Bowmar 901B Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: ca 1972
name: label: maker
content: Bowmar/Ali
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator has a gray and charcoal case and an array of black "Klixon" keys. Such keys have a design trademarked by Texas Instruments and make a distinctive click when pressed. In addition to ten digit keys and one decimal point key, the calculator has four keys for arithmetic functions. One serves as a total key for addition, another as a difference key for subtraction. The top of the keyboard has a constant switch, a D key for recalling the display (which turns off after fifteen seconds), a clear entry key, and a red clear key. The on/off switch is behind the clear key and the eight-digit red LED display behind this. A cord for recharging the battery attachs at the back of the top. (This example has no cord.)
label: Description
content: The back has four plastic feet. A metal plate there gives operating instructions. Text near the bottom of it reads: BOWMAR MODEL 901 B (/) SER. Mo 203295 (/) BOWMAR/ALI , INC ACTON, MASS 01720 (/) MADE IN U.S.A. PATENT PEND. Stamped in ink on the bottom of the back are the numbers: 72 52 35.
label: Description
content: This is the first model of an electronic calculator sold by Bomar/Ali, and the first type of commercial handheld electronic calculator manufactured in the United States.
label: Description
content: Compare 1987.0435.025, the same calculator sold as the Craig 4501, and 1986.0988,035, the Radio Shack EC-200.
label: Description
content: Reference:
label: Description
content: Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, <I>The Complete Collector's Guide to Pocket Calculators</I>, Tustin CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, pp. 35–36.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
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: 1986.0988.129
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.129
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; keys; display cover material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry; keyboard; plaque on back material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 1/2 in x 3 in x 5 1/4 in; 3.81 cm x 7.62 cm x 13.335 cm