Ray Subtracto - Adder On Desk Stand (Adder, Adding Machine)
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:24028 | Maker: Ray Adding Machine Co. |
The Ray “Subtracto-Adder” was made by the Ray Adding Machine Co. in New York City starting in 1905, and later in its life it was known as the “Figuraytor”. By 1925, Ernst Martin reports, “…the present address of this firm is unknown.” That may have had something to do with the price. The Subtracto-Adder sold for $25 when the Calculator Corp. machine and the Lightning were $10-$15, albeit those two did not have subtraction capability at that time. L...ittle else is known about the Ray. It was available as the adder only, or on a desk stand, like this one. I’ve seen pictures of one on a wooden stand.
As for condition, I can tell you that the third and fourth dials work very well. The others less so, and the first two won’t move at all. Also, the calculator and desk stand appear to be mis-assembled. There are holes with springs in them at the upper corners of the desk stand piece that the calculator mounts in. See the pictures of the cast-in “Ray” logo on either end. I believe those springs would have pushed on plungers that locked into detents in the end pieces (see the last picture) allowing the calculator to be used at a variety of angles. This one seems to have been disassembled (the two hex-head screws on the ends, at the bottom of the calculator), and the calculator taken from inside the frame to outside, which is possibly when the spring loaded plungers launched themselves and were never found. The two pins at the top, which originally kept the calculator from rotating too far forward, now rest against the top bar, on the opposite side from where they should be.
The calculator itself has quite a heavy baseplate, easily 1/8” (3 mm) thick. It is not apparent how that baseplate is attached to the desk stand. I cannot find any screws, rivets, or other normal means of attachment. It may be pressed in. The baseplate is slightly warped, being a bit high in the middle. That allows the cover (the black part) to ‘rock’ if you alternately press firmly on either end. This is not a useless exercise as it reveals that the cover merely snaps on, allowing for at least the possibility of repair. Feeling lucky? Three of the 4 original rubber feet are present, but the rubber is now quite hard and the feet regularly fall off.
This adding machine 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. Buyers within California will be charged 7.25% sales tax.
Shipping will be by USPS Priority Mail. Shipping charges will be somewhat higher for destinations outside the USA.
As for condition, I can tell you that the third and fourth dials work very well. The others less so, and the first two won’t move at all. Also, the calculator and desk stand appear to be mis-assembled. There are holes with springs in them at the upper corners of the desk stand piece that the calculator mounts in. See the pictures of the cast-in “Ray” logo on either end. I believe those springs would have pushed on plungers that locked into detents in the end pieces (see the last picture) allowing the calculator to be used at a variety of angles. This one seems to have been disassembled (the two hex-head screws on the ends, at the bottom of the calculator), and the calculator taken from inside the frame to outside, which is possibly when the spring loaded plungers launched themselves and were never found. The two pins at the top, which originally kept the calculator from rotating too far forward, now rest against the top bar, on the opposite side from where they should be.
The calculator itself has quite a heavy baseplate, easily 1/8” (3 mm) thick. It is not apparent how that baseplate is attached to the desk stand. I cannot find any screws, rivets, or other normal means of attachment. It may be pressed in. The baseplate is slightly warped, being a bit high in the middle. That allows the cover (the black part) to ‘rock’ if you alternately press firmly on either end. This is not a useless exercise as it reveals that the cover merely snaps on, allowing for at least the possibility of repair. Feeling lucky? Three of the 4 original rubber feet are present, but the rubber is now quite hard and the feet regularly fall off.
This adding machine 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. Buyers within California will be charged 7.25% sales tax.
Shipping will be by USPS Priority Mail. Shipping charges will be somewhat higher for destinations outside the USA.
