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
-
sound recording
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1880s-1890s
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287786
- catalog number
- 287786
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
case
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1895
- ID Number
- MG.227245.01.01
- accession number
- 227245
- catalog number
- 227245.01.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Pump Drill Bow and Disk
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1893
- ID Number
- DL.165751
- catalog number
- 165751
- accession number
- 26504
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
sound recording
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1880s-1890s
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287802
- catalog number
- 287802
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Geologic Atlas of the U.S. Folio 3 (California)
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1896
- printer
- U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geological Survey
- ID Number
- GA.05512
- catalog number
- 05512
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
badge
- Description
- A ribbon with "Washington" and 1891 in Roman Numerals.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- associated date
- 1891
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN81740Y10
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Geologic Atlas of the U.S. Folio 6 (Tennessee)
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1896
- printer
- U.S. Department of the Interior. U.S. Geological Survey
- ID Number
- GA.05515.02
- catalog number
- 05515.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Another Cuban "Revolution"
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1895-1898
- circa 1898
- maker
- Berryman, Clifford
- ID Number
- PL.322733.033
- catalog number
- 322733.033
- accession number
- 322733
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Proof sheet for $10-10-10-20 of the Commercial National Bank of Washington, DC, 1904
- Description
- National bank note proof of the Commercial National Bank of Washington, DC, Charter 7446. $10-10-10-20, 1904. The $10 note shows a portrait on the left of William McKinley, twenty-fifth President of the United States, who was shot at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo and died September 14, 1901. The $20 note shows a portrait of Hugh McCulloch who was Comptroller of the Currency during the Civil War and later served as Secretary of the Treasury. These notes were from the Series of 1902. This bank was organized on October 18, 1904 and the plate that produced this proof sheet was approved for use on November 3. This bank absorbed the National City Bank of Washington, Charter 7936, in 1911. The Commercial National Bank itself went into receivership on February 28, 1933. That was a few days before Franklin Roosevelt was inaugurated President and promptly declared a bank holiday to prevent further runs on banks nationwide.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1885
- 1896
- 1893
- 1891
- 1872
- 1920
- 1899
- 1890
- 1909
- 1922
- 1904
- ID Number
- NNC.297219.00548
- accession number
- 297219
- catalog number
- NU*297219.00548
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
sound recording
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1880s-1890s
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287756
- accession number
- 57694
- catalog number
- 287756
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tobacco Pipe Stummel
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1875 - 1890
- ID Number
- DL.167436
- catalog number
- 167436
- accession number
- 27142
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Silver Matchbox
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1800- 1899
- ID Number
- DL.68.0606
- catalog number
- 68.0606
- accession number
- 206579
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1891-04-29
- plate date
- 1874-02-25
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Gilfillan, James
- Register of the Treasury
- Scofield, Glenni William
- issuing bank
- National Bank of the Republic of Washington
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.004403
- catalog number
- 297219.004403
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 2563
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Tobacco Pipe
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1898
- ID Number
- DL.368373J.01
- catalog number
- 368373J.01
- accession number
- 129711
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Soldier's Memorial Spanish American War of 1898
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1898
- associated date
- 1898
- ID Number
- ZZ.RSN82660W23
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
certified proof
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Location
- Currently not on view
- BEP certification date
- 1896-09-05
- plate date
- 1896-08-26
- series date
- 1882
- issuing authority
- U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Treasurer of the United States
- Morgan, Daniel Nash
- Register of the Treasury
- Tillman, James Fount
- issuing bank
- National Metropolitan Bank of Washington
- depicted
- Garfield, James A.
- manufacturer
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- ID Number
- NU.297219.004411
- catalog number
- 297219.004411
- accession number
- 297219
- bank charter number
- 1069
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
sound recording
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- circa 1880s-1890s
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287790
- catalog number
- 287790
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
sound recording
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1892-02-27
- maker
- Volta Laboratory Associates
- ID Number
- ME.287810
- catalog number
- 287810
- accession number
- 57694
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Proof sheet for $10-10-10-20 of the National City Bank of Washington, DC, 1905
- Description
- National bank note proof of the National City Bank of Washington, DC, Charter 7936. $10-10-10-20, 1905. The $10 note shows a portrait on the left of William McKinley, twenty-fifth President of the United States, who was shot at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo and died September 14, 1901. The $20 note shows a portrait of Hugh McCulloch who was Comptroller of the Currency during the Civil War and later served as Secretary of the Treasury. These notes were from the Series of 1902. This bank was organized in October, 1905 and was liquidated on May 1, 1911. Only one note is known among collectors for this bank.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1885
- 1896
- 1893
- 1891
- 1872
- 1920
- 1899
- 1890
- 1909
- 1922
- 1904
- 1905
- ID Number
- NNC.297219.00549
- accession number
- 297219
- catalog number
- NU*297219.00549
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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