Here at Jot & Tittle Vintage Typewriters, we tend to work mostly with Smith Corona, Royal, and Olympia typewriters but occasionally we'll get a gem like this 1940 Continental Silenta.
Continental typewriters are a German engineered and manufactured machine of skill and complexity. This 1940 Continental Silenta is beautiful in form and function. Of all the "silent" typewriters we've come across, the Silenta is the one that lives up to its name. It is clear that thought and care went into the design. Prior to 1938, the Silenta had a selector on the right side of the typewriter to adjust the level of silence preferred by the operator. From what I understand, the more silent, the less impact of the type slug on the paper, which, I assume, would impact the quality of the print.
Our 1940 Silenta does not have the selector and I did notice that even with a new ribbon, the imprint of ink on the paper was not as dark as I prefer. That being said, the noise reduction and the flow of the keystroke was an absolute joy to experience.
The Continental Silenta has a QWERTZ keyboard with swedish symbols. Even so, it is still very much functional for use in english.
Our 1940 model has a black front panel with the Continental logo, while earlier versions (pre-1938) contained a glass front panel, reminiscent of the Royal 10 glass side panels.
It also has glass keys, tab function, and dual color selector. This is a standard sized typewriter and a beast to lift! A sturdy typewriter that also needs a sturdy surface to rest.
My only regret is not keeping the Silenta to add to our collection. They are hard to come by and, in my opinion, a treasure to have.
When we did list the typewriter, it sold within the hour. It was listed at $495 and sold in 2024.
The performance of the Silenta was exceptional and I would recommend this typewriter to a person who writes excessively. Flow is so important to active writers and the Silenta has amazing flow but also the quieter nature of the typing action is easy on the ears.
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Jot & Tittle Vintage Typewriters services and performs minor repairs on vintage typewriters. We focus on machines from 1900 to the early 1970s. We are not considered refurbishers nor do we offer restoration services. We get the typewriters into a working condition using the original parts. Vintage typewriter listings are uploaded every Saturday. Join our email community to be the first to know of new listings: SUBSCRIBE HERE