Star Adding Machine
date: label: date made
content: 1925
name: label: maker
content: Todd Protectograph Company
notes: label: Description
content: This small lever-set non-printing manually operated adding machine has a black metal case with a lid that opens to reveal nine curved levers. These levers are moved forward to set a number. The nine red plastic keys across the top of the machine are for subtraction. The metal handle may be used to carry the machine when the lid is closed. The machine has four rubber feet. It is marked on the front: STAR ADDING MACHINE (/) MANUFACTURED BY (/) TODD PROTECTOGRAPH CO. (/) ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A. (/) PATENTED NOV. 22 1921. OTHER PATENTS PENDING. It is marked on the bottom with serial number: 21243. This example is from the collection of Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company.
label: Description
content: According to <I>Typewriter Topics</I>, the lid was added to the Star in 1924. It served both to keep out dust and to allow the machine to be locked. That year, the device sold for $44. The Star had sold previously as the AMCO, and was purchased by the Todd Company and renamed in 1922. It was redesigned and put on the market as the Todd Visible in April 1926.
label: Description
content: Compare MA.326517.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: E. Martin, <I>The Calculating Machines (Die Rechenmaschinen)</I>, trans. P. A. Kidwell and M. R. Williams, Cambridge: MIT Press, 1992, pp. 326-328.
label: Description
content: <I>Typewriter Topics</I>, vol. 58, October (?), 1924, p. 77.
label: Description
content: <I>Business Machines and Equipment Digest</I>, 1928, sec. 3-1A, p. 4.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Rochester
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Adding Machines
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Victor Comptometer Corporation
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.323595
label: accession number
content: 250163
label: catalog number
content: 323595
objectType: label: Object Name
content: adding machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 14.5 cm x 17.5 cm x 17 cm; 5 23/32 in x 6 7/8 in x 6 11/16 in