Lego gives in to nostalgia: it will launch a typewriter built with more than 2,000 pieces

(CNN) – Although in its heyday you could find one in virtually every office in the world, the typewriter is now virtually extinct.

But now Lego has stepped back in time and released a 2,079-piece model of this contraption, complete with functional keys and trolley.

The new model, aimed at adult builders, is inspired by an idea by Steve Guinness, a British Lego fan.

Guinness presented its concept to the LEGO Ideas platform, which takes new designs devised by game lovers, puts them up for public vote and turns them into reality. The fan, whose concept garnered more than 10,000 votes, will also receive a share of the sales proceeds.

Designed to reflect the function and style of a classic typewriter, the brick set features a central writing bar that rises each time a key is pressed. This bar connects to the carriage, which moves the length of the typewriter, and also has a roller that can be fed with real paper.

The process to create the Lego typewriter

In a Lego press release, Guinness said: “I wanted to create something totally different from anything Lego had done before and show that you really can do anything with Lego.

“I bought an old typewriter to research and then I played with the bricks and the mechanism until I was satisfied with the design.”

“I hope it brings nostalgia to adult fans like me, and wonder and curiosity to younger fans who may never have seen a real typewriter.”

The typewriter, which will retail for $ 199.99, goes on general sale starting in July.

Federico Begher, vice president of global marketing for the Lego Group, said in the statement: “For many, fleeing the Internet world towards the simplicity of the typewriter is an experience similar to the mental process of building with Lego bricks.”

“Here we have a Lego set that seamlessly blends these two worlds, and like real-life typewriters, it’s something Lego fans will be proud to display in their homes.

The typewriter, which will retail for $ 199.99, goes on sale to members of the brand’s VIP site on June 16. The general public will be able to buy it from July.