Royal Challenge Typewriter (1964) — a wonderful, very-portable machine!

ROYAL "CHALLENGE" TYPEWRITER · 1964

Blue-Grey Two-Tone · Elite Typeface

The 1964 Royal Challenge, a wonderful, light and very portable typewriter belongs to the later generation of Royal’s typewriters, combining a compact, practical form with the company’s characteristic emphasis on mechanical utility. Its blue-grey two-tone finish gives the machine a distinctly mid-century appearance, complemented here by the original brown carrying case. The keyboard is QWERTY, fitted with an Elite typeface at 12 characters per inch (CPI), producing a compact, clearly defined line of text.

The Royal Challenge was manufactured by Royal McBee, only in the Netherlands. The Challenge name was used for a more straightforward portable within Royal’s range, and examples from this period are less frequently encountered than the company’s better-known models. The two-tone finish is an important part of the design, reflecting the period’s move towards more colourful domestic and personal office equipment.

In use, the Royal’s metal construction and conventional typebar mechanism give it a reassuringly substantial character. The Elite typeface, with its 12-character-per-inch pitch, is well suited to correspondence and longer passages of writing where a compact line is preferred. This example is accompanied by its original brown carrying case, completing the machine’s original portable arrangement.

This typewriter has been restored by Acme to its original factory operating standard. The mechanism has been carefully cleaned, adjusted and calibrated, preserving the original finish, keyboard and case. It bears the permanent Acme Seal, attached discretely on the mechanism, identifying restoration within our workshop and providing enduring provenance.

Specifications

Maker: Royal

Model: Challenge

Year: 1964

Country of Manufacture: Netherlands

Finish: Blue-grey two-tone

Keyboard: Original QWERTY

Typeface: Elite, 12 characters per inch

Configuration: Portable manual typewriter

Case: Original brown carrying case

Restoration: Acme Type Machine Company, bearing the permanent Acme Seal, attached discretely on the mechanism