The Olivetti Valentine portable typewriter was designed by Perry King in collaboration with Ettore Sottsass and was in production in 1969. As a typewriter the Valentine was not an outstanding commercial success, however its radical design was recognised as revolutionary (for a typewriter). The Valentine is revered as a 20th century design icon and has been collected and displayed by design museums internationally.

Ettore Sottsass joined the Olivetti product design team in 1958 which at that time included Marcello Nizzoli. Ettore Sottsass was inspired by pop art at the time and this is evident in the design of the Valentine. The bright red ABS plastic case distinguished it from other office equipment of the time. The Valentine was such a radical redesign of an existing product that it immediately caught the attention of design institutions. Ettore Sottsass' design approach altered radically in the 1980s turning post modern (anti design) and consolidating in the establishment of the Memphis school.

Olivetti was established as an office equipment company in the 1930s. Olivetti's founder Adriano Olivetti ensured that the company's manufacturing division team included architects, writers, graphic designers, painters and advertising experts who actively contributed to the process of product design, advertising and graphics. Over the years this philosophy and method has seen the design and production of many products, which demonstrate ingenuity, innovation and style.

Typewriter, Olivetti 'Valentine', metal / plastic / rubber, designed by Ettore Sottsass and Perry King , made by Olivetti Co, Barcelona, Spain, 1969

Typewriter: the typewriter has a red plastic casing and a standard QWERTY keyboard with keys made of black plastic with white lettering. Front strike metal arms and typeface with fabric typing ribbon with both red and black ink. Orange plastic ribbon spool holders, black rubber roller and silver metal return arm and paper guide. Four black rubber feet on bottom, red plastic swing handle at back of typewriter. Raised lettering in plastic along front: 'valentine' and along back right edge: 'olivetti'. Raised lettering at back of typewriter: 'made in Barcelona, Spain'.

Case: the casing is made of red slightly textured plastic. It is rectangular in shape with rounded edges and an opening at one end. The typewriter slips into the case and locks into place by way of two black rubber tabs on either side of the opening.

Perry King designed the 'Valentine' typewriter in partnership with Ettore Sottsass. Concieved by Sottsass as a machine that could help demolish the popular prejudices about office equipment with its Pop styling, the 'Valentine' was promoted in a distinguished series of posters by Milton Glaser, but it was technically mediocre and failed to sell. The typewriter was made by Olivetti, Barcelona Spain in 1969.

Gift of Mike Dawborn & Cathy Lambert, 2003

2003/13/1