Royal Royalite portables

Advertisement for the Royalite. From the Seattle Times, 12/14/56

In 1954, Royal McBee corporation purchased an emerging typewriter manufacturer from Holland, who only made small portable typewriters, which were known as Halberg Travelers. Very few Halberg-labeled typewriters were made; most are found under the name Royal. Royal altered the design of the Traveler--the gull-wing ribbon covers were removed, as was the console carrying case, which was similar to that of the Smith-Corona Skyriter. These were replaced by a removable ribbon cover, which stretched down the sides of the machine, and a zippered carrying case, which was made of vinyl. They were sold under a new name: Royal Royalite. 

1962 Royalite. Author's Collection

While the earliest Royalites were one-tone green, later models could be found in two-tone gray, or in a special name variant, called the Eldorado, in black and gold. These typewriters came in vinyl attache cases. For 1963, the zippered carrying case was replaced by a front-latched vinyl carrying case. In 1963, the Halberg-designed Royalite was offered one last time, as the Royalite '64, which was the first Royalite to be offered with a two-color ribbon. However, this was not the last use of the Halberg design. Until 1967, versions with a raised ribbon cover, which did not stretch down the sides, were offered as the "Royal Citadel," the "Royal Lark," the "Royal Dart," and the "Singer Scholastic," which was sold only at Singer Sewing Machine Centers.

1963 Royalite, showing the later carrying case Author's Collection

1963 Royal Citadel

For 1968, the metal-bodied Royalite was replaced by a plastic-bodied version. This machine appears to have been discontinued around 1969, when Royal began importing compact portables from Japan. More information about these machines can be found here