Curta Type 2 Mechanical Calculator / Adding Machine
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:18825705 | Maker: Contina AG |
| Featured Refinements: Mechanical Calculator |
This is the well-known Curta calculator, designed by Curt Herzstark during WWII while he was a prisoner of war, and made by his company, Contina Ltd., in Mauren, Liechtenstein. This is an early Type 2, the larger of the two sizes of Curta calculator that were made. The serial number, 505262, indicates that this Type 2 was made in 1955, the second year of production for Type 2’s. Being an early Curta, this one has a metal crank handle, a metal clearing lever, and of ...course a metal can.
This Curta works perfectly. There is ever so slightly more resistance to turning the crank than if the calculator had just been cleaned and lubed, but it is not objectionable. There is a scrape and dent in the bottom of the calculator which appears to be from dropping the calculator onto a very hard surface. A couple scrapes can also be seen on the top and bottom knurled rings. Overall the calculator is a bit dirty, but the only place it is obviously seen is on the number readouts at the top. Those look as though this calculator was at some point owned by a very heavy smoker. The zeroes are by far the dirtiest digits, telling me that this Curta sat, cleared and exposed, on someone’s desk for a long time. As for the can, the cork pad in the bottom of the can is completely gone (except to tiny remnants still glued to the can) and has been replaced by two layers of thin plastic foam, the kind used to pack fine china plates. The rubber bumper in the top of the can has been smashed into an unrecognizable shape, and has hardened. The calculator does not rattle in the can, but if you replace the rubber bumper in the top of the can, you will probably want to remove one layer of the foam in the bottom so that the lid will close completely but put minimum pressure on the calculator.
This calculator is from the collection of Robert K. (“Bob”) Otnes, PhD, one of the founding members of the Oughtred Society and the original editor of the Journal of the Oughtred Society. It is being sold by the Oughtred Society on his behalf.
The Oughtred Society was founded in 1991 by a group of slide rule collectors and is dedicated to the preservation and history of slide rules and other calculating instruments. Membership is open to anyone. Further information about the Oughtred Society can be found at: http://www.oughtred.org/.
PayPal is the only accepted form of payment. Starting 01 Oct 2019, Ebay is collecting sales tax for the 34 states that are charging sales tax on Internet purchases.
Shipping will be by USPS Priority Mail. Shipping charges will be somewhat higher for destinations outside the USA.
This Curta works perfectly. There is ever so slightly more resistance to turning the crank than if the calculator had just been cleaned and lubed, but it is not objectionable. There is a scrape and dent in the bottom of the calculator which appears to be from dropping the calculator onto a very hard surface. A couple scrapes can also be seen on the top and bottom knurled rings. Overall the calculator is a bit dirty, but the only place it is obviously seen is on the number readouts at the top. Those look as though this calculator was at some point owned by a very heavy smoker. The zeroes are by far the dirtiest digits, telling me that this Curta sat, cleared and exposed, on someone’s desk for a long time. As for the can, the cork pad in the bottom of the can is completely gone (except to tiny remnants still glued to the can) and has been replaced by two layers of thin plastic foam, the kind used to pack fine china plates. The rubber bumper in the top of the can has been smashed into an unrecognizable shape, and has hardened. The calculator does not rattle in the can, but if you replace the rubber bumper in the top of the can, you will probably want to remove one layer of the foam in the bottom so that the lid will close completely but put minimum pressure on the calculator.
This calculator is from the collection of Robert K. (“Bob”) Otnes, PhD, one of the founding members of the Oughtred Society and the original editor of the Journal of the Oughtred Society. It is being sold by the Oughtred Society on his behalf.
The Oughtred Society was founded in 1991 by a group of slide rule collectors and is dedicated to the preservation and history of slide rules and other calculating instruments. Membership is open to anyone. Further information about the Oughtred Society can be found at: http://www.oughtred.org/.
PayPal is the only accepted form of payment. Starting 01 Oct 2019, Ebay is collecting sales tax for the 34 states that are charging sales tax on Internet purchases.
Shipping will be by USPS Priority Mail. Shipping charges will be somewhat higher for destinations outside the USA.
