I've been splurging a bit lately. I think it has something to do with having too many things taken away ...
Last Thursday, I saw this little gem which I couldn't say no to. It was sitting on top of a chest at the back of the basement in an antique shop, lonely and forgotten. I thought about it overnight, and decided that it would be a worthwhile purchase (especially since the shopkeeper agreed to sell it to me for lower than the marked price). So, now I own a typewriter — a pretty little Royal Junior. It wasn't too well looked-after, but being a hardy machine, after some squirts of WD-40 and a bit of brushing, it types quite well.
I have no idea of its exact year of production — the serial number is missing, and it's surprisingly difficult to find out information on this particular model of the Royal. After hunting through Google, this page produced some much-needed insight:
The ROYAL SIGNET, and a more expensive version called the SENIOR SIGNET, were produced only for a short time...and so was the other depression-era ROYAL, the JUNIOR, which was a simplified version of their regular portable.
And that was practically the only tidbit of information I found specifically on the Royal Junior. Based on texts by a couple of other owners, I guess it was produced around 1934 or 1935.
What will I do with it? No idea. :) Write some letters with it, perhaps. I just have to remember not to use it beyond 11pm. Might keep the neighbours up.
Posted by sniffles at October 14, 2003 11:49 AM