Comments on: Royal Parade

By: Valerio

Valerio — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 17:58:57 +0000

Hello. I have a Royal Royalite from circa 1965 that travelled extensively in Mozambique. Its original owner worked for the Government’s cotton farms and he typed all his reports with it, according to his grandson, who kindly donated it to me. The case shows its age, but it still woks smoothly, having been serviced in Johannesburg in the 70´s and later in Portugal. Such a rich history is what sets it appart!

By: Maciek

Maciek — Wed, 24 Nov 2021 07:07:19 +0000

In reply to Gregory Short.

Mogę odstąpić swoją. Maciek.jarzebinski@gmail.com

By: Daniel Gewertz

Daniel Gewertz — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 20:08:23 +0000

I have a tiny tale to tell about the tiny Parade. A couple of years ago I was fervently looking for an “ultra-portable” typewriter for no other reason that I didn’t own one. This was before I realized that tiny typers are simply not as solid and hardy… and substantial of touch as regular sized portables, and that there was absolutely no need for me to own one, anyway, because it wouldn’t be leaving my desk, and even the lightest typer in the world is too heavy for me to lug anywhere because of a medical condition I won’t bother to “lay on you” (as the hippies once said.) I saw a festive looking Parade on the wall of my wonderful local store and fix-it shop, namely Cambridge Typewriter. It was in a fairly bright blue, with a red Royal logo which also served as a button that snapped the cover open. Cool. And then I discovered it had a snappy touch that was almost as good as my beloved 1963 Smith Corona Sterling. I was smitten. But the font threw me. It was script! Not italics, but full-on script. So, I left it on the sales-wall of shop-owner Tom Furrier’s wonderful store.

But weeks and weeks went by and he couldn’t sell it. Tom claimed he was confident that the “absolutely right person,” perhaps a teenage girl, would eventually buy it. The Parade stuck in my thoughts, though. It was seemingly securely harbored in my head. So, I finally phoned and asked Tom if he might knock a few dollars off the price, and then I would buy it… and bear the fancy-schmancy script font. “I’ll get used to it,” I said.
“Nope,” Tom happily replied. “I just sold it to the absolutely perfect person: a cute teenage girl who loved the Royal, and was nuts about the script.” The Parade found its perfect owner, and vice-versa.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 02:50:50 +0000

In reply to Michael Arau.

So it seems. I had a 196X (probably 1963) Royal Signet (Same machine, different name.) A few years ago at the beginning of my collecting. It was $25 USD locally in the case, which is brown and creme pleather, with plastic lined innards. It was a great machine. I used it often. It had no issues and was loud of course.

But, one day I decided to take it somewhere, and the case latch didn’t fully lock. The typewriter fell on it’s carriage back, 2 feet from tabletop to floor. Sadly, the carriage strap broke from the jolt, and the carriage rack bent. (I can’t remember if the rack teeth were broken or not, I just remember them being bent.)

I tried several repairs and reforming of each ruined piece. It was not fixable. It now resides a parts machine, so when I get another I will oil the case lock and use that old one for spares. Very little paint was scratched/lost from the fall.

By: Ryan McLellan Jr.

Ryan McLellan Jr. — Wed, 17 Feb 2021 15:41:43 +0000

I want a Royal portable someday, somewhat for namesake alone, but it seems as though it won’t be the Parade.

By: Gregory Short

Gregory Short — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 19:13:49 +0000

Oh my! I need it. I’m a big fan of the Futuras, so seeing it squashed into this tiny form is delightful. The Royal Forward I looks very similar, but perhaps not as common?

By: Daniel Marleau

Daniel Marleau — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 01:09:25 +0000

In reply to Michael Arau. That's big news! And here I've been touting the Rocket as field ready rugged.

By: Tim Elliott

Tim Elliott — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 23:54:22 +0000

Where’s the photo? Take a pic of it with your iPhone made in California.

Sent from my iPhone

By: Michael Arau

Michael Arau — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 14:12:38 +0000

Nice Machine Dan. I have a Royalite which is essentially the same machine without the tab feature. You are right, they are heavy indeed, but pretty tough too. When I last visited with Paul at Bremerton Office Machine Company https://typespec.com he told me the Hermes Rocket was a nice machine, but pretty flimsy. He warned that if I had one and dropped it, that would be its demise. The Royal, on the other hand could take out an enemy outpost in one blow. If I dropped it I would probably cause a crack in the Earth. 🙂