General Antiques and Collectibles Spring Auction
Lot 78:
Description
C-17477
c. 1920s; Baby Calculator Machine Co. – Chicago, Illinois Early pocket mechanical calculator produced by Baby Calculator Machine Co., Chicago. Constructed of enameled metal, the device features sliding columns for entering digits with a stylus (included) to perform addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Compact and durable, these mechanical aids were marketed as convenient tools for clerks, bookkeepers, and traveling salesmen before affordable electric calculators became available. The Baby Calculator was among a number of small-format slide calculators popular in the early 20th century, representing the transition between manual arithmetic and electronic computing. Surviving examples are valued as both functional novelties and artifacts of early office technology.
Surface wear, scratches, and minor paint loss consistent with age and handling. Numerals and lettering remain legible; stylus present.
5.75" W x 3" H
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