1949 Royal Quiet De Luxe
Up for sale is a pretty Royal Quiet De Luxe which was manufactured in 1949. This model was one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite machines, and for good reason. The touch is very smooth, the features are all handy but aren't over-excessive, and it isn't an ugly machine. Everything on this machine is fully functional except for the Magic Margin system, which I had to sacrifice in order to get the bell to ding at the end of a line. Still, the margins can be manually set by swinging the paper table up/back (the piece which has the "Quiet De Luxe" badge") and adjusting either margin by moving them along the rail. The Magic Margin system would normally work by holding the magic margin lever forward, moving the carriage where the margin was desired, and then releasing the magic margin lever. As such, it's not a huge loss that the magic margin mechanism is not functioning.
Keep in mind that this typewriter types in the slightly smaller elite font (12 characters per inch rather than the standard 10).
Cosmetically, this machine is not perfect, however it is in good shape overall. There is no rust anywhere on this machine, but there are a few places where the black coating on the inner parts (see pictures from bottom of machine) has come off and the bare metal is exposed- almost looking like copper (although it is not).
The case is in fair shape, and although it has some wear, it is functional and sturdy.
This typewriter is extremely easy to use and care for, and uses universal ribbons which are sold on this site. The owner's manual for this machine can be downloaded for free here: http://www.machinesoflovinggrace.com/manuals/Manual-RoyalQDL48.pdf
Overall, if you're in the market for a classic '40s machine that's fully functional (minus the magic margin feature) and ready to be used heavily and reliably, then this is a great machine to go with.
