A Surviving Warrior: 1956 Royal HH Standard Typewriter

A very nice example of a mid-50's Royal HH (Manuf. 1952-1957). A true industrial tank, that even after 60 years still is ready to talk the job. They don't make them like this anymore.
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Film/Photography by Dirk Plante
2016

[@berniepokorski6608]

I just came back for another viewing of this excellent video! The accompanying music really complements the mechanical typing action of this great typewriter! Excellent Presentation!!!

[@bwhog]

From "The Planets". I believe this is an arrangement of "Jupiter, the bringer of old age."

[@samuellunde6446]

I own one of these, seeing one of these in action that is not mine, hell it brought me to tears

[@essaysbyken]

I just inherited my late grandfather's Royal HH. I've found the dust jacket to be immensely useful in keeping me from using it when I'm supposed to be doing other things. 😆

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

They do accumulate a lot of dust, yes.

[@someonespadre]

When I get tired of computing on a computer I grab a sheet of engineering calculation paper, pencil and my book of log tables and do the next one by hand which isn’t time consuming with practice.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

@@someonespadre And it just strikes as more productive!

[@bwhog]

@@someonespadreFor the sake of learning, I did a few trig problems that way but I'm not good enough to be fast. Also, who knew adding and subtracting could be that difficult?? (Part of the reason I wasn't very fast. 🤣)

[@someonespadre]

@@bwhog right, it takes concentration and practice. If I don’t do it for a while adding is a lot harder than it should be.

[@carlclark1757]

My dad had one of these when I was growing up - he'd had it through college (late '50s-early '60s) and used it up until he retired in the late '80s; no computers or even electric typewriters for him! He was a schoolteacher, and used it to create tests, lesson plans, etc. I still remember the sound it made as he pounded away. Somehow, his particular HH has gotten mislaid (probably donated or sold) over the years. I still kick around the idea of getting one for myself, just for the nostalgia factor, even though I have a houseful of typewriters already - including an Olympia SG1, an Underwood 6, and an IBM Selectric, which take up plenty of space among them. Every typewriter collector should have at least one Royal standard at least once, and this drab beast may be the best they ever made. Beautifully shot video, by the way.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Thank you Carl. Glad you like it. I am a huge fan of Royal standards. They are one of my favorite typewriters. From old to young. Even the pig-ugly Emperres has something. I have owned 4 of these and not a single one disappointed.

[@meedily]

My favorite machine by a mile. Not even the SG-1 has a nicer feel than this one. As perfect as it gets from a touch/speed/sound perspective.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Royal is my favourite brand for a reason!

[@mattdovi2255]

I just bought this type writer. Love it.

[@michaelfarrell8962]

Terrific job and beautiful machine. Cheers!

[@bwhog]

Nice! Very well done! My dad had one of these when I was growing up. I thought it was heavy as heck, but it did the job well. I just had to buy one for the memory and, yes, I remember well piling up keys. This one does it too, as well as the odd skip. This is the sort of typewriter WILL make you use proper technique when typing! I can get away with a lot more on a computer keyboard than I can on a manual!

[@ponydoll970]

I love the way you filmed this video, the typewriter is very well presented I love it! (excuse my terrible english)

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

No worries. I am ESL myself. I am glad you like it.

[@bruhjun]

Beautifully done! Kind regards,

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Thank you very much!

[@exoplanet11]

Lovely video. The music "Jupiter" is perfect and captures the majesty of this regal machine. I just bought one at an estate sale for $15, to show my son what typewriters were like. It works very well, just needs a new ribbon. Based on the comments I have seen about this machine, I am very pleased w/ my purchase.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Yes, $15 for a Royal HH is very little money to pay for one. Royal standards are personally my favourite typewriters out there. Whether they were made in the 1910's or the 1960's, they always work and work well. And that's what I like. They might not always be aesthetically the best looking, but mechanically they are sound.

[@johntapp3311]

Since the last time I was here, I bought three more of these wonderful typewriters. I like them so much, I wanted more than just two or three. When I get the next one out of layaway, I'll have five!! I could rent them out as wedding sign-ins. I could host a type-in. The possibilities abound!!

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

This is the beginning of the end, John. ;-)

[@johntapp3311]

Dr. Typewriter: The beginning of the end of what?! The world, for all practical purposes, and despite what all the doomsayers are saying, is going to be around awhile. I only take medicines for physical maladies, so no one from the nuthouse is going to collect me anytime soon. That means that me, my girlfriend, my five HH Royals, and about 75 other typewriters are going to be around for sometime. Nice try, but TypewriterKing is here to stay to fight the good fight and be an active member of the typewriter insurgency! ;-) ;-) ;-) Long Live The HH!!!

