Bowmar Math Mate Handheld Electronic Calculator
date: label: date made
content: ca 1975
name: label: maker
content: Bowmar/Ali
notes: label: Description
content: This handheld electronic calculator has a cream-colored plastic case with a charcoal-colored plastic keyboard and blue plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, it has a decimal point key, a total key, keys for the four arithmetic functions, a percent key, and a clear/clear entry key. The on/off switch is right of the clear key. Behind these is an eight-digit LED display. A mark on the display reads: math mate. Another mark there reads: by Bowmar.
label: Description
content: The socket for the AC adapter is on the right side. The back of the calculator has a compartment for a battery as well as two rubber feet. The calculator has no serial number.
label: Description
content: The object and a sheet of instructions fit in a cardboard box. A mark on the back of the box reads: math mate by Bowmar (/) The first inexpensive calculator (/) good enough to be called Bowmar. (/) Fully featured (/) Quick and easy to operate (/) Full one year guarantee. Further text reads: Printed in USA. Another mark reads: Assembled in Mexico. A sticker attached to the back of the box reads: CONTINENTAL MICROSYSTEMS (/) P. O. Box 1964 (/) NOGALES, AZ. 85621l.
label: Description
content: Bowmar introduced a calculator in 1971, and had successful sales in 1972 and 1973. Assembly began in Mexico in mid-1974. The company went bankrupt in February 1975 and stopped building calculators in the middle of that year. By 1976 distribution of Bowmar calculators had been taken over by Continental Microsystems. A September 14, 1975, advertisement indicates that the Math Mate then was on sale for $14.77.
label: Description
content: Compare 1986.0988.106.
label: Description
content: References:
label: Description
content: William D. Smith, "Hand-Held Calculators: Tool or Toy?" <I>New York Times</I>, August 20, 1972, p. F7.
label: Description
content: George Lazarus, "Bowmar's calculators add up sales, potential," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, June 27, 1973, p. E10.
label: Description
content: "Business Briefs," <I>New York Times</I>, August 28, 1974, p. 43.
label: Description
content: Leonard Wiener, "Pocket calculator industry in ferment," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, September 23, 1974, p. C9.
label: Description
content: "Bowmar to drop its calculator line," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, p. C9.
label: Description
content: Leonard Wiener, "Calculator's answers are right - it says so," <I>Chicago Tribune</I>, June 16, 1976, p. C11.
label: Description
content: <I>Washington Post</I>, September 14, 1975, p. 136.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: Mexico
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: 1986.0988.107
label: accession number
content: 1986.0988
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0988.107
objectType: label: Object Name
content: electronic calculator
label: Other Terms
content: electronic calculator; Handheld
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (case; display; keys material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (circuitry material)
label: Physical Description
content: paper (box; instructions material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 in x 2 1/2 in x 5 1/8 in; 2.54 cm x 6.35 cm x 13.0175 cm