The Olympia Regina deluxe was also an Erika and the AEG Olympia also was an Erika but had plastic mouldings the same as the machines made in Japan for Olympia. The 105’s were also badged with many different names, Optima being just one.
The only difference between the machines is the carriage end mouldings which seemed to be used across the Erika range in later years. According to the numerous stickers all over the machine it was serviced every year, whether it needed it or not. The machine pictured above on the right was made in 1988 and was used in a small business. These were often found in typing classrooms in schools and were a popular choice in offices too, their sleek modern look being more in keeping with the seventies secretaries office rather then the traditional upright machines to be found in the typewriter pools of the day. In spite of having been used quite heavily it still types perfectly well. The one on the left in the pictures below was made in 1977 and was purchased from somebody who taught typing up to the 1990’s. They had a very long production run and were made from 1971 until Erika ceased production in 1991. Now to have one Erika 105 is one thing but to own two is perhaps a little over the top. When I saw one at a car boot sale, I just had to have it.
I have had a model ten from new since I was fourteen and yes, it is an excellent typewriter but the 105 is a very different machine from the all metal cased models of the 1950’s and 60’s.
This was surprising as they were made in what was East Germany, hardly the country where we expected quality products from. Reviews of the earlier machines like the models 10, 11 and 12 that I have seen have always referred to them in glowing terms, one reviewer calling them the Rolls Royce of typewriters. The only difference is in the carriage mouldingsĮrika typewriters always had a good reputation for producing excellent typewriters at the higher end of the market.
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