Antique Royal Model 5 Typewriter. England, Circa 1910

Antique Royal model 5 typewriter made in England circa 190 and in very good working order. This original typewriter was once designed as a portable, though it was quite a heavy model. These typewriters are commonly known as Flatbed; their flat design was an innovation bound to enable the user to see what he or she was typing without the obstruction of the platen. Another curious feature of these machines are their stepped side panels, a superficial aesthetic element with no practical purpose indeed. Though the keyboard could seem more awkward to use, it is actually as comfortable as any other typewriters. In fact, the typewriter that we can see in the images works and types really well. The metal body preserves the original black enamel in quite good condition, just like the brand name decal with the word ROYAL printed in golden lettering over the platen. At one side we can see this name again, but it is quite worn. At the back of the typewriter there is a list of patents. The keyboard is composed of circular Ivory-white keys with black symbols and metal rings. As it was made for the German market, they keys are marked with signs and inscriptions in this language. The spacebar is made of black-painted wood; though it is somewhat worn by the use, it remains in perfect working order. This exclusive antique Royal model 5 typewriter is a real collectors piece, very decorative and perfect to type documents too. Royal Typewriters History In 1904 the Royal Typewriter Company was founded in New York by Edward B. Hess and Lewis C. Meyers. In those days, typewriters were becoming more and more popular and the technology was evolving rapidly. These facts drew the attention of a wealthy businessman, Thomas Fortune Ryan, who decided to put his money in the company. So in 1906 the firm launched their first typewriter, the Royal 1. The machines were manufactured in a workshop located in Brooklin, New York, and stood out for their flatbed design; it was entirely different from the vertical design of their competitors. Royal typewriters became quite popular and during the 20th century different models were produced, including electric versions. In the 1980s, Olivetti takes control of the Company and keeps it until 2004. Then Royal becomes a private company again, and is still active today.