Bowmar Math Mate II Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: ca 1975
name: label: maker
content: Bowmar/Ali
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator has a cream-colored plastic case with a dark brown plastic keyboard and tan plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, it has a decimal point key, a total key, keys for the four arithmetic functions, a percent key, and a clear/clear entry key. The on/off switch is right of the clear key. All of these keys were on the Math Mate. In addition, the Math Mate II has a key to turn the memory on and five keys that can do double duty as memory keys.
label: Description
content: Behind these is an eight-digit LED display. A mark on the display reads: math mate. Another mark there reads: by Bowmar.
label: Description
content: The socket for the AC adapter is on the right side. The back of the calculator has a compartment for a battery as well as two rubber feet. The calculator has no serial number.
label: Description
content: The object and a sheet of instructions fit in a cardboard box. A mark on the back of the box reads: math mate by Bowmar (/) The first inexpesive calculator (/) good enough to be called Bowmar. (/) Fully featured (/) Quick and easy to operate (/) Full one year guarantee. Further text reads: Printed in USA. Another mark reads: Assembled in Mexico. A sticker attached to the back of the box reads: CONTINENTAL MICROSYSTEMS (/) P. O. Box 1964 (/) NOGALES, AZ. 85621. A sticker on the other side of the box reads: math mateII (/) with (/) memory.
label: Description
content: Bowmar introduced a calculator in 1971, and had successful sales in 1972 and 1973. Assembly began in Mexico in mid-1974. The company went bankrupt in February 1975 and stopped building calculators in the middle of that year. By 1976 distribution of Bowmar calculators had been taken over by Continental Microsystems.
label: Description
content: A May 8, 1975, advertisement indicates that the Math Mate II regularly sold for $34.95 and was then on sale for $29.88.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.107.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: William D. Smith, "Hand-Held Calculators: Tool or Toy?" <I>New York Times</I>, August 20, 1972, p. F7.
label: Description
content: George Lazarus, "Bowmar's calculators add up sales, potential," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, Jule 27, 1973, p. E10.
label: Description
content: "Business Briefs," <I>New York Times</I>, August 28, 1974, p. 43.
label: Description
content: Leonard Wiener, "Pocket calculator industry in ferment," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, September 23, 1974, p. C9.
label: Description
content: "Bowmar to drop its calculator line," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, p. C9.
label: Description
content: Leonard Wiener, "Calculator's answers are right - it says so," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, June 16, 1976, p. C11.
label: Description
content: <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, May 8, 1975, p. 14.
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
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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: 1986.0988.106
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.106
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; keys; display material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (box; instructions material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 in x 2 3/4 in x 5 1/8 in; 2.54 cm x 6.985 cm x 13.0175 cm