LEGO’s Newest Typewriter Kit Is Perfect for Novelists and Nostalgia Lovers Alike
For its latest launch, LEGO is getting nostalgic for a time before smartphones, tablets, laptops, computers, or digital devices of any kind even existed. The iconic toy brick company is debuting its first-ever typewriter set, a “mid-century modern” mint green design inspired by typewriters of the 1950s, which have largely been replaced by the trusty handheld tools we now rely on to do, well, anything.
The LEGO typewriter ($199.99) began as an idea from from British LEGO fan Steve Guinness, who received more than 10,000 votes when he submitted his concept to the LEGO Ideas platform, which allows fans from all over the globe to submit their ideas, and fellow fans can then vote and turn them from dreams into reality. (Recent popular picks include a “Schitt’s Creek” LEGO set and a colorful “Sesame Street” collection.)
Guinness’ 2,079-piece model was approved for sale by LEGO and will hit shelves and online stores on July 1, with Guinness giving a bit of background info as to what inspired him in a press release. The Chester UK native acknowledged the fact that there are people out there who have never even seen a typewriter, sharing, “I wanted to create something totally different from anything that LEGO has ever done before and showcase that you really can make anything out of LEGO. I bought a vintage typewriter for my research and then played around with bricks and the mechanism until I was happy with the design. I hope it will bring nostalgia to adult fans like me, and wonder and curiosity to younger fans who might not have ever seen a real typewriter!”
His intricate design, also inspired by the real-life typewriter used by LEGO Group founder Ole Kirk Christiansen, mirrors “the function and tactility of a classic typewriter,” notes the brand, featuring a center type bar that rises each time a letter key is pressed, which is linked to the carriage that moves across as you type, along with a platen roller that real paper can be fed into.
Though there’s no functionality for ink, thus making it unable to actually type, the set pays homage to “the lost art of letter writing,” including a letter written and signed by Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, chairman of the LEGO Group and a fourth-generation member of the family, which still privately owns the business. Guinness also included a special “Easter egg” on the back of the typewriter, including “NGUOYD” (which signifies “never give up on your dreams”) and his initials, SG, next to the model number.
Of the new set, Federico Begher, VP of Global Marketing at the LEGO Group, noted, “It’s not hard to see why the vintage typewriter has such enduring appeal, and Steve’s incredible replica is a thoroughly worthy LEGO Ideas success story. For many, the escape from the connected world to the simplicity of the typewriter is a similar experience to the mindful process of building with LEGO bricks. Here, we have a LEGO set that combines these two worlds seamlessly and like its real-life counterparts, is something LEGO fans will be proud to display in their homes.”