Magnus Typewriter, 1959

Magnus Typewriter, 1300 block, Second Ave
, Seattle (Image from the Seattle Municipal Archives)
Seen above is a City of Seattle employee interviewing a pedestrian, in front of Magnus Typewriter. Notice the posters for Olympia portables and the new Smith-Corona Galaxie. In front of the window is an Olympia demonstrator (mounted on a pole). This photo was taken around the time that Seattle began using electric crosswalk lights, saying either "walk" or "wait"

Royal Portable Color Scheme Survey

I am cataloging the various Duotone portable color schemes (Royal claimed over 500 possible combinations)
Thank you for your help!

If you have multiple portables, please only fill this out once (Number your responses: Ex.: 1. P-xxxxx; 2. P-xxxxy, etc.)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QVCQ62T

Smith Corona Galaxie Twelve

The best Goodwill find ever!

I bought this 1927 Royal Portable at Goodwill on Labor Day. Since then, I cleaned and oiled it and installed a new ribbon, a new drawband and new rubber, It works like it did when it was new! It was definitely a bargain at $12.99! 

This typewriter was originally sold by E.W. Hall--notice that the phone number (ELliott 5447) is only 6 digits! E.W. Hall was the regional disributor for Corona portables (the reason that these labels are almost always on the back of non-Coronas) In 1938, Hall's moved to 1111 2nd Avenue, but kept the phone number. 911 2nd Avenue is now the site of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building.

1955 Royal Quiet Deluxe

I bought this typewriter today--it is exactly like my first Royal Quiet Deluxe, but in much better condition. It includes its original manual, blank warranty card and this receipt:

New Blog Name...Same URL

I realized that only about 25% of my blog posts are about Royal typewriters. As a result, I decided that my blog needed a new name. I kicked around several themes, most notably the period between 1950 and 1970 (the range for most of my portables), the fact that I am frequently a plaid-flannel-clad resident of the Pacific Northwest (where lumber is a major industry, not to mention paper products, and other wonderful tree products), and that this blog is about typewriters. The logo is based on that of Seafirst Bank:

The logo was designed in 1966 and lasted until January 1, 2000, when all Seafirst locations became Bank of America branches. (Seafirst was short for Seattle-First National Bank, which was the major bank in Washington prior to Washington Mutual).

Reflecting the new name, I modified the Seafirst logo, making it more rough-hewn, and replacing the 1 with a drawing of a lumberjack's axe. The font I used is identical to Seafirst's logo, and is based on Eurostile. 

A Royal Royaluxe Ressurected

When I bought this typewriter, it was in rough shape. The white parts (75% of the outer metal shell) had large amounts of paint loss and discoloration. The brown parts, thankfully, were intact. I bought a parts Aristocrat and moved its blue body panels to the Royaluxe. However, because the back panel was still in good shape, there is one white panel left on the machine.

Trip to Centralia--5/30-5/31--Part One

These photos are from a trip to Centralia with my dad. They are in no particular order. We stayed at the Olympic Club Hotel--built 1913-ish (restaurant in 1908)

Old posters and photographs fill the hotel and restaurant:

 The restaurant has many folding coat hooks:

 A hint of a surprise for tomorrow:

 Centralia Library

 Cornerstone of old library facade--the original front entrance is now inside the library

 Architectural model of Centralia library expansion, c. 1979

 

 My new 1937 Remington Portable--a birthday gift from my dad:

 A detail of a 1937 Remington portable (see below)

 As you can see, the dealer sticker is as big as my thumb!

 A 1967 Toyota:

 A beautiful 1967 Toyota (old enough to have a Toyopet badge)

 Some shots of the hotel restaurants

 A 1957 Chevy in my favorite shade of brown

 My new 1937 Remington Portable Typewriter--originally sold in Seattle. (Best birthday present ever)

A detail of the table's wrought iron

This woodburning stove, in the restaurant of the Olympic Club Hotel