According to the accompanying instruction book, this is “the world’s first electronic desk calculator.” The full-keyboard, non-printing calculator has ten columns of plastic keys and shows 12-digit results. A column of keys for multiplication is on the left. Keys for arithmetic operations and for clearance are at the front. The machine used vacuum tubes—later electronic calculators would have transistors and then microchips.
The Anita Mark VIII was one of two electronic calculators developed by the British Bell Punch Company in a team led by Norbert Kitz. Kitz had obtained an advanced degree in computer science at the University of London in 1951, studying under computer pioneer Andrew Booth. He applied for a patent for an “electronic calculating machine” as early as 1957. By 1961, Bell Punch exhibited its Mark VII and Mark VIII electronic calculators at trade fairs.
A mark on the front of the machine read: ANITA. A tag on the bottom reads near the top: MODEL NO. C/VII/I006852/A. The tag also includes an extensive list of patent and patent application numbers. The last British patent listed is 868761, which was issued May 25, 1961. A mark on the plastic cover for the machine reads: ANITA
The operating instructions for the Mark VIII received with the machine were distributed by the Inter-Continental Trading Corporation of New York, N.Y. Also received with the machine is a booklet of operating instructions for the Anita Mark 9, a similar machine.
Norbert Kitz filed for a U.S. patent for this machine December 9, 1961(he had filed for earlier U.S. patents in 1957 and 1959), and was granted it October 18, 1966.
References:
Norbert Kitz, "Key Controlled Decimal Electronic Calculating Machine," U.S. Patent 3,280,315, October 18, 1966. There are extensive online discussions of the Anita electronic calculators.
Charles Wheatstone and William Cooke's 5-needle telegraph unit. Wooden case with five pointers along the middle row. Thirteen of the original twenty letters remain on the unit. The pointers indicate which letter of the alphabet is being transmitted. Reference: W. James King, "Development of Electrical Technology in the 19th Century 2: the Telegraph and the Telephone," Bulletin of the United States National Museum (Washington, DC, 1966), 289-291.
Hand balance with a 6-inch iron beam with index, 2.5-inch brass pans, rectangular wooden case, four nested brass weights, and five rectangular brass weights. A paper label in the lid of the box reads: “A TABLE of the Value and Weights of Coins, as they now pass in England, Philadelphia and New-York.” It also reads: “N.B. In Boston and Connecticut Dollars pass for 6S. and C (?) by weight.”
This English common press was made in about 1750. It includes an English box hose and an iron folding candle holder mounted on its off-side cheek; it does not include guide boards. The press has a height of 77 inches a width, at cheeks, of 31 inches and a length of 62 inches; its platen measures 13 inches by 18 inches.
The press was exhibited in the New York Times museum until about 1980, when the museum was dismantled. Its style, particularly its lack of guide boards, suggests a later date than that of the 'Franklin' press. The candle holder is unusual, although not unique among common presses.
Donated by the New York Times in 1983.
Citations: Philip Gaskell, "A Census of Wooden Presses," in Journal of the Printing Historical Society 6, 1970, p. 27; Elizabeth Harris, "Printing Presses in the Graphic Arts Collection," 1996.
This is a collection of parts from a Ferranti paper tape reader received with Burroughs Athena computer. These are bolts and metal rectangular prisms reminiscient of the shape of legos.
Object 1983.3001.50 is the tape reader, objects 1983.3001.38 through 1983.3001.46 and 1983.3001.51 are related parts.
This .60 caliber smoothbore flintlock musket was manufactured in Pennsylvania about 1820 for trade with American Indians. The lockplate, stamped "Ketland & Co." and "UNITED STATES" was manufactured in Britain for use by U.S. military contract manufacturers.
This is a miscellaneous group of spare - or dissassembled - parts, most from the Ferranti Mark II High Speed Tape Reader. Included are:
1. 7 metal drums with attached gears
2. 8 brass gears, with differing additional parts
3. 5 relatively complete connectors, 5 less complete connectors, and numerous connector parts
4. an extra back plate for the tape drive case
5. an extra lamp frame
6. an extra tape drive lever
7. other extra parts, some of them unrelated to the object - these include a Sylvania projection lamp, and an Analex switching device from 1967. There are about 40 parts total.
Object 1983.3001.50 is the tape reader, objects 1983.3001.38 through 1983.3001.45 and 1983.3001.51 are related parts.