Dietzgen 3394 PowERaser
date: label: date made
content: ca 1950
name: label: distributor
content: Eugene Dietzgen Company
label: maker
content: Eugene Dietzgen Company
notes: label: Description
content: This electric drafting tool consists of a 90" power cord, a motor in a 5" cylindrical black plastic casing, and a 1-1/2" aluminum collar in which is inserted a pink rubber eraser. The side of the tool has a label marked: DIETZGEN PowERaser (/) 115 V. • 0.35 AMP (/) AC • DC. The end of the tool next to the cord is marked: DIETZGEN (/) NO. 3394 (/) ←OFF – 110 – 115V – AC-DC - ON→. A label around the cord about 10" from the plug is marked: Cab [illegible] Inc. (/) Inspected (/) Power (/) Supply Cord (/) P–732 (/) BELDEN (/) MFG. (/) CO. Masking tape is wrapped around the cord about 8" from the handle.
label: Description
content: The Eugene Dietzgen Co. introduced model 3394A in 1938 for $6.50, increasing the price to $7.50 in 1943. Originally, the casing was shorter and the outside of the collar holding the eraser was smooth rather than threaded. The instrument was renumbered to model 3394, lightened from 14 to 12 ounces, and redesigned to the form of this object by 1948. Belden Manufacturing Company began making insulated wiring in Chicago in 1902. It manufactured only war materials during World War II, but it returned to supplying private firms such as Dietzgen in 1945.
label: Description
content: According to the donor, this electric eraser was used by her husband, the electrical engineer Robert H. Wieler (1923–1993). He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, attended Hofstra University in the early 1950s, worked for Sperry Gyroscope for 27 years, and then worked for Colt Firearms and Abraham Strauss of New York before retiring in 1985. Presumably he acquired the eraser during his studies or during his career at Sperry.
label: Description
content: References: <i>Catalog of Eugene Dietzgen Co.</i>, 15th ed. (Chicago, 1938), 352; Eugene Dietzgen Co., <i>Price List No. 25</i> (Chicago, 1943); Eugene Dietzgen Co., <i>Catalog 22D: Drafting Materials</i> (Chicago, 1948), 106; Belden Inc., "Company History," http://www.belden.com/aboutbelden/company/history/; accession file.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Illinois, Chicago
label: place distributed
content: United States: Illinois, Chicago
topic: label: Subject
content: Mathematics
label: Subject
content: Drafting, Engineering
label: Subject
content: Drawing Instruments
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
label: See more items in
content: Pens and Pencils
label: See more items in
content: Science & Mathematics
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Norma P. Wieler
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1998.0032.15
label: catalog number
content: 1998.0032.15
label: accession number
content: 1998.0032
objectType: label: Object Name
content: eraser
label: Object Name
content: eraser, electric
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: plastic (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: rubber (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 17.5 cm x 5.3 cm x 5.3 cm; 6 7/8 in x 2 3/32 in x 2 3/32 in