[@johntapp3311]

Dr. Typewriter: Yes, the possibility of this whole thing falling through is probably greater than its success. But I at least want to try. If it goes okay, hey. But if not, I never got into typewriters to make a killing. I just got in to have some fun, which I did for the last thirty-six years. And the HH happens to be one of my all-time favorite typewriters.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Royal standards are my favourite to begin with. Even the 440/470 which look like monster machinery but which are mechanically super sound, and type surprisingly nice. Whether it is a 1910's #5, or a 1950's FP...I like them all. I have had most of them too.

[@billogle4776]

@@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121 Because they are ALL basically the same mechanisms, the only changes from the days of the SX were cosmetic , change of base shape, key shape colour but inside the same troublesome machine, very few mechanics knew how to rectify them and were reluctant to tell others, it's all to do with the escapement, main spring tension and the escapement rack

[@VianneyCreates]

I got one of these babies for about $35 the other day! Can't wait for her to get here!

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Exciting! They are wonderful machines. I hope you enjoy yours!

[@billogle4776]

T I served the first 2 years of my apprenticeship working for the Royal distributor before transferring my indentures to Remington, the HH models HHE elite and HHP pica had just been released from the Dutch factory, they were renowned for jumping, piling,, over typing all of those things that infuriated the typist. It was all to do with two main elements, 1) the escapement trip was too early and had to be adjusted so that the first trip occurred about an eighth of an inch from the ribbon, this allowed the second trip to occur before an second type bar could enter the trip zone, 2) Main springs had far too much tension. the main spring needs only enough tension to draw the carriage and activate the line from a tabbed position 3 inches from the line lock

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Yes, the premature escapement activation was a problem in a lot of the Royals that I owned. Piling was most predominantly an issue, especially on KMM's. The 10's did not suffer from this issue and my HH's have been fairly decent. Still a pesky issue to fix as it requires the removal of the carriage ideally.

[@billogle4776]

@@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121 I'm working from memory, if you put the machine up on it'd back so that you can see the action links and their springs, push your finers between them and part them at about the centre it will expose the adjustment screw, crack the nut and wind the screw out, it's a bit fiddly and you really need a special spanner but you can make do as long as you don't try to use long nose pliers............Remingtons are much easier to work on...really good to talk to you

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

@@billogle4776 I will have a look. I just picked up a Royal KHM that needs some TLC but it's a beautiful example so it should come out fine.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

@@billogle4776 I will give it a whirl and see what there is to be found.

[@wat9694]

I just picked one up in excellent condition for $36. I was shocked that’s all the lady wanted for it.

[@justinedse3314]

This is one of the best ever made.

[@berniepokorski6608]

I recently acquired a1952 Model HH, and it has the 'carriage Control" knob on its left side, just below the carriage. The one of that mechanism's gears is stripped, so that fine-tuning return spring tension adjustment is no longer useable. I am wondering if that "Carriage Control" design on my 1952 Model may have been 'short-lived' because of its tendency to strip a gear, as the earlier and later model of Royal standards all seem to use a straight-slotted machine screw to make that adjustment?

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

That is a possibility. Then again, I've had 5 HH's all of which did not have that issue.

[@user-ly5ev6hx8e]

The secretaries favorite typewriter

[@liberatordude1988]

How do you make the type so clean and crisp on the paper? I can barely do that with any of my own machines.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

White vinegar and sewing machine oil, using a hard tooth-brush.

[@liberatordude1988]

DR. TYPEWRITER - Venneburg Typewriters Thanks!

[@leverettrailfan5414]

