If you love vintage typewriters, retro design, and old-school craftsmanship, you’ll quickly fall for the Consul mechanical travel typewriter. Built for writers on the move, this charming machine is a perfect blend of portability, reliability, and mid-century style — and today, it’s a must-have for any serious typewriter collector.
A Brief History: From Czechoslovakia to the World
The story of the Consul travel typewriter begins in the late 1950s in Czechoslovakia, produced by the manufacturer Zbrojovka Brno. Originally known for making weapons and machinery, Zbrojovka turned to producing typewriters under the Consul brand after World War II. By 1958, the Consul mechanical travel typewriter was introduced: a small, durable, and beautifully designed machine aimed at traveling professionals, journalists, and students.
Although sold internationally, especially in Europe and North America, Consul typewriters remained somewhat of a hidden gem compared to bigger brands like Olympia and Remington. Their sleek looks, solid metal construction, and smooth typing experience made them favorites for those in the know — and they remain highly collectible vintage writing machines today.
Technical Highlights: Built to Travel and Built to Last
The Consul mechanical travel typewriter might look delicate, but it’s packed with clever engineering that makes it perfect for daily use even decades after it was built.
Here are the main technical highlights:
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Compact Size & Portability: Measuring roughly 32 × 32 × 17 cm and weighing around 6 kilograms (13.6 pounds), it was designed to travel easily in a custom-fitted hard case.
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Durable Materials: Built with a full metal body and finished with a stylish enamel paint, often in soft light blue and cream tones. It’s both rugged and a real eye-catcher!
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Keyboard Layout: Available in QWERTY and QWERTZ layouts, perfect for both English and German speakers. Special keys include German umlauts (Ä, Ö, Ü) and the sharp S (ß) – rare features even among vintage machines.
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Typing Feel: Thanks to a basket shift mechanism (where the typebasket moves for capital letters instead of the whole carriage), the typing action is lighter and smoother than older designs.
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Ribbon System: Uses a standard twin-spool ribbon, with an easy-access mechanism. A three-position ribbon color selector lets you switch between black, red, and stencil modes without fuss.
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Special Features:
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Backspace key for correcting mistakes manually.
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A rare “cancel” function (early error prevention feature!) to avoid accidental typing marks.
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Adjustable margin stops, line spacing selector, and a sturdy carriage return lever.
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Overall, the Consul offers the full functionality of a desktop typewriter, packed into a sleek, portable frame — a real innovation in the world of 1950s portable typewriters.
A Color That Defines an Era
One of the most recognizable features of the Consul mechanical travel typewriter is its distinctive light green and cream color scheme. Unlike the dark, heavy-looking typewriters of earlier decades, Consul embraced the mid-century modern aesthetic of lighter, more optimistic tones. The soft mint-green body combined with a cream-colored top made the Consul not just a functional writing tool, but also a stylish design object. While later Consul models introduced other variations like gray or beige, this particular pastel green tone remains closely associated with the classic Consul travel typewriter — making it instantly recognizable to collectors and vintage design fans today.
Why the Consul Travel Typewriter Is a Collector’s Dream
Today, vintage typewriter fans and collectors value the Consul not just for its performance, but for its personality. Here’s why it stands out:
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Rarity: Production numbers were lower than major brands, making surviving Consul machines relatively rare.
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Design: The pastel color combinations and minimalist lines are perfect examples of mid-century modern style.
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Typing Experience: Smooth, responsive, and surprisingly quiet for a mechanical portable.
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Durability: Even after decades, many Consul typewriters are still fully functional — proof of their superior craftsmanship.
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Conversation Piece: With its German layout and quirky design touches, it’s guaranteed to be a highlight of any collection.
Whether you’re typing letters, working on a novel, or just enjoying the tactile pleasure of a true retro writing machine, the Consul mechanical travel typewriter delivers.
From Typewriter to Typeface: Keep the Vintage Vibe Alive
At my digital store, I offer a collection of digital fonts inspired by vintage typewriters, perfect for anyone wanting to bring that retro touch into their graphic design or creative projects. While I don’t (yet!) have a digital font directly based on the Consul’s own Pica typeface, many of my fonts capture the authentic, textured look of typewriter-era lettering — ideal for projects that need a little analog soul.
