Bowmar MX55 Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: 1974
name: label: maker
content: Bowmar/Ali
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator is one of a series devices introduced by Bowmar in the early 1970s. A LED (light–emitting diode) display manufacturer and defense contractor, Bowmar/Ali, Inc. (USA), found they could not sell their displays to Japanese electronic calculator makers. In 1970–71, Bowmar decided to design and manufacture portable calculators. Some were marketed by other companies, other, like this one, by Bowmar/Ali.
label: Description
content: The handheld calculator has a black plastic case with ten digit keys, a decimal key, keys for the four arithmetic functions, a total key, a percentage key, and a clear/clear entry key. The on/off switch is on the keyboard, the eight-digit display behind this. The plug for the power supply is on the right side. A mark at the top reads: Bowmar. It uses the Bowmar trademark registered in 1974.
label: Description
content: A sticker on the back of the calculator reads in part: Bowmar MX55 PERSONAL CALCULATOR (/) WITH OMNI-CONSTANT® REGISTER. It also reads in part: BOWMAR MODEL MX55 SERIAL NO. 210116 (/) BOWMAR/ALI, 531 MAIN ST., ACTON, MA. Pat. Pend. (/) ASSEMBLED IN MEXICO.
label: Description
content: The calculator is in a cardboard case marked: MX55 Five Function (/) Eight Digit Rechargeable Batteries (/) Electronic Calculator (/) The Bowmar Brains (/) Bowmar/ALI, Inc., 531 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts 01720. The box holds not only the calculator but a black zippered sleeve marked: Bowmar. A power supply and an instruction booklet are also included.
label: Description
content: According to Ball and Flamm, the MX55 sold in 1974 at a list price of $69. A December 4, 1975 advertisement in the <I>New York Times</I> gives an initial price of $44.95 and a discount price of $17.00.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.058 and 1986.0988.205.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, <I>The Complete Collector's Guide to Pocket Calculators</I>, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, pp. 35–37.
label: Description
content: <I>New York Times</I>, December 4, 1975, p. 16.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Mexico
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Computers
label: See more items in
content: Computers & Business Machines
label: See more items in
content: Handheld Electronic Calculators
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of John B. Priser
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0988.059
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.059
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; keys; circuit board; display material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (box; instructions material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (cord material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 1/4 in x 3 in x 5 3/4 in; 3.175 cm x 7.62 cm x 14.605 cm