Industria Meccanica di Chiavenna S.p.A, is the name of an Italian manufacturer normally associated with the manufacture of calculators and various “Rover” mechanical typewriters.

Into the 1980s, the “Rover” name and an almost daisy-like four-petalled “Rover” decal appeared on a “Rover 246/256 Electronic” pair of portable daisywheel electronic typewriters.

Both models are dual pitch, have a pedestrian print speed of 10 cps and an identical keyboard layout, so the likely difference is extended correction memory in the case of the Rover 256.

The Rover 246 was also sold in Europe as the “deise 246 electronic” and the AEG Olympia “Alphetta”.

At some point, ownership of the “Rover” name (and the four-petalled decal) appears to have been transferred (through merger or acquisition) from IMC to “Discom International”.

Online listings for “Discom International Rover” branded portable electronic typewriters originate from France and other French speaking countries in Europe.

Of several “Discom” companies, the closest likely match is an electronics and appliance retailer based in Weyersheim, Grand Est, north-western France.

The “Discom International Rover 246S” is a rebadged Optima/Erika 3004.

The “Discom International Rover 247ST” is a rebadged Nakajima AX-61/WPT 61:

Ribbon listings also refer to a model 346MD which is unsighted but likely to be a rebadged display model, Nakajima All AX/WPT 66.

A later Korean-made “Discom International Rover SG 102” appears to be a rebadged Samsung SQ-1250:

Italian-made “Rover 246/256 Electronic” typewriters are not that common, but do appear on Italian eBay from time to time.

The printwheels and ribbon cassettes used in these typewriters are the same as those used in a predecessor IMC model “MVB 2000 Electronic”, a typewriter with a moveable carriage/escapement and a fixed print unit that was likely “inspired” by the Brother M8300/9300.

Like the MVB 2000 (and the Brother M8300/9300), IMC Rover 246/256 electronic typewriters have a print unit that lifts up and away from the platen to allow access to the clip-on printwheel.

Brother M 9300 for comparison (fixed print unit moveable carriage):

Rover 256: (in this case the print unit is not fixed but mounted on a moveable print carrier like most conventional daisywheel typewriters)

On first glance the ribbon cassette appears to be compatible with Olivetti Praxis 20/Optima SP series portables.

IMC ribbon cassette in-situ (MVB 2000):

However, viewed together the difference between the two cassettes is clear:

Optima SP series (grey) IMC Rover 246/56 (black)

Both the ribbon cassette and the printwheel appear to be unique to IMC electronic typewriters (model MVB 2000 included), which makes them almost impossible to find.

Just as well no-one’s looking!