What do you get when you combine one part 1950s TV with two parts of a vintage typewriter?  A fantastically retro Philco PC, but of course!

Designed by SchultzeWORKS, a design studio in Pasadena who has created electronics for the major names like Microsoft and LG, this Philco PC placed in the top three contestants for a challenge that called for a “radical reinvention of the personal computer.”  Isn’t it interesting that a “radical” reinvention would mean traveling back 50 and 100 years to be inspired by antique typewriters and vintage TVs?

The best part is that this design might actually become reality.  I will be the first in line to trade in my uninspiring keyboard and plastic framed monitors for this vintage-inspired technology!

This humble Olivetti Lettera 32 sold in December at a Christie’s auction for more than $250,000.  Was it the chipped blue paint or the serial number of this vintage typewriter that garnered six figures?  No, it was the five million words typed on this lovely writing machine by Cormac McCarthy, Pulitzer Prize author of novels such as The Road, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian, and All the Pretty Horses.

McCarthy purchased the vintage Olivetti typewriter in 1963 for $50 at a Tennessee pawn shop, and his loyalty to the writing machine was steadfast; he wrote every single one of his novels — all five million words over 50 years — on this typewriter.  The original Christie’s estimate pegged the typewriter at $15,000 to $20,000, but the final hammer fell at more than ten times the estimate!

What will McCarthy now use for his literary inspirations?  Is he upgrading to a Mac Airbook or will he be opting for a PC?  Or will he stay true and loyal to the trustworthy writing machine?  Indeed, McCarty will continue to compose his masterpieces on an Olivetti typewriter.  In fact, his friend has already purchased him a suitable replacement, which cost a prohibitive $11.

Have you ever wondered what an Olivetti Valentine would look like as a laptop?  From the University of Applied Arts – Vienna, Department of Industrial Design comes four ingenious students who have created a modern tribute to the revered Olivetti Valentine.  If you ever imagined how Ettore Sottsass would have designed a laptop, your dreams have been answered with a flexible screen that seamlessly melds into the Valentine typewriter shape that we all love.

For your historical reference, here is the original Olivetti Valentine typewriter:

And here is the Valentine reinterpreted in modern glory!  I love how even the case gets recognized in this design.

Don’t you think the modern design certainly does the Valentine justice?  If only all laptops could be this inspirational!

Hello friends!   Thank you for all of your sweet words about our baby and wonderful advice on combating first trimester sickness!  I am happily back in sunny San Diego and steadily settling into our new home.  As we sold many of our furnishings in preparation for our move to Hawaii, I now have the pleasure (or angst, depending upon how fruitful my treasure hunts are) of refurnishing our home.  I look forward to sharing one of my new refinished and repurposed furniture finds tomorrow!

You may also have noticed that the Poetic Home Etsy shop has enjoyed a mini-makeover in its collection.  With the baby on board, I realized that we need room for the nursery — and not my extensive typewriter collection, which has slowly grown from one closet into a presence in every room.  I’ve begun cataloging, photographing, and putting into the shop typewriters from my collection that I hope will become treasures in loving new homes.

As an ode to my typewriter collection, I’ve also created PoeticTypewriters.com, a current work in progress, as a storefront dedicated exclusively to antique and vintage typewriters in immaculate working condition.  As always, I welcome and sincerely appreciate your feedback and comments about the site design before the “grand” opening!

I’m very happy to be back in action and look forward to visiting with you once again with our regularly scheduled vintage programming, starting tomorrow!