Orth Game Counter, U.S. Patent Office Model
date: label: date made
content: 1878
name: label: patentee
content: Orth, Philip
label: maker
content: Orth, Philip
label: maker
content: Universal Tally Manufacturing Company
notes: label: Description
content: This U.S. Patent Office model consists of four instruments similar to a Russian abacus. Each has a rectangular open wooden box, with metal rods that extend across the box and carry differing numbers of wooden beads. Wooden pieces divide the box into two or more compartments. Across the middle of each compartment is a flexible spring. Beads may be moved easily over the spring, but retain their position once moved. Two of the counters are specifically for use with games, one with two players and one with six. Another is divided into two sections for counting dollars and cents. The five rods in this device are numbered 0, 10, 100, 1000 and 10,000. The fourth counter has no wooden divider, and is intended for tallying from 0 to 99999.
label: Description
content: A mark on all four parts reads: UNIVERSAL TALLY MFG. Co. A second mark on all four parts reads: WILLIAMSPORT, PA. The first two counters have a mark that reads: RECORD OF GAME. The third part is marked: DOLLARS (/) CENTS. A mark on the final part reads: TALLY.
label: Description
content: According to the 1880 U.S. Census, Phillip Orth was born in Germany in about 1847. By 1880 he was living in Williamsport, Pa., with his wife and two sons. He worked as a bookkeeper.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: Philip Orth, “Improvement in Game-Counters,” U.S. Patent 203,189, April 30, 1878.
label: Description
content: U.S. Census, 1880.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Williamsport
label: place patented
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Williamsport
topic: label: Subject
content: Games
label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Counters
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content: Science & Mathematics
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.309320
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: catalog number
content: 309320
objectType: label: Object Name
content: game counter
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 7.5 cm x 26 cm x 13.2 cm; 2 15/16 in x 10 1/4 in x 5 3/16 in