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27-8-2022 19:58:34  #1


Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

Interesting modified Royal FP(E) available on SGW this week.

It has the "palm operated" Tab key-top that you see on the Royal HH's.

The normal FP position of the Tab and M-R key-top locations have been switched to accommodate this modification. 

Serial number is :  FPE 86 6558901

There is one (1) other such modified FP machine in the TWDB Galleries...with a wide-carriage.
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28-8-2022 11:11:53  #2


Re: Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

Good eye. The serial number is curious. I'm used to seeing the FPx followed either by a carriage width or the main serial number. I wonder what 86 designates. I found one other on the TWDB, but didn't see anything noteworthy (other than the one on TWDB says "Made in Holland" and the one on SGW doesn't). 

1962 Royal FP on the Typewriter Database

I would have also expected this to have an FPS number since it's customized.
 

 

28-8-2022 11:30:43  #3


Re: Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

Hi Rob,

I, too, was wondering why no "S" as part of the serial number.

Doing a bit of WAG'ing...maybe it was a retro-fit kit that was available for Royal-authorizied shops to offer a customer used to having it on the Royal HH's...and the modification was done in the local shop...???
 

     Thread Starter
 

28-8-2022 21:15:31  #4


Re: Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

robmck wrote:

I wonder what 86 designates.

I believe the 86 designates the number of characters (43 keys), although I am not sure why this typewriter would have the character number in the serial, because I think that number of characters was common on this model. I am used to seeing 88 in Royal serials for typewriters with 88 characters, often exports with extra keys for other markets and languages, but I am not sure I have seen an 86.
 

 

29-8-2022 14:33:46  #5


Re: Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

I'd consider it an example of a custom ordered model rather than one that was 'modified' later on. We can't lose sight of the fact that many factories offered special or custom options, and these machines clearly don't turn up as often as the off-the-shelf models.

According to David Ford, who was a service manager for Royal, there was an FP variant produced in 1961 called the Britannia. He noted that this model had a bluish colour and had hand tabs, hand margins and the same ribbon spools s the HH. He believed that it was only sold in UK. 

David also recalled that FP models varied depending on where they were made. For example, FP models made in Canada were built from different materials, they had black key levers instead of chrome plated ones, and its touch was lighter. It was considered to be a better machine than those made in the Netherlands.

Regarding the serial number prefixes, you’ll find either a FPP, FPE or FPS before the serial number.

FPP models are 10-pitch with pica type. These machines could also be fitted with an elite type face at customer's request.

FPE models are 12-pitch with elite type. 

FPS represented special type, and could have a standard a type face, split typeface or hand engraved typeface. FPS models could have been set up with 5, 10, 12, 16 or 20 pitch, and almost any type face.
 
FP typewriters were available with 11”, 13”, 16”, 21”, 27” and 33” carriages. 


The pronoun has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 

29-8-2022 15:33:42  #6


Re: Modified Royal FPE On Shop Goodwill...

Thanks Uwe for all the background!

Uwe wrote:

FPS represented special type, and could have a standard a type face, split typeface or hand engraved typeface. FPS models could have been set up with 5, 10, 12, 16 or 20 pitch, and almost any type face.

Do you know of a reference or catalog that might list the typefaces for FPS models? I've got an FPS with a typeface that looks similar to, but is not the same as, Royal Book Type (as shown in the "Royal Portables Keyboard and Typefaces" document on TWDB). The type slugs have 505 printed on them between the lower and uppercase.

 

 

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