1973 Royal Tab-O-Matic
Up for sale is a Royal Tab-O-Matic which was manufactured in Japan in 1973. This typewriter is essentially a Royal Mercury, however it was re-named as the "Tab-O-Matic" for some reason that I am unsure of. This typewriter is in near mint shape all around, and is fully functional right down to the bell. This machine has a unique carrying case, styled more as a bag, as opposed to just a plastic lid. The Royal Mercury, and thus machine, was not quite designed for heavy writing such as a novel, however this typewriter excels at being a reliable and smooth typer on the go, and is great at typing a few pages of notes or a letter at a time. It's not that the typewriter or mechanism can't stand up to heavy use- it's just that this typewriter wasn't designed ergonomically for typing for long periods of time. Its light weight and slim, small size makes it a great machine to travel with, or to bring out for use, and then store out of the way when it's not in use. This typewriter is also known for being pretty simple and basic, yet it has just about all the features you could expect from a portable typewriter. It's very easy to use and care for, and uses the universal ribbons sold on this site.
This machine types in a slightlysmaller elite font, at 12 characters per inch. The owner's manual can be downloaded for free here: http://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/Silver-Seiko.pdf