Thomas Arithmometer
date: label: date made
content: ca 1873
name: label: maker
content: Thomas, Charles Xavier
notes: label: Description
content: This stepped drum manual non-printing calculating machine has a brass and steel mechanism that fits neatly in a wooden case. Ten levers are pushed back to enter digits, with a stepped drum below each lever. The brass plate that covers the drums and top of the machine has slits in it to allow these and other parts to move. The edges of the slits next to digit levers are numbered from 0 to 9 to indicate the digit entered. Another lever, located to the left of these, is either pushed back for addition and multiplication or forward for subtraction and division.
label: Description
content: Further to the left is a glass-covered compartment that holds the decimal markers, key, and loose parts to the machine. The operating crank is right of the digit levers. It's ivory handle folds down so that the lid closes.
label: Description
content: Behind the levers is a movable carriage with 11 windows for the revolution register and 20 windows for the result register. The black knob for zeroing the revolution register is on the right of the carriage, and a knob for zeroing the result register is on the left. Both the revolution and the result register have thumbscrews for entering numbers and holes for decimal markers between the windows of the registers. The eighteen decimal markers in the compartment have a brass base and ivory top. The case is painted black and the lid is shaped so that it fits in holes in the sides of the case that allow for motion of the zeroing mechanisms in the carriage.
label: Description
content: A mark at the center of the machine reads: THOMAS de COLMAR (/) A PARIS (/) INVENTEUR (/) No. 1068. A mark next to the lever near the center reads: ADDON ET MULTON (/) SOUSTON ET DIVISON. The lid of the machine is marked: Arithmomètre.
label: Description
content: Thomas Egleston of Columbia University’s School of Mines was a judge in Group 1 (Mining, Quarrying and Metallurgy) at the 1873 exposition held Vienna. The firm of Thomas exhibited at this exposition, and it is possible that Egleston arranged to purchase this machine at that time.
label: Description
content: An instruction book received with the instrument and stored separately is dated 1868.
label: Description
content: Compare MA.328869.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: P. A. Kidwell, “Scientists and Calculating Machines,” <I>Annals of the History of Computing</I>, 12, 1990, pp. 31–40.
label: Description
content: Robert H. Thustron, <I>Reports of the Commisioners of the United States to the International Exhibition Held at Vienna, 1873</I>, Washington: GPO, 1876, vol. 1, p. 118.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: France: Île-de-France, Paris
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 Columbia University, Henry Krumb School of Mines
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: MA.335215
label: catalog number
content: 335215
label: accession number
content: 318961
label: maker number
content: 1068
objectType: label: Object Name
content: calculating machine
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ivory (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 10 cm x 71.2 cm x 19 cm; 3 15/16 in x 28 1/32 in x 7 15/32 in