Posted 2 years ago
AnythingOb…
(1778 items)
Came across this thing being used as 'just a sturdy metal box' to hold other stuff, which admittedly it is very good for, and actually seems like it has probably spent lots of its life doing, but it only took a moment to notice the wonderful (then upside down) red and gold stenciled COMPTOMETER name and info on each of its ends. (both shown, same on each)
The COMPTOMETER (pronounce like THERMOMETER) was apparently rather a big deal in its time -- "the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator" according to our friend Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comptometer
Again according to that, the machines were made over a long period of history in numerous models, I don't know anything particular about which variety this box was apparently the 'dust cover' for, but the company history would indicate it is a pre-1957 model at least, and I'll guess a few decades older than that because it looks that old. ;-) :-)
