Royal was one of the longest-lived typewriter manufacturers. They introduced their first typewriter, the Royal #1, in 1906 and did not stop manufacturing tyepwriters until the 1970s. The company still exists, albeit having undergone many incarnations as part of various parent companies. Today, Royal is owned by Olivetti and still sells typewriters, though none with the famous Royal brand.

Royal #10
Serial # X277685
1916

Royal Portable (2nd model)
Serial # P208665
1930

Royal #10 (14" carriage)
Serial # 14-1582337
1932

Royal Signet
Serial # E5903
1932

Another machine which I have little information on, other than they were produced in the early 1930s (perhaps only in 1932) and marketed as a low-cost alternative for "children, housewives, and letter writers". Like most Depression-era typewriters, the Signet wasn't well-built and not many have survived to today. It is caps-only (see keyboard here), with an italic font designed especially for Royal, and has a metal spacebar. A variation, the Signet Senior, typed in standard upper- and lower-case, and came in black.

The Signet is certainly radically different from all other Royal typewriters, yet its major internal components are identical to those used in the 1930 portable seen above. I have a theory that the Signet may be the result of Royal's purchasing the design and tooling of a failed competitor, then incorporating their own components.

Royal #10
Serial # S-1635451
1933

Royal Junior
Serial # J30689
c.1934

Following the same market as the Signet, the Junior was Royal's later model aimed at Depression-stricken Americans. Like the Signet, there is no tab, backspace, margin release, ribbon color selector, or left-hand platen knob. Mounted in the center rear is a single left margin stop, eliminating the need for a right-margin bell. The shell is made of the thinnest sheet metal, easily pliable with your bare hands.

Herman Price's Royal Junior

Some Juniors have a squared-off shell more closely resembling other Royal products. Serial numbers suggest that the rounded design seen here came first and evolved to the squared design around 1935.

Royal Portable Standard
aka "Model O"
Serial # O-605667
1936

This model is frequently referred to as "Touch Control" because that is the only labeling to be found aside from the Royal logo (the decals, alas, are almost completely worn off of mine). Many collectors refer to it as the Model O because the serial number carries an "O" prefix. Officially, Royal called this the Portable Standard. It's unclear exactly when this body style was introduced; the earliest example I have seen dates to 1934. Later versions have a raised, wear-resistant logo on the paper rest.

The Standard/Touch Control/Model O is one of the most frequently found pre-war portables, and its commonality causes many collectors pass it over. Yet this is classic 1930s design, and a terrific typer for actual use.

Royal DeLuxe
Serial # A569018
1936

The DeLuxe is very similar to the Portable Standard in style and function. It has the addition of a tabulator, a paper guide, and of course its signature "crinkle" finish and chromed bands. Down the road, the DeLuxe would be merged with the short-lived Quiet model and become one of Royal's most popular models, the Quiet DeLuxe.

Royal KMM
Serial # KMM-2627222
1939

The KMM introduced Royal's famous and patented Magic Margin system, whereby holding down the right or left margin lever and sliding the carriage to the desired location "magically" set the margin. Although dating from 1939, this KMM was probably rebuilt sometime in the 1950s. The original round, glass-topped keys have been replaced with plastic keys, a common practice back then. Notice, though, that the tab set and clear buttons are still the old style. The slightly indented plastic keys actually make this machine much easier to type on. I paid $5 for it at a flea market, and it still works as well as when it was new. These are great machines. Get one if you find one.

Royal Companion
Serial # CD-163697

Royal Quiet DeLuxe
Serial # AG-2350325
1950

Royal Quiet DeLuxe
Serial # RA-2672840
1953
Emeritus collection

The updated Quiet DeLuxe added a push-button ribbon cover release, a carriage return tension adjustment knob beneath the left side of the carriage, a guide for determining how many inches of paper were left, and relocated the tab sets for easier access.

Royal HH (x2)
Serial #s HHE-5259197 &
HHE-13-4912881 (13" carriage)
1954

As an example of how well Royal built their typewriters, I found this covered with mildew and with its type basket, key levers, and inner workings inundated with dirt, leaves, bits of fur and feathers, dead insects, cobwebs, and even a couple of acorns. All I did was blow out the junk, brush it off and wipe it down, and it worked perfectly. Not a single drop of lubricant was needed.

The moral of this story is: just because a typewriter is dirty and stiff, that does not mean it is "dead". Many of my typewriters have come to me because someone thought that they were unusable, when in fact all they needed was a good cleaning or a minor adjustment or repair. Unlike today's products, typewriters were built to last.

Royal Aristrocrat
Serial # B3473176
1956

Royal Companion
Serial # S3836301
c.1958

Royal Futura 800
Serial # 2A4247769
c.1958

Note that the Royal logo acts as a hidden push-button release for the ribbon cover.

Unlabeled Futura body
Serial # m5200435

This curious machine is housed in a Futura-style body, but it is far from a Futura. The most obvious difference is that the famous Magic Margin feature is missing! The margins have to be manually set using the little sliders seen behind the platen. There is no paper guide or pop-up paper support. The Royal logo is silk-screened on and does not release the cover. Under the hood, it has no touch-control adjustment, and no carriage lock. This is truly a stripped-down Royal! I suspect that like the Heritage, this was an offshoot line sold through a catalog outlet. In fact, it shares many characteristics with the Heritage III, but it doesn't seem to be that, either.

Royal Empress
Serial # MCE 11-8109527
1965

It's bigger than an IBM Selectric, and weighs almost as much, but it's a manual! I like that it kind of looks like the Jetsons' car. Royal sold a similar-looking electric model called the Electress. It could be that the Empress was offered as a manual alternative.

Royal Royalite
Serial # 6418099
1965

Yes, this Royalite was owned by a teenage girl (her class schedule was found inside the carrying case, along with 3 Gold Bond trading stamps).

Sometime in the early- to mid-'60s, Royal redesigned its compact portables from the style seen on the Eldorado above to the "squashed Futura" style seen here. Several other model names including Signet, Parade, and Arrow can be found in this shell, varying in their respective feature sets. This Royalite has no tab or color selector.

Royal Safari
Serial # SA5390535
c.1965

Royal Custom
Serial # CM6303616

I'm hard-pressed to find any difference whatsoever between this Custom and the Safari pictured above.

Royal Sabre
Serial # SB 9028673

This Portuguese-made Sabre dates from the mid-1970s. Note the fake wood grain behind the top row of keys.