Keuffel & Esser N4058-W Beginner's Simplex Slide Rule
date: label: date made
content: 1954-1959
name: label: maker
content: Keuffel & Esser Co.
notes: label: Description
content: This ten-inch wooden linear slide rule is painted white. The indicator is frameless plastic. The base has A, D, and K scales. The slide has B, CI, and C scales on one side and S, L, and T scales on the other side. The back of the rule is printed with a table of equivalents and abbreviations, based on National Bureau of Standards Circular No. 47. Compare to 1984.1068.01. The back is marked: KEUFFEL & ESSER CO.; BEGINNER'S SLIDE RULE. N4058W; MADE IN U. S. A. There is no serial number. The case is green leatherette and is marked: K+E.
label: Description
content: In 1897, Keuffel & Esser began to sell a slide rule for students. It was constructed inexpensively and was intended to be replaced once students had mastered the basic operations. The version with this model number and these scales was offered between 1944 and 1959, although the all-plastic indicator was not introduced until 1954. Model N4058W sold for $2.50 in 1959. Longtime NMAH staff member Barbara Coffee donated this example to the Smithsonian.
label: Description
content: Reference: Clark McCoy, "Collection of Pages from K&E Catalogs for the 4058 Family," http://www.mccoys-kecatalogs.com/KEModels/ke4058family.htm.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New Jersey, Hoboken
topic: label: Subject
content: Rule, Calculating
label: Subject
content: Mathematics
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Mathematics
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content: Science & Mathematics
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content: Slide Rules
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Barbara J. Coffee
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1987.0184.01
label: accession number
content: 1987.0184
label: catalog number
content: 1987.0184.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: slide rule
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: plastic (cursor material)
label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: fabric (case material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 1.1 cm x 29.3 cm x 5.2 cm; 7/16 in x 11 17/32 in x 2 1/16 in