early version of what would become the Lettera 22, this Scribe was made in 1950, the first year of this model's production. As an early version of the Lettera 22, this Scribe has some unusual characteristics that are not present on most 22s, including an embossed "Olivetti" logo on the paper table, flatter and larger ribbon spool nuts, and larger and bolder keytop legends. But what makes this Scribe even more unusual is its rare wooden case. Even among the variety of wooden cases that Scribes came in, which often include a striped, brown leatherette cover, this grey, wooden case with its splendid chrome latch is an oddity. Also, this Scribe comes with its original dust cover, which is in surprisingly excellent shape! This uniqueness and its excellent, snappy action (one of the best Scribe/Lettera 22s on which I have typed) make this Scribe an excellent typer for writers or discerning collectors alike. Testament to the wooden case, this Scribe has been well preserved. The fawn paint on the aluminium shell is in excellent shape, with only a few inconspicous marks: a very small faded spot on the left side, and a couple of light marks above the keyboard. Otherwise, the original paint is wonderful condition. Having been cleaned and polished, the paint has been waxed with protective museum-grade wax and gleams. The silver paint of the carriage ends has some noticeable wear, commensurate with age and use. Please zoom in on the photos, as they make up part of the typewriter's description. If you would like more photos, please feel free to ask! All nickel and chrome-plated pieces have been polished with metal polish and are in very good shape. The embossed "Olivetti" logo has received a careful metal polish and waxing and shines brilliantly. The plastic keytops are in excellent condition and have received a clean with plastic polish. The platen knobs have also been polished with plastic polish and are in very good shape. This Scribe has been dismantled and the internal mechanisms have been cleaned with a suitable solvent. The escapement was completely dismantled, cleaned and adjusted to ensure a mechanical performance in line with the typewriter's lovely exterior. A light application of machine oil has been added where necessary. The original rubber grommets that help hold the fawn shell to the frame of the typewriter have been checked and are in great shape. The platen and feed rollers have been cleaned with rubber rejuvinator - the platen has hardened with age as is the case with many vintage typewriters, and a backing sheet of paper should be used for best typing imprint. The feed rollers grip paper very well, and it is easy to insert new pieces of paper and carry on writing. The rubber feet, which are in very good shape, have also been cleaned and grip tabletops well. Mechanically this Scribe is in fine form - the basket shift is light, and the silent carriage return is steady and smooth. The bell rings, margins work, and the touch control under the ribbon cover gently increases or decreases the pressure needed from fingers to type. The backspace, shift-lock, margin release, line space selector, tabulator and variable line spacing knob all work as intended. Please note, early versions of the Lettera 22, including this Scribe, were not designed with a carriage lock. This will not impact the careful shipment of this typewriter to you. As mentioned, this Scribe comes with its original wooden case, which has been cleaned and is in good condition. Despite a good clean, there remain some age-related stains to the outer grey. The the inner lining does not exhibit the same type of staining, but there is a small tear in one corner of the lid. The chrome latch has been cleaned and polished and is in excellent, working condition. The original leather handle is in good condition and has been conditioned to extend its life. This typewriter prints Pica typeface at 10 cpi (characters per inch) in black or red. A new high-quality, Made-in-America ribbon has been installed on its original metal spools, and the print quality is excellent.