1060 Brands 3329 Models 23793 Galleries 15019 Typefaces 6273 Patents
Home » Royal » 5 » 1912 #100332-5
1912 Royal 5 Serial # 100332-5 1912 Royal 5 typewriter, Serial # 100332-5 Brian Decker's 1912 Royal 5 typewriter. 2025-12-07 From the Virtual Typewriter Collection of Brian Decker: 1912 Royal 5 Serial # 100332-5 I bought this Royal 5 typewriter at some antique mall in southern NH, I think it was Salem NH, around Mar-Apr of 2001. It was only $15.00, no sales tax. The decals are generally pretty nice, but there is a lot of surface rust and corrosion to deal with. It has not been restored, but today (12-7-2025) I cleaned the segment and type bars with standard bore cleaner (equal parts acetone, automatic transmission fluid, kerosene, and mineral spirits). This was necessary even to get the typing sample shown. The typeface is Pica. Since the carriage draw band is broken, I had to apply pressure to the right platen knob as I typed along. The ribbon advance mechanism also is not working, so I had to rotate the spool every few characters. Still, the sample looks pretty good and the alignment is not bad. This machine is probably worth a full restoration, and I hope to do that.

1912 Royal 5 #100332-5

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 12-07-2025 at 04:41PM
Last Edit: 12-07-2025 at 04:52PM

Description Hunter 11 Photos 0 Likes  Find on Ebay #AD  Find on Etsy #AD

Description:

I bought this Royal 5 typewriter at some antique mall in southern NH, I think it was Salem NH, around Mar-Apr of 2001. It was only $15.00, no sales tax. The decals are generally pretty nice, but there is a lot of surface rust and corrosion to deal with. It has not been restored, but today (12-7-2025) I cleaned the segment and type bars with standard bore cleaner (equal parts acetone, automatic transmission fluid, kerosene, and mineral spirits). This was necessary even to get the typing sample shown. The typeface is Pica. Since the carriage draw band is broken, I had to apply pressure to the right platen knob as I typed along. The ribbon advance mechanism also is not working, so I had to rotate the spool every few characters. Still, the sample looks pretty good and the alignment is not bad. This machine is probably worth a full restoration, and I hope to do that.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Right quadrant.
Right quadrant.

Right.
Right.

Back.
Back.

Left.
Left.

Left Quadrant.
Left Quadrant.

Keyboard.
Keyboard.

Serial Number.
Serial Number.

Frame Serial Number.
Frame Serial Number.

Top Front.
Top Front.

Top Front with covers removed.
Top Front with covers removed.

Typing Sample
Typing Sample

Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)

Brian Decker's Typewriter Galleries [ My Collection ] [ My Sightings ]

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 403

My interest in typewriters started in 1997, when I was in graduate school at the University of Georgia. I purchased and read Darryl Rehr's book, joined ETC, and started reaching out to known collectors. I had several email interchanges with Richard Polt dating from that period. I also bought some of my first machines from Bob Aubert, and visited him at his home twice. After marriage and relocation to New England, I continued visiting antique shops and eBay, until other priorities put my typewriter hobby on hiatus around 2008. I still have my collection of around 57 machines, and now I have a renewed interest in getting some of them in good working and cosmetic order.


RESEARCH NOTE: When researching the Royal 5 on a computer with lots of screen real estate, you may find that launching the Royal Serial Number page and the Royal 5 By Model/Year/Serial page in new browser windows can give you interesting perspectives on changes throughout the model series.

Typewriter Hunter Merch!