Monday, May 23, 2011

Royal Quiet De Luxe Typewriter

One of my favourite church basements had been slim pickings lately, so I got up bright and early this weekend to jump on the place when it opened its doors. I was rewarded by the sight of a beautiful vintage Royal Quiet DeLuxe typewriter priced at $15.


Royal produced this typewriter in the 1940s and it is said to be a workhorse. The typewriter came in its original case and still functions properly! I loved tapping away on the glassy keys.


I get a real kick out of the nice old fonts, and how the shift key reads "Shift Freedom".


There are so many eye catching things about this typewriter. Peering over the top, you see the fan of where the keys reach the ribbons like a piano. Instrument or work of art?


I know I am getting a bit nutty with the photos here, but I wanted to show you the keyboarding lesson paper that was still in the machine.



Someone had been typing the familiar "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" a few times.


Big picture, one of the things I appreciate about vintage goodies, is how durable they are. Look at this great little tab that reads "Magic Margin". It just looks so simply made but has endured all this time. The typewriter is basically in perfect condition, from what I see. There are no scratches nor dents. The case has seen better days, but this must have been really well kept, or not often used.


Last shot here - I love how they had to mix up the letters to the QWERTY format to prevent fast typesetters from jamming the keys. It's funny that this standard has endured up to today, when it's not really even necessary to slow typists down...

Linking up to ATG's Thrift Share Monday!

14 comments:

  1. Lovely find, will you be using it for letters? Or is it for decoration? I only have one vintage typewriter but want to find one in aqua some day!

    "Shift Freedom" sounds like it should be the name of some underground rock band.

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  2. what a wonderful piece. terrific to look at and great fun to make things with!

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  3. I really have no idea what to do with it. I thought it was really nice, and the fact that it works sealed the deal. I think probably for decoration?

    Haha, I thought Shift Freedom sounded like a political statement of some sort.

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  4. Love it! the detail you have captured in the photos is lovely!

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  5. great photos! i have an old underwood that i bought for $5 at a garage sale several years ago. it still had the receipt from 1957. It works beautifully. I took it with me to a career day at an elementary school as a prop for my talk about being a writer. the kids were absolutely fascinated by it and it was hilarious to eavesdrop on their comments: "where's the mouse?" "look it has paper instead of a screen"... interesting, eh?

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  6. I have bought and sold 3-4 typewriters. The grand daddy of it was the Hermes. I let my older girls type and do a test a run on them before listing and the kids love the clack clack sound.. Beautiful find

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  7. Oh its lovely! Great find! Scarlett x

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  8. What a wonderful find! Great that its all still functional! I've yet to come across a vintage typewriter while thrifting- its at the top of my wishlist!

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  9. My Goodwill was selling an old typewriter like that for $15 as well. I would have bought it, but it wasnt the Royal Quiet de Luxe. Do you know Hemingway used that brand to pen his novels. I am so jealous of your finds!
    Well Ms Hemingway, write me a letter please. ;)

    J.
    http://adimpleate.wordpress.com

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  10. I can't believe what great condition it's in!

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  11. I love it! Shift Freedom for all! :)

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  12. well of course i had to come and see this. what a beauty! thank you for all the up-close photos.

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  13. Yes, Hemingway used the same model, crazy! I am sort of shocked that the ribbon is still useable. My mom used to type on an old typewriter. That sound takes me back, and of course the sound of the paper being scrolled or tabbed. Heh.

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  14. I also own this Royal and have had it for 63 years. It was a gift from my mom. It still looks like the day I received it. My problem is I need to find out the serial # to buy new ribbons for it. Any help out there?

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