Computers & Business Machines
Imagine the loss, 100 years from now, if museums hadn't begun preserving the artifacts of the computer age. The last few decades offer proof positive of why museums must collect continuously—to document technological and social transformations already underway.
The museum's collections contain mainframes, minicomputers, microcomputers, and handheld devices. Computers range from the pioneering ENIAC to microcomputers like the Altair and the Apple I. A Cray2 supercomputer is part of the collections, along with one of the towers of IBM's Deep Blue, the computer that defeated reigning champion Garry Kasparov in a chess match in 1997. Computer components and peripherals, games, software, manuals, and other documents are part of the collections. Some of the instruments of business include adding machines, calculators, typewriters, dictating machines, fax machines, cash registers, and photocopiers
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Child's Cup
- Description
- Spun cylindrical child's cup with wide, low-relief band applied at midbody depicting a parade of children playing instruments in a forest. Engraved "Arthur Wallace Dunn Jr. / From, J.B.M." in script above and below the band on front, opposite an ear-shaped "caterpillar" handle. Applied molded rim and flared foot ring. Gold washed interior. Rounded bottom struck with a full set of incuse marks on underside for "TIFFANY & C\o" above date letter "M" between pattern and order numbers "5470" and "1902", and "STERLING"; additional numbers scratched next to maker's name.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1891
- maker
- Tiffany & Co.
- ID Number
- DL.307672.0009
- catalog number
- 307672.0009
- accession number
- 307672
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tobacco Pipe
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1880 - 1895
- ID Number
- DL.368372Z
- catalog number
- 368372Z
- accession number
- 129711
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
William Schulze 12-Keyed Flute
- Description
This flute was made by William G. Schulze in New York, New York around 1880 to 1890. It is a 12-keyed flute made of rosewood with nickel silver ferrules and keys. This flute has a medallion that is engraved:
WM G.SCHULZE
MAKER
NEW YORKWilliam G. Schulze (1856- c1907) was a manufacturer and importer of clarinets, flutes and other musical instruments in New York. Schulze began his career as a student of musical instrument maker Alfred Badger, and worked in New Haven, Connecticut before opening up his shop in New York.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1880-1890
- ID Number
- 1983.0234.02
- accession number
- 1983.0234
- catalog number
- 1983.0234.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Torsion Balance
- Description
- Balance with 3-inch nickel-plated pans; a mahogany box with black glass slab, and hinged wood and glass cover; and metal tag that reads “THE TORSION BALANCE CO. / STYLE 277 / NO. 29539 / PAT. JAN. 9.85, JAN. 22. 89. MAY 19. 91.” The Torsion Balance Co., which began trading, as such, in 1908, described this model as a Class B scale for pharmaceutical, chemical and kindred work.
- Ref: The Torsion Balance Co., Balances and Scales (New York, 1934), p. 15
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- around 1910
- maker
- Torsion Balance Company
- ID Number
- MG.312142.007
- catalog number
- 312142.007
- accession number
- 312142
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture Hook
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1880- 1890
- ID Number
- 1983.0567.23
- catalog number
- 1983.0567.23
- accession number
- 1983.0567
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Chimmie Fadden Songs
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1895
- ID Number
- 2017.3021.060
- nonaccession number
- 2017.3021
- catalog number
- 2017.3021.060
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Teakettle
- Description
- Pit-bottom teakettle with bellied gooseneck spout and cast-in arched ears at its rounded shoulder for the strap bail handle, half-round in section; no feet. Pivoting lid swings on bearing beneath back ear. Both pieces are hollow cast: body has a pronounced horizontal seam that extends to top of spout and single gate mark on bottom exterior; cover has "B. M. SAVERY / NY." cast in raised sans serif letters around a "7" at center.
- "B. M. Savery" appears to be Bartlett M. Savery (born 1830), a holloware manufacturer and dealer at 26 Cliff Street, New York, during the late 19th century. Bartlett Savery was also a nephew of Peleg Barrows Savery (1805-1863) who founded Savery & Co. in Philadelphia in 1838, which became Barrows, Savery & Co. in 1875. Bartlett was an investor in and agent for Barrows, Savery & Co., and it is possible this kettle was cast there.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- late 19th century
- ca 1860-1890
- ID Number
- 1982.0090.75
- accession number
- 1982.0090
- catalog number
- 1982.0090.75
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1899-11-15
- plate date
- 1899-10-11
- series date
- 1882
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Roberts, Ellis Henry
- Register of the Treasury
- Lyons, Judson Whitlocke
- issuing bank
- Citizens National Bank of Potsdam
- depicted
- Garfield, James A.
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.026343
- catalog number
- 297219.026343
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 5228
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Stamp Box
- Description
- Rectangular, souvenir stamp box commemorating the World's Columbian Exposition with "1492", "COLUMBUS" and "1892" raised in reserves on the box front and sides. Hinged lid features a curved shield engraved "JCT." in script surrounded by repousse chased scrollwork. Underside of flat bottom is engraved "Chicago." in script. Gold washed interior with wire spring holder connected to hinge. Struck incuse along edges of bottom underside, "HYMAN, BERG & CO.", a chimera crest, "PAT.PEND" and "STERLING", all in sans serif letters.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1892
- date retailed
- ca 1892
- ID Number
- DL.60.1852
- catalog number
- 60.1852
- accession number
- 200122
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1896-06-04
- plate date
- 1885-06-07
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Jordan, Conrad N.
