Smith-Corona · 1964–1980
Typical used$100–$170
The Corsair replaced the Skyriter in 1964 and was built at Smith-Corona-Marchant's factory at Kenrick Way, West Bromwich, England, until about 1980. It was styled by the same New York design team that did the Galaxie, and it was sold in several trims, including the Corsair Deluxe, under various names in different markets. It is a light, compact machine and one of the cheapest ways into a working ultra-portable. Turquoise and aqua Deluxes are the ones people want; beige is cheaper. In late 2026 about 26 were on eBay, mostly $100–170 delivered, none sold as serviced.
Buying guide
From Oct 1, 2026 listings
26 Corsairs are listed, most at $100–170 delivered, and several were built at Smith-Corona's English factory. Turquoise and aqua Deluxes are the ones people want; beige is cheaper. Nothing is sold as serviced, and only one listing says it works, about $95 with a hard case, which is also the cheapest complete Corsair here and the pick for most buyers. Three pairs of listings reuse another seller's exact title, and in one pair a copy asks $222 against about $100 for the other, so compare photos. The $363 Norwegian-layout machine is roughly triple the usual price.
With its hard case and listed as working, about $95 delivered ($70 plus $25 shipping), Buy It Now, from a 99.2% seller — the lowest price on a complete Corsair and under the $100–170 band. Ask for a typed sample and that the carriage is locked for shipping.
Smith Corona "Corsair" portable typewriter with hard case Working
A teal-blue Deluxe, one of the colors people want, with its case, about $110 delivered ($90 plus $20 shipping), Buy It Now, from a 99.8% seller, inside the $100–170 band. It isn't described as tested, so ask for a typed sample; the working one is only $15 less.
Vintage Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Portable Typewriter Teal Blue w/ C
The only Corsair described as working, at a price where a later professional clean won't sting, from a 99.2% seller. A standard Corsair with a hard case is the simple choice; ask for a typed sample and that the carriage is locked for shipping.
Smith Corona "Corsair" portable typewriter with hard case Working
A Corsair Deluxe sold as needing repair, about $70 delivered ($50 plus $20 shipping) with Best Offer from a 99.7% seller. That's only $26 under the working $95 one, so ask exactly what's wrong and offer low.
Smith Corona Corsair Deluxe Typewriter Needs Repair
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
Snapshot
7 of 26 listed
Snapshot captured — listings may have ended
Delivered prices include shipping as eBay quoted it to a US address on Oct 1, 2026. Many sellers charge by distance, so your total may differ — eBay shows your exact total before you buy.
UsedSmith Corona "Corsair" portable typewriter with hard case Working
$69.99 + $25.38 shipping
Buy It Now$69.99
Good buy
Working, per the seller, with a hard case, about $95 delivered.
Seller: retroboyz
99.2% positive from 4.1K ratings
UsedVintage Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Portable Typewriter Teal Blue w/ C
$89.99 + $20.00 shipping
Buy It Now$89.99
Good buy
Teal-blue Deluxe with its case, about $110 delivered, Buy It Now.
Seller: wuzblindnowsee
99.8% positive from 1.4K ratings
For partsSmith Corona Corsair Deluxe Typewriter Needs Repair
$49.95 + $19.90 shipping
Buy It Now$49.95
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Project piece
Needs repair, about $26 under the cheapest complete Corsair. Ask what's wrong first.
Seller: jonwrunner70
99.7% positive
UsedSmith Corona Corsair Deluxe Portable Typewriter Turquoise
$30.00 + $88.69 shipping
Buy It Now$30.00
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Our take
Turquoise Deluxe at about $119 delivered, but $89 of that is shipping; offer on the $30 item price.
Seller: emal_1882
100% positive
UsedSmith Corona Corsair Deluxe Portable Typewriter Teal Turquoise NEED'S
$110.00 + $33.80 shipping
Buy It Now$110.00
Heads-up: check the seller
Same title as another seller's turquoise Corsair that also 'needs' work. Compare photos.
