Frolio 7 (1924)

Hello everybody, this is an Italian old typewriter, a “Frolio 7”, built around 1924. It is in his original wood and metal casing, with the handle.
You can see the design of this typewriter is different than the current ones. There isn't a keyboard but a pointer on a list of letters, numbers and symbols.

This typewriter was labeled “Frolio” by “Imex”, but the original producer was “Grundka Werke of Brandenburg”, a German toys factory who started producing also typewriters.

It has also been sold in different countries with different names, “Perlita”, “Write Easy”, “Gefro”. There was also the version with Cyrillic, French, English layout, and other languages.

How does it work?

When you move the pointer, also the typewheel move itself. There aren’t the levers with the characters, but a typewheel with letters.

It's very particular. Also IBM and Olivetti till some times ago used interchangeable typewheels.

This system has some advantages. If you use this typewriter in another nation, it's easy to change characters. You only change the typewheel, and the plate with the letters.

If you want to see how it works, please look at the video.

I also tried to type with this typewriter, itìs not so easy!