- Register of the Treasury
- Bruce, Blanche Kelso
- issuing bank
- Chester National Bank
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.024928
- catalog number
- 297219.024928
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 1349
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1898-09-19
- plate date
- 1880-02-10
- Treasurer of the United States
- Gilfillan, James
- Register of the Treasury
- Scofield, Glenni William
- issuing bank
- First National Bank of Camden
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.025683
- accession number
- 297219
- catalog number
- 297219.025683
- bank charter number
- 2448
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1899-02-07
- plate date
- 1898-01-06
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Roberts, Ellis Henry
- Register of the Treasury
- Bruce, Blanche Kelso
- issuing bank
- Astor National Bank of New York
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.026304
- catalog number
- 297219.026304
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 5112
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“Les Gardes Municipaux”
- Description
- This sheet music for the song “Les Gardes Municipaux” was composed by Paul Courtois and arranged by Paul Pryor. The music was published by Richard A. Saalfield of New York, New York in 1892. The plain white cover has black lettering, the song is described as a march, and the title is French for “The Municipal Guards.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- publishing date
- 1892
- publisher
- Richard A. Saalfield
- ID Number
- 1982.0440.11
- accession number
- 1982.0440
- catalog number
- 1982.0440.11
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Warner's "Safe" Cure Spring & Summer Almanac
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1890
- maker
- H. H. Warner and Company
- ID Number
- 2008.3071.04
- catalog number
- 2008.3071.04
- nonaccession number
- 2008.3071
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Return from the Fields
- Description
- Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. (1862–1932) used a wide variety of printing processes, printing out some negatives in more than one medium. In his lectures, he pointed out that this approach to photography was important because in the hands of a photographer who “lives and understands the infinitely varied moods of nature, photography can be made to express and interpret them.” In correspondence with Dr. Olmstead at the Smithsonian, as the presentation of his gifts and bequest to the museum was being arranged, Eickemeyer wrote: “The collection illustrates the use of every important process and will, I believe, be of real educational value.”
- The first of the Eickemeyer photographic collection came to the National Museum’s Department of Arts and Industries (the “Castle”), Division of Graphic Arts in 1922 at the close of a large exhibition of Eickemeyer’s work at the Anderson Gallery in New York. It was a gift from the photographer of five framed prints from the New York show that he considered representative of his work.
- In 1929, Eickemeyer gave the Smithsonian 83 framed prints (including copies of the prints that he had previously given the museum), 15 portfolios, his medals and awards, and several miscellaneous photographic paraphernalia. In 1930, he made a will bequeathing most of his remaining prints, negatives, photographic equipment and other objects relating to his 30-year career as a photographer to the Smithsonian Institution.
- Upon Eickemeyer’s death in 1932, an accession consisting primarily of photographic equipment from his studio came to the Smithsonian. Included in the bequest were 2 cameras, several lenses, scales, timers, printing frames, plate holders, dry mounters and a lecture case with slide projector and hand-colored lantern slides. Also included were 43 albums, journals and portfolios and assorted negatives and contact prints, many marked “discards.” There are 58 albums, notebooks and portfolios in the collection. Eickemeyer requested in his will that his gifts and bequests be called The Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. Collection.
- The Eickemeyer accessions have remained remarkably intact over the past 50 years. With the exception of his medals and trophies (there is no record of these objects coming to the Museum of American History with the remainder of the collection), and the contact prints and negatives (his discards), most of the objects were assigned catalogue numbers and were clearly marked more than half a century ago.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1894
- maker
- Eickemeyer, Jr., Rudolf
- ID Number
- PG.004135.B046.29
- catalog number
- 4135.B46.29
- accession number
- 106456
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tobacco Pipe
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1880 - 1890
- ID Number
- DL.368372V
- catalog number
- 368372V
- accession number
- 129711
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Microscope
- Description
- Bausch & Lomb introduced their Large Continental in 1891, noting that “no efforts have been spared to make the stand the most complete and fitted with all modern improvements and appliances.” This example is a compound monocular with coarse and fine focus, triple nosepiece (but only one objective), inclination joint with clamp (the handle is made of celluloid), large circular stage, sub-stage Abbe condenser and iris diaphragm, and support for sub-stage mirror (the mirror is missing). The instrument is brass, the draw tube is nickel plated, and the stage is covered with vulcanized rubber. The inscription on the horseshoe base reads “Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. / ROCHESTER, N.Y. & NEW YORK CITY / 14317.” The serial number indicates a date around 1894.
- Ref: Henry Bausch, “New American Microscopes, Made by Bausch & Lomb Optical Co., Rochester, N.Y.,” Proceedings of the American Society of Microscopists 13 (1891): 116-119.
- Bausch & Lomb, Microscopes and Accessories (Rochester and New York, 1895), pp. 8-10.
- Henri Van Heurck, The Microscope (London, 1893), pp. 141-142.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1894
- maker
- Bausch & Lomb Optical Company
- ID Number
- MG.M-12198
- accession number
- 272522
- catalog number
- M-12198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1908-10-15
- plate date
- 1890-05-01
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Huston, James Nelson
- Register of the Treasury
- Rosecrans, William S.
- issuing bank
- City National Bank of Watertown
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.026104
- catalog number
- 297219.026104
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 4296
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1908-11-23
- plate date
- 1893-06-05
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Morgan, Daniel Nash
- Register of the Treasury
- Rosecrans, William S.
- issuing bank
- Sullivan County National Bank of Liberty
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.026245
- catalog number
- 297219.026245
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 4925
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1908-11-19
- plate date
- 1895-03-03
- series date
- 1882
- Treasurer of the United States
- Morgan, Daniel Nash
- Register of the Treasury
- Tillman, James Fount
- issuing bank
- Merchants National Bank of Whitehall
- depicted
- Garfield, James A.
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.025542
- accession number
- 297219
- catalog number
- 297219.025542
- bank charter number
- 2233
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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