Seller: momelect
100% positive
UsedVtg 1970's SCM Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe Blue Aqua Portable Typewrit
$200.00 + $22.23 shipping
Buy It Now$200.00
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Heads-up: check the seller
Same title as another seller's Corsair at about $100. Compare photos before paying $222.
Seller: sewill_6278
100% positive
UsedVintage Smith-Corona Corsair Turquoise Portable Typewriter, Norwegian
$350.00 + $13.26 shipping
Buy It Now$350.00
This seller takes offers, and sellers often accept less than the asking price.
Fine if you might miss it? Send an offer first. Someone else can still buy it while you wait for a reply.
Want it for sure? Use Buy It Now.
Heads-up: priced high
About $363 delivered for a Norwegian-layout Corsair — roughly three times the usual price.
Seller: vanesus-pgarz5
100% positive from 51 ratings
Prices and availability change daily. The full, current search on eBay shows every matching listing, including new ones since Oct 1, 2026.
See all current listings on eBay →Manual typewriters here are 50–80 years old; the same condition badge means different things at that age than on a 2-year-old electronic. Use this as a translation key when you read listings.
New / new-old-stock
Vanishingly rare on a manual typewriter — most surviving units are 50+ years old. A "new" listing here usually means a late-production unit (e.g. a 1990s Olivetti Lettera 32 still sealed in factory packaging) or a seller misusing the badge. Verify the listing photos show the original packaging and factory ribbon spool; treat the price premium with skepticism unless those check out.
Refurbished / serviced
The body has been through a CLA (clean / lubricate / adjust) by a typewriter specialist — segment re-lubed, platen tested or re-covered, draw band re-tensioned, type slugs cleaned, key linkages freed. Expect a $100–250 premium over an unserviced "used" equivalent; the listing should name the shop (Gramercy, Cambridge, WordsAreWinged, etc.) or include a service receipt. Highest-confidence buy for a writer who wants to type the day it arrives.
Used — tested / working
The realistic ceiling for most listings. Body types, carriage returns, escapement advances, shift works, ribbon advances. Cosmetic wear is normal. Look for "tested with fresh ribbon" (best), "tested — types all letters" (fine), plus a stated return window — anything short of that drifts toward "for parts." Platen rubber often still hardened on a "used — tested" body; budget $150–250 for a re-cover if you plan to type long-form on it.
For parts / not working
Sold as-is with no functional guarantee. Common project-typewriter failure modes: hardened platen, gummed segment (sticky keys), broken draw band, missing case, broken bell, dirty type slugs. Buy only to harvest components for another body, donate to a tech for spares, or accept the gamble of a $100–300 specialist CLA on top. The cheapest path to a typing body is almost always a "used — tested" listing, not "for parts" plus a service bill.
The ribbon, brush, platen fluid, and oil a body off eBay almost never ships with. The ribbon link is matched to Small 1⅝-inch Smith-Corona spools — the wrong spool is the easiest way to lose a typewriter purchase on the consumable.
Ribbon — Small 1⅝-inch Smith-Corona spools
Search on AmazonType slug cleaner brush
Search on AmazonPlaten rejuvenation fluid
Search on AmazonLight machine oil (segment + rails)
Search on AmazonReplacement rubber feet
Search on AmazonLike the Skyriter it uses small 1⅝-inch spools; check before ordering ribbon. Read descriptions for a stuck carriage or a slack return spring, the two faults that came up most on turquoise machines in our snapshot. Check the plastic parts and case for cracks. Several pairs of listings reused another seller's exact title, one pair at about $100 and $222, so compare photos.
Factory and dates per oz.Typewriter's history of SCM's English portables. Production years are approximate spans compiled from collector references (the Typewriter Database, oz.Typewriter, Ted Munk's and Richard Polt's typewriter pages). Individual machines are dated by serial number: look the serial up on the Typewriter Database's serial-number page for this brand rather than trusting a seller's stated year.