1931 Royal 12
Up for sale is a beautiful Royal 12 typewriter which was manufactured in 1931. The model 12 is a Royal 10, just with a wider 12 inch carriage. The wider carriage makes this machine equipped to type on large sheets of paper, or typing landscape-wise on a standard piece of 8 x 11 printer paper. This machine has two beautiful beveled glass panels- one on each side of the machine. The glass panels were mainly for decorative purposes, however they also provide a unique look at the inner workings of the machine, which are otherwise covered and kept out of view to prevent dust from entering the machine.
This particular Royal 12 is in excellent shape all around, although it does have evidence of cosmetic wear. A lot of the nickel plating/chrome has patina which I did not attempt to remove in order to keep this machine in its original condition. The paint has chipped off in some places near the front corners of the machine. The labels also have some wear, but they are still very much visible.
Mechanically, this machine is perfect and is fully functional right down to the bell. This machine types extremely smoothly and is about as reliable as it gets. The platen and feed rollers are still in good shape, as are the rubber feet.
The owner's manual for the Royal 10 can be downloaded here: http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Royal10.pdf
This typewriter does not use universal ribbons, however you can re-thread the original spools with ribbon from the universal spools sold on this site, or you can purchase ribbons elsewhere made for the Royal Desktops. Additionally, the following spools will work: https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Typewriter-Ribbons-Remington-Typewriters/dp/B073DH9JS1
If you’re looking to write a novel or compose anything else that requires a lot of heavy typing, but still want the authentic feel of an original machine with glass keys from the 30s, then this machine really is the best of both worlds.