1970s Royal Signet
Up for sale is a cute little Royal Signet which was made in Japan sometime in the '70s. This typewriter is essentially a Royal Mercury, however it is lacking a ribbon color selector, so it can only use single color ribbons. That being said, any single color universal ribbon will fit this machine perfectly. The other differing factor between this Signet and the Mercury is the lack of the "touch control" feature.
This typewriter is fully functional down to the bell, and is a reliable typewriter. Cosmetically, it's also in impressive shape with very few to no flaws to complain about. The case/cover is also in perfect shape and does its job as it should.
This would not be my first recommendation for a machine to use to write something like a novel on, however it is perfect for smaller writing tasks and daily typing. It's not that this machine couldn't handle heavy use- it's that the machine was not designed ergonomically to be used for long periods of time as the larger portables and desktops were. This machine was also marketed towards older children, so it would make a great first typewriter for a child interested in these vintage machines. The owner's manual can be downloaded for free here: http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Silver-Seiko.pdf