1929 Royal P #P156003

Status: My Collection
Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)
Created: 12-26-2025 at 05:01PM
Last Edit: 02-15-2026 at 08:17AM

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Description:

2026-02-15 Update: I added images of the sales receipt and type slug details showing the foundry marks. These were interesting: A "W" separately stamped with a "P" in a diagonal hashing texture. Haven't noticed that before on any other type slugs, as I have been going through my collection snapping images of them.

2025-12-26, Original Gallery Creation: This basic black Royal "P" Portable typewriter, S/N P156003 (1929), I picked up at the New Hampshire Antique Co-op in Milford, NH, on August 5, 2001, for $12.00. I had seen it in the shop a month or two earlier, and when it was still there on a re-visit, I decided to pick it up. It has a case, in ratty condition, which is somewhere else in the house (I think), and so it's not in this gallery as of creation-time (12/26/25). This typewriter had the left platen knob missing when I bought it, and later I managed to break the right platen knob in half. I was able to get replacements from Mr. & Mrs. Typewriter (thank you, Walid!), along with some parts for a couple other of my machines. Mr. & Mrs. Typewriter also provided a beveled ribbon advance gear, which I have not yet installed on the machine. The typeface is Pica. The machine needs a fair bit of work, but it has a fairly recent platen & feed roller job from Ames Supply Co. (circa April 2008); so I probably should go all the way to get it working well.

Speaking of NH Antique Co-op, that's that place where I found "the one that got away" some time in 2001 or maybe 2002. I found a Williams Model 1, straight-keyboard variant, in excellent condition. The asking price was way more than I could afford at the time: well over $500, but less than $1000. I think it was in the $650-850 range somewhere. At that time of my life, there was no way I could swing that, and the next time I dropped by the shop, it was gone.

Typeface Specimen:

Photos:

Top front.

Paper table.

Paper table folded back.

Right quadrant

Right.

Back.

Left.

Left quadrant.

Serial number.

Typing sample.

Sales receipt from August 2001 - 24.5 years ago as of this writing!

Close up of decals on back of machine. A little worse for wear, but not too bad.

Ribbon advance mechanism parts, some of which I obtained from Mr. & Mrs. Typewriter in the UK in a parts purchase for several of my machines. A job yet to do!

Type slug detail, left end of basket, showing the unusual hashed "P" foundry marks.

Type slug detail, middle range, showing hashed "P" foundry marks.

Type slug detail, right end of basket, showing unusual hashed "P" foundry marks.

Hunter: Brian Decker (bkdecker66)

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

Status: Typewriter Hunter
Points: 1679

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.