Corvus 411 Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: ca 1974
name: label: maker
content: Corvus Corporation
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator was manufactured by a subsidiary of Mostek Corporation, Corvus Corporation of Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1969 as a spinoff of Texas Instruments, Mostek became a leading manufacturer of semiconductors. Some of its first products were chips used by the Japanese firm of Busicom in desktop electronic calculators— in 1970, Busicom introduced such a calculator that used only a single Mostek chip. For a brief time in the 1970s, Mostek sold electronic calculators under the name Corvus. According to trademark registration for Corvus, the term was first used in commerce referring to an electronic digital calculator in 1973. Advertisements for the Corvus 411 appeared in 1974.
label: Description
content: The calculator has a cream-colored plastic case and twenty rectangular plastic keys with a brown keyboard behind them. These include ten digit keys, a decimal point key and a total key. Right of these is a column of four function keys. Directly above the digit keys is a row with EE (enter exponent), pi, inverse, and square root keys. Behind this are two memory keys, an exchange key, and an orange clear key. A sticker directly behind the keyboard reads: CORVUS. Behind this is is a red LED display. It shows the sign of the mantissa, six digits of the mantissa, the sign of the exponent, and two digits of the exponent.
label: Description
content: On the back at the bottom is a compartment for four nickel cadmium batteries. A sticker above the battery compartment reads in part: CORVUS 411 (/) ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR. It also reads: SERIAL NO. (/) 411-0135447. It also reads: POWER 6VDC 100 mA 115 (/) V with adaptor (/) CAUTION: Attempted repair (/) by unauthorized persons will (/) void warranty. (/) CORVUS (/) CORPORATION (/) Dallas, Texas. Included are an AC power adapter and an owner’s manual.
label: Description
content: All these materials fit into a cardboard box. A mark on the lid of the box reads: CORVUS (/) SLIDE RULE (/) CALCULATOR (/) WITH MEMORY (/) 411. A tag on the bottom of the box reads: $69.95.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, October 1, 1974, p. 6. Several Corvus calculators advertised (not the Corvus 312). The Corvus 411 regularly $99.95, on sale for $69.88.
label: Description
content: [Advertisement], <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, November 12, 1974, p. 8. The Corvus 411, regularly $99.95, is advertised as on sale for $69.88.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Texas, Dallas
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: 1986.0988.057
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.057
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; display window; buttons material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (box; sticker material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 5/8 in x 3 in x 6 in; 4.1275 cm x 7.62 cm x 15.24 cm