1929 Royal Portable: made where? History of it? Anyone else have one?

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Posted by Kalani
12-1-2023 11:30:58 		#1

This picture is of my (new) 1929 Royal Portable. It has been repaired and serviced by a typewriter shop. Works great.
Does anyone know where it was made?
History of it?
Did Royal make very many of them?
Does anyone else have one like this?

Thanks for your help
Aloha
kalani

 
Posted by skywatcher
12-1-2023 14:44:09 		#2

Hi Kalani

That would be a Royal Model-P, made in the good old US of A. According to The Typewriter Database, the Royal Model-P with the exposed ribbon spools was produced from 1926 to 1929. The shell design was changed to the shielded ribbon spools in 1930 starting with serial number 183800. The Model-P was available in several different colours including the wood grain finish as pictured. This should give you a starting point. All the very best,

Sky

We humans go through many computers in our lives, but in their lives, typewriters go through many of us.
In that way, they’re like violins, like ancestral swords. So I use mine with honor and treat them with respect.
I try to leave them in better condition than I met them. I am not their first user, nor will I be their last.
Frederic S. Durbin. (Typewriter mania and the modern writer)
 
Posted by Uwe
12-1-2023 14:51:18 		#3

I believe the only woodgrain Royal I own is this second generation 'P' model (versus your first generation - ignoring changes made to the type of feet used). Unfortunately, these are quick and dirty photos taken pre-cleaning of the typewriter and I haven't taken any other photos of it since then.

As for where it was made, that information should appear on the back of the machine. I assume yours no longer has the stencil on the back because of the repaint.



How many did they make? Tens of thousands of 'P' models were produced. In other words, like the majority of typewriter models, LOTS of them. There were also numerous colourways offered, so if you're asking how many of them were woodgrain, I couldn't answer that.

An example of an alternate colourway is my first generation 'P':

 

The pronoun I has always been capitalized in the English language for more than 700 years.
 
Posted by Kalani
14-1-2023 07:57:36 		#4

Huge thanks for the great info, and pictures!
Wow, very nice.

I typed my first letter using the 1929 Royal Portable and the "font" was smaller than "Elite" (12 cpi).

Strange.

I guess type slug font sizes were not standardized at the time?

k

 


 
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