Royal Futura 800

$195 (plus shipping if outside of the Detroit area)

Meet “Scott,” a working 1962 Royal Futura 800 typewriter in blue and gray. This manual, portable typewriter began life in the office of an elementary school principal.

Made in the USA, this space-race era typewriter works well, with a carriage that glides and a bell that rings clearly at the end of each line. All of its keys strike and fall back smoothly. The ‘A’ key sits a bit lower than the rest, but it doesn’t affect function. It features a classic serif typeface that Royal named “Merit Pica,” which is a comfortable 10 characters per inch (please see photos for a type sample).

Additionally, under the hood, you’ll find touch control, so you can adjust how much force it takes to strike each key to your personal preference, as well as a color selector for the ribbon so you can use a two-color ribbon if you so choose. There is a fresh black ribbon installed, so you will be ready to write for many, many pages right out of the box.

With only a small bit of scratching on the rear panel (see photo), the durable 13” x 13” x 5” body is in overall good cosmetic condition, with pleasing, functional red Magic Margin buttons contrasting nicely with the blue top.

“Scott” arrives protected by its original tan faux-leather case which clamps the typewriter’s feet to hold it securely in transit. This case is a rarity because it is in excellent condition, with an intact original handle and no dents, ready to travel in style just like it was back in the early 1960s.

For shipment, we take great care in packing each typewriter well, with the carriage stabilized, the type basket packed so the letters don’t move, plenty of bubble wrap inside the case to make the machine snug, ample bubble wrap cocooning the case, and a sturdy box that snugly fits all of the packing material cushioning the machine.

After purchase, we will send you a custom video showing some basic instructions for using your machine, as well as the packing process of your typewriter.