I can't seem to access the Database (it could be performing maintenance at the moment), but your machine is definitely an early '50s variant. Royal, like most other manufacturers, offered many different models that looked almost identical to each other because they used the same basic design, but were tiered in their price based on the features the model included.

When trying to identify an unlabeled, lesser found model variant, I start off by writing down all of its included features. Using that list makes it easier to match it with a model that does have a model name written on it. Other clues might be found on the machine that can help to identify it. For example, does it say where it was made anywhere on it? 

I personally don't worry too much about the serial number. One reason for that is the Database is not complete. Many typewriter manufacturers had factories located in many different countries, which used serial numbers that might not be as well represented in the Database. I have a number of typewriters that have serial numbers not found in the Database, or are out of listed ranges, or don't match with listed model names.

And speaking of model names, Royal seems to have an endless number of them. Every time I think that I have a grasp of all of the variants of a particular model, I'll come across one that I've never heard of. Compounding this was the practice of the unique names given to private label models.

How did you determine that the second digit represents a colour, Souce? The only example of this that I can see in the Database is for the Quiet De Luxe, and even then G represented green, not grey, which seems to be the colour of toiga's Royal. None of the other two-letter prefix models seem to indicate a colour either.

It's very possible that I'm interpreting something incorrectly, but it seems that post-'50 Arrows were designated with the two letter prefix CG regardless of their colour.

And then there are all of those models without any prefix. 

I've always found dipping into Royal names and numbers to be a bit of a carnival ride. For example, the Database has an entry that states the "Royal trademark 'Citadel' #72151256, first used Aug 21, 1962." There are three "galleries" featuring the Citadel, and all of them are 1963 models, and yet I have a 1956 Royal Citadel sitting on the shelf.

I'm not complaining though; figuring out this stuff is a big part of the fun in collecting these machines.

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?

 

Hmm -- let me check that out. Thanks!