Curta Type I Calculating Machine
date: label: date made
content: 1957
name: label: maker
content: Contina AG Mauren
notes: label: Description
content: This compact cylindrical handheld calculating machine has black metal sides and a plastic top and operating handle. Eight slots along the side of the cylinder hold levers that are pulled down to set numbers. The digit entered appears at the top of the slot. Holes around the edge of the top reveal the digits of the multiplier, which may be up to six digits large. The result also shows through holes around the edge of the top, and may be 11 digits large. The top may be rotated, as one one would move a carriage on an earlier stepped drum calculating machine. Sliding decimal markers indicate decimal places in entries, multipliers, and results.
label: Description
content: To zero the machine, one raises the carriage and rotates a black disc under the operating lever through one turn. The operating handle is pulled out for subtraction and division. Moving a lever on the side of the cylinder causes subtraction rather than addition in the revolution counting register. The machine fits in a black metal cylindrical case. The lid of the case turns clockwise to open.
label: Description
content: The operating instructions received with the machine are stored separately.
label: Description
content: The machine is marked on the case and on the side: CURTA. It is marked on the base: System Curt Herzstark (/) Made in Liechtenstein (/) by Contina AG Mauren (/) Type I No 34691. It is also marked there: Scholl (/) POSTSTRASSE 3. ZURICH. It is marked on the lid: OPEN.
label: Description
content: This example of the Curta was used by Professor Charles T. G. Looney, who taught engineering at the University of Maryland.
label: Description
content: The Curta calculating machine was invented by the Austrian Curt Hertzstark (1902–1988). He worked on the design during World War II as a prisoner at the Nazi concentration camp of Buchenwald, and produced the machine after the war in Leichtenstein. The Curta Type I was manufactured from 1949 until early 1972, when handheld electronic calculators replaced it.
label: Description
content: Compare to 1981.0922.01.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Curt Hertstark, Interview with Erwin Tomash, September 10 and 11, 1987, Oral History 140, Charles Babbage Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Liechtenstein
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Calculating Machines
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content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Professor Charles T.G. Looney
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.333848
label: catalog number
content: 333848
label: accession number
content: 303780
label: maker number
content: 34691
objectType: label: Object Name
content: calculating machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 cm x 5.7 cm x 5.7 cm; 4 23/32 in x 2 1/4 in x 2 1/4 in