I have a question about one of these machines- you seem to know your stuff, and anything you might be able to provide to help clue me in is deeply appreciated. I was at an estate sale, which had numerous typewriters. Not a surprise, they aren’t hard to find. There was one of these machines, in brown, though it had a problem with the shift mechanism, turned out to be specifically the shift lock which was causing the problem. It had clearly been used by a school, university, or some facility or individual needing mathematical symbols. The 2 and 3, for example, have superscript versions of themselves for the shift option, and a proper division symbol is offered on one of the other keys. Aside from the 2 and 3, all these specialized keys are made with inset lettering, filled with white paint, as opposed to the molded letters typically used on the HH. As result, they stand out. My guess is that it was custom ordered, because such a modification is not the kind of thing a repair shop would be able, or at least expected, to do. I asked if I could have it for $5, because it wasn’t at its best, and I usually find out the deal breaker after I take it home, since I can’t properly inspect anything out in the field. I was told that I had to pay 10 if I was going to but it that day, but they could do $5 the following day. Which, frankly, sounded ridiculous to me. Typewriters don’t sell that fast, especially not big, hulking machines that have unappealing looks at first glance, and nobody really wants to mess with. Plenty of folks will be content with a cute little portable, but a desk model, well, that’s a different story. $10 was just too much, I never invest that much in a machine I don’t yet trust or know. I couldn’t get the seller to be reasonable, so I had no choice but to leave it. I wasn’t going to be able to return to there anyway. Except, I couldn’t forget about it, and I was determined to get back out there and buy that typewriter. Then I remembered a friend of mine who actually lives right near where the estate sale was. I wanted to see him again as well, and after hanging out, he was kind enough to take me over there and see what we could see. The machine was still there. Surprisingly, almost every other typewriter had sold. Knowing as much as I do already, I felt sorry for anyone who had thought it would be a good idea to pick up a few of those less lucky machines. I got the Royal for $5, the right price I felt, considering how much trouble I was surely getting myself into. Well, her magic margins aren’t working properly, and I’m having trouble figuring out exactly how Im going to get in there, but I’ll tackle it tomorrow. The platen is rock solid, unfortunately, and things are a bit dusty, but hopefully fixable. I tried and tried, but no dice finding a singe machine, or reference to a machine with a keyboard like mine. My guess is that, for now at least, no others equipped as such have been reported, but I’m deeply curious about things. I have no desire to sell her, but I really want to learn everything I can. Her serial number is as follows: HHS-92-5565453The typewriter database doesn’t have a whole lot to offer on anything besides the start of manufacturing, and the font indicating letter, which follows the HH in the serial number.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Hello, Congratulations on your acquisition. Although $10 for a Royal HH really is not bad, good on you for waiting and getting it for half the price. I am curious to what it specifically looks like as I am rather puzzled. Would it be possible to provide some photographs or video footage of the machine? (Through Facebook or the website) I would love to see it. I have seen many typewriters that had mathematical features, most often the 1960's/1970's Smith-Corona Portables that featured interchangeable type. I own a 1939 Imperial 50 which also has mathematical keys, but that looks factory as if it was made for it. By your description is sounds more like a butchered conversion. But I could be wrong. Therefor it would be best to provide me with some more footage of the typewriter. Royals are known for their hard platens now-a-days. Finding a standard that still has a soft rubber platen is very rare. However, as long as it is intact, that is not an issue. Just use a backing sheet when you are using your typewriter to protect the type-face and your page, as they will punch through. Accessing the Magic Margin mechanism of a Royal HH is a little bit difficult. (They made it easier in the Royal 440/470 of the late 1960's/early 1970's.) In case of the Royal HH you access the Magic Margin system by either removing the top carriage platen above the paper table, or you remove the carriage for easy access underneath. Either wholly or just slide the carriage over to get a visual of the carriage underneath. I am a BIG fan of Royal standards of all ages. I just finished cleaning a Royal 440 which looks like a boat-anchor but which is mechanically sound. And that is what I like to see. I have worked on the earliest Royals from the late 1900's to the late 1970's, so I am sure I can help each other out.

[@shanecross6190]

I own a typewriter just like that its brand new it just needs new ink ribbion also can you tell me how much these are worth

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

I can't tell you how much these are worth exactly as price-range differs hugely depending on where you are located and what the market is like. They are great machines though!

[@johntapp3311]

There is an old rule of capitalism that states, "Whatever the market will bear." That means, you'll be able to find these wonderful typewriters for anything between $45.00 to about $100.00, which is what I did. I have invested about $235 into five of them. I didn't lose much even if my idea of renting them out flops. I never got into typewriters to make a killing. I got in just to have fun, which is what I did do. BTW, the one I got for free was my first HH from where I went to sixth grade. I ALWAYS wanted to try it out, but was too shy to ask because I thought they would say no. But, an old Trustee member brought it to my house to fix, and I offered to trade him a Royal FP. We traded, and now my first HH is now one of my very best typewriters--and consequently my only pica type HH.

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

In the past I have been very successful selling typewriters for good money (not because that was the reason I went into typewriters) but because people acknowledged I was selling quality product that had been refurbished by a person who has the skills to do so properly (which not a lot of people have). It really depends on where you are, in what condition it is and what you want to get out of it.

[@lucasbarletta2986]

I think Walt Disney’s secretary used the same Royal

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Really? I didn't know that.

[@lucasbarletta2986]

DR. TYPEWRITER - Venneburg Typewriters Yes, If you look a video of a tour of his office you’ll see it on a metal desk

[@certified_cact]

I’m only watching cause I bought this typewriter at a thrift store

[@dr.typewriter-venneburgtyp121]

Congratulations on your find!!