Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

PORTABLE ADDING MACHINE

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1960

Materials

ALUMINUM, STEEL, PAPER, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

8

Description

1. BOX: BRIGHT YELLOW TOP WITH RED PRINTING. BOX IS 36.8CM (L) X 11.5CM (W) X 4.5CM (H) WITH ONE END OF COVER TORN. YELLOW COVER HAS "LIGHTNING PORTABLE ADDING MACHINE", "AMERICA'S GREAT DESK MODEL" WITH LIGHTNING BOLT STEMMING FROM THE "G" AT THE END OF THE WORD "LIGHTNING". IN TOP LEFT CORNER IS WHITE SQUARE WITH TWO STARS AND "TAX TIME EVERY TIME ALL THE TIME". IN BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER IS ANOTHER SQUARE WITH "NEWEST SUB(???)NG MODEL" AND "ONE STROKE CLEARANCE DIRECT SUBTRACTION". ACROSS BOTTOM IN SMALL LETTERING IS "MANUFACTURED BY LIGHTNING ADDING MACHINE SALES CO., LOS ANGELES 7, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.". HAND WRITTEN IN BLUE IN THREE PLACES IS "J. ROGALSKY". BOTTOM OF BOX IS PLAIN CARDBOARD. YELLOW PAPER COVERING IS DIRTY AND WORN ALONG EDGES. 2. ADDING MACHINE: 30.5 CM (L) X 6.4CM (W) X 1.1CM (H) ALUMINUM CASING WITH 7 NUMBERED DIALS. FRONT COVER OF MACHINE IS GREY WITH WHITE PRINTING. HAS 7 CIRCULAR OPENINGS WITH STOP TAB AT BOTTOM RIGHT OF EACH. AROUND EACH ARE WHITE NUMBERS GOING FROM 0 TO 9 COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AND IN YELLOW 0 TO 9 GOING CLOCKWISE. ABOVE DIALS ARE NUMBER GROUPINGS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT "TEN THOUSANDS", "THOUSANDS", "HUNDREDS", "TENS", "DOLLARS", "CENTS", "CENTS". ABOVE THESE ARE 7 SQUARE OPENINGS WITH NUMBERS WHICH CHANGE AS DIALS ARE TURNED. EACH DIAL HAS 10 HOLES WITH WHICH TO BE TURNED WITH PENCIL. THE TWO DIALS ON EITHER END ARE MADE OF COPPER. ACROSS TOP IS "TO SUBTRACT DIAL SMALL FIGURES" WITH ARROW POINTING TO THE RIGHT AND "TO ADD DIAL LARGE FIGURES" WITH ARROW POINTING TO THE LEFT. IN TOP LEFT CORNER IS "PULL LEVER TO CLEAR" WITH ARROW POINTING TO LEVER AT END OF MACHINE, WHICH WHEN PULLED CLEARS ALL NUMBERS BACK TO ZERO. IN BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IS "MFGD. BY LIGHTNING ADDING MACHINE SALES CO. LOS ANGELES 7, CALIF. U.S.A.". BACK OF MACHINE IS COVERED WITH BEIGE FELT WHICH IS WORN AND LOOSE ALONG EDGES. 3. MACHINE BASE: BROWN AND BLACK MARBLED BAKELITE BASE WHICH MACHINE SITS IN. RECTANGULAR TRAY 35.5CM (L) X 11CM (W) HAS RAISED BACK SIDE SO FRONT IS SLOPED AT ABOUT 30 DEGREES. FRONT HAS TROUGH MOLD TO SET MACHINE INTO. BOTTOM HAS FOUR ROUND CORK FEET. BOTTOM OF FRONT HAS LEDGE RAISED FROM IT. 4. STYLUS: ALUMINUM STYLUS 13CM LONG WITH NARROWED TIP LIKE A PUNCH. STYLUS IS USED TO TURN DIALS ON MACHINE. 5. GUARANTEE CERTIFICATE: ORANGE COLORED PAPER CERTIFICATE 21.5CM X 8.5CM. FRONT HAS "GUARANTEE CERTIFICATE" IN STYLIZED WRITING WITH "020455" TO ITS LEFT. BENEATH IS WRITTEN GUARANTEE AND INSTRUCTIONS. IN BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IS SIGNATURE OF "SALES MANAGER" AND "LIGHTNING ADDING MACHINE SALES CO. 234 WEST 37TH PLACE, LOS ANGELES 7". IN BOTTOM LEFT CORNER IS "PRINTED IN U.S.A." REVERSE IS BLANK. 6. MAIL ORDER FORM: FOLDED PAPER FORM WITH FADED ORANGE COLORING. READS "SPECIAL MAILING SERVICE" AND "GIVE A LIGHTNING! $19.95" WITH "SERVICE GUARANTEE". BENEATH IS ORDER FORM AND INSTRUCTIONS "MAIL THIS COUPON TO CROWN EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., 1011 BLEURY STREET, MONTREAL 1, CANADA". IN BOTTOM RIGHT CORNER IS "PRINTED IN U.S.A.". REVERSE IS BLANK. 7. INSTRUCTION BOOKLET: 15.2CM X 8.1XM PAPER BOOKLET. COVER HAS PICTURE OF MACHINE AND A PAIR OF HANDS USING IT. COVER READS "HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR NEW LIGHTNING ADDING MACHINE". BOOK CONTAINS INSTRUCTIONS AND TIPS FOR USE OF ADDING MACHINE. AT BOTTOM OF BACK COVER IS "LIGHTNING ADDING MACHINE SALES COMPANY 234 WEST 37TH PLACE LOS ANGELES, CALIF." AND "DEPT. N-5" AND "PRINTED IN U.S.A.". 8. LOG SHEET: LINED WHITE PAPER WITH HAND DRAWN COLUMNS 27.6CM X 21.2CM. TOP LEFT CORNER READS "FLOCK 1958-59". COLUMNS HAVE RECORDED NUMBERS BY DAY AND MONTH. MONTH AND DAY ARE IN INK AND RECORDED VALUES ARE IN PENCIL. BOTH SIDES ARE COVERED. PAPER IS FOLDED AND YELLOWING WITH A NUMBER OF SMALL OIL STAINS.

Subjects

DATA PROCESSING T&E

Historical Association

RETAIL TRADE

History

ADDING MACHINE WAS USED TO CALCULATE EGG SALES. MACHINE WAS PURCHASED IN 1958 AND USED BY DONOR WHO WAS A MECHANIC WHO RAISED CHICKENS ON THE SIDE.

Catalogue Number

P19940013000

Acquisition Date

1994-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail