Thanks! I had seen that but thought the P was different. I'll take another once I have some time to remove the body shell. In the meantime, backing paper does seem to help some -- maybe I'll try a couple of sheets next. (Or do you or others have suggestions about what sort of backing paper to use?)

Thanks -- I'll take a look. Motion stops I did see, but that was all. Maybe I'm not sure just what I am looking for.

I got one of these recently -- a Lettera 32 for $20. I didn't notice the HCESAR keyboard until I got home! (Don't know if I would have bought it if I had, but the machine was in great shape and I didn't have a 32.) I will say this -- it's like learning to type all over again. Amazing how you are reduced to forlorn scanning of the keyboard in search of the letter you need. At least the numerals are in the usual place and order.

I think it'd get more familiar with use. Too bad I don't know Portuguese, but the language-specific keys (circumflex, tilda, cedilla C and others) can be handy for French and other languages also.

And yes, this keyboard layout comes from the Salazar regime of the mid-20th century.

Yup, you are right, per the TWDB. I had thought the Signet was discontinued before then. Thanks.

Along the same lines as #6, yesterday I got a Royal prewar (like, 1939-40 vintage) portable with an E211xxx serial number. It seems like it's a Varsity -- bell, but no righthand margin; no tab, no ribbon selector; ribbon reverse via pushbuttons on the case sides. I haven't seen anything listing an E prefix for the Varsity or any other machine though. Thoughts?