1960 Royal FP #FPS-7058380
Status: My Collection
Hunter: Erik Bruchez (ebruchez)
Created: 04-18-2021 at 07:32PM
Last Edit: 05-05-2021 at 11:55AM
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Description:
This Royal FP has a serial starting with "FPS" which means "special order". What's probably special about it is the international keyboard layout, with dead keys for accented letters.
I bought this in April 2020, right after the start of the "shelter-in-place" order related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I couldn't go pick it up immediately, and I only got my hands on it in November 2020. Just over a year after I purchased it, I finally got to do a basic cleaning (removing panels, compressed air, mineral spirits, cleaning the body with Simple Green, light polishing of the exterior, and wax for a little shine).
It types really well and, unsurprisingly, reminds me of my Royal KHM. It features an Elite (12 cpi) typeface.
What's a little surprising is the large footprint of the machine. It is deep!
Also note the special Royal spools. These are large plastic spools, and necessary to trigger the ribbon reverse. The original ribbon had a loop on each end to hook up to bar in each spool. But you can also just attach a regular ribbon.
There are scratches in the back, which appears to be a common problem, and a few other scratches and dents. Otherwise, the machine is in really good condition cosmetically, especially from the front, which matters the most. The letters "OPC" or "OPF" are lightly engraved in the paint on the back of the left side.
I really like the look with the fancy red "Royal" badge in the front. It has a distinctive 1950s/1960s style, while the heritage of the Royal 10 is obvious with the (covered) side openings.
Based on the sticker under the carriage, this machine was used at the University of California.
See the blog post linked below for more.
Typeface Specimen:
Links:
Photos:
Hunter: Erik Bruchez (ebruchez)
Erik Bruchez's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]
Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 10995
I started collecting my first pre-WW2 standard typewriters in 2017. Since then I have added a few machines to my collection, which now ranges from the 1890s to the 1980s. As of 2020, I have more big standard (desktop) typewriters than portables, and a few standard electrics.
RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Royal FP on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Royal Serial Number page and the Royal FP By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.
