Plain pica, as it turns out, but the poor thing had it’s ribbon all pulled out and wrapped around tangled typebars when I re-visited it. It broke my heart, and I had to take the forlorn waif home.
The Reverend Harold Camping, RIP. Not a typewriter man, judging by his office.
That’s a heck of a lineup. My Goodwills haven’t had much lately. I left behind a super five last week at $16, but today I found another Model M keyboard for 7.50.
Selection has been quite good lately, pricing, all over the place. Seems to be creeping upwards, but that may just be the holiday season.
Glad that these two Royal writing machines found their savior before the Last Junk Judgment came to pass.
Oh I see you’re obviously not aware how lucky (or spoilt for choice ;) ) you are! I would’ve grabbed that QDL (and the Aristocrat of course) for $40 without a second thought. Anyway – congratulations on a Royal harvest!
Congratulations on the fine looking Royals.
I stopped at the local Goodwill today and lo and behold 2 typewriters! Lo and stay lo … a Sears electric and a Brother wedge. Not bad for this Goodwill. That is a toatal of 3 typewirters in this store for 2013. An electric S-something Smith-Corona and the 2 today. Maybe 2014 will bring typewriters.
And here I thought you didn’t like the ones with the green keys :P
I have a QDL in the same key configuration as your new Aristocrat. I love the big, rectangular, shift keys.
Ahh, I normally don’t. Having two examples to type on now, I’m coming to the conclusion that I’m not fond of the action on 50’s model Royal portables. It seems to fall into a weird almost Royal, but somewhat Smith-Corona-ish touch perception. It’s inoffensive, but not the specifically Royal-ish touch of the 1940’s portables – which I love.
But, I figured I could break even flipping the machine after a quick clean-up, since it had no other mechanical issues, once I untangled the typebars & re-spooled the ribbon. I call it a “rescue”, I’ll spiff it up and find it a loving home. (:
What excellent finds. The Aristocrat is particularly fetching. Congratulations!
I have a fondness for the Royal QDL portable. It was the first typewriter that I ever used. It was my sister’s and it had been stuffed in a closet after she graduated from college. I discovered it one day as I rummaged through the closet in it’s tweed-covered case. Being just a tyke, I didn’t understand why the letters weren’t in alphabetical order, but I put some paper in it and pecked away. I have another now that is waiting refurbishment.
My Mom typed up a lengthy 125 pp college honors project on one for me, plus literally hundreds of stencils for my Dad, and the machine was very durable for the 50 or 60 years she had it. I wish I had it now.
What a Christmas! Well worth the money! And I had to look up ‘Peyote buttons’! Whoa!