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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Page 1 of 118
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Tobacco Pipe Fragment
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1660 - 1680
- ID Number
- DL.147034B
- catalog number
- 147034B
- accession number
- 23040
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Glass Lantern Slide
- Description
- Glass lantern slide depicting Sun spots. The rectangular wooden frame is incised “CARPENTER / & WESTLEY / 24 REGENT ST. / LONDON” on front and “5” on one edge.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Carpenter and Westley
- ID Number
- 1988.0385.01.06
- accession number
- 1988.0385
- catalog number
- 1988.0385.01.06
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Theodolite
- Description
- This theodolite belonged to John Johnson (1771-1841), the surveyor general of Vermont. Its basic form-with the telescope mounted on the open side of a semicircle-derives from the design that Jonathan Sisson introduced in London in 1737. The horizontal circle and vertical arc are graduated every degree and read by vernier to 10 minutes. The vertical arc has a second scale marked "LINKS of CHAINS" that correlates angle of elevation with horizontal distances, to be used when surveying sloping ground. The level vial on the compass face seems to be original with the instrument; the vial outside the compass may be a later addition.
- The "J. Gilbert Tower Hill LONDON" inscription refers to either the John Gilbert who worked in London in the years 1719-1750, or his son of the same name who worked in London in the years 1751-1791.
- Ref: Gloria Clifton,Directory of British Scientific Instrument Makers 1550-1851 (London, 1995), p. 112.
- "John Johnson" in Abby M. Hemenway, ed., The Vermont Historical Gazeteer (Burlington, Vt., 1868), vol. 1, pp. 596-599.
- "John Johnson" in National Cyclopaedia of American History, vol. 17, pp. 290-291.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Gilbert, John
- Gilbert, John
- ID Number
- PH.309545
- accession number
- 95588
- catalog number
- 309545
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Francis & Day's Album of Famous Waltzes
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.
- ID Number
- 2018.3010.277
- nonaccession number
- 2018.3010
- catalog number
- 2018.3010.277
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Belle Belle My Liberty Belle
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1951
- depicted (sitter)
- Stargazers
- maker
- Stargazers
- ID Number
- 2017.3021.253
- nonaccession number
- 2017.3021
- catalog number
- 2017.3021.253
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
“My Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon”
- Description
- This sheet music is for the song “My Sweetheart's the Man in the Moon” that was written and composed by James Thornton and published by Frank Harding in 1892. The plain white cover features a blue image of a woman on a stepladder looking up at the moon, which has a face in it. The cover notes that the song was “written for and sung by Bonnie Thorton at Tony Pastor’s Theatre, New York.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- publishing date
- 1892
- composer, lyricist
- Thornton, James
- ID Number
- 1983.0320.02
- accession number
- 1983.0320
- catalog number
- 1983.0320.02
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
plate
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- CE.62.533B
- catalog number
- 62.533B
- accession number
- 240968
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Mug
- Description
- Raised bulbous or bellied cann or mug engraved on front with the monogram "JEW" in interlocking foliate script. Flared rim scored around exterior, rounded bottom, and cast flared circular foot. Hollow, double C-scroll handle has a scrolled acanthus leaf on top and a split scroll lower terminal; flared oval struts with oval attachment on lower terminal. Bottom underside is struck with four marks, a lion passant facing left in scalloped shield; a crowned leopard's head in scalloped shield; "TW" in raised script in a conforming surround; and the raised serif date letter "m" in scalloped shield.
- Maker is Thomas Whipham of London, England; mark registered, 1739.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1747
- ID Number
- DL.69.0186
- catalog number
- 69.0186
- accession number
- 261753
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Beecham's Pills Worth a Guinea a Box, The Good Physician
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- September 24, 1887
- maker
- Beecham's Pills
- ID Number
- 1987.3043.026
- catalog number
- 1987.3043.026
- nonaccession number
- 1987.3043
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
plate
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- CE.P-711
- catalog number
- P-711
- accession number
- 225282
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
box chronometer, without case
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- c1910
- date made
- c 1910
- maker
- E. Dent & Co. Ltd.
- ID Number
- ME.314827
- catalog number
- 314827
- accession number
- 210893
- serial number
- 56183
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
knife, folding
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- c. 1894
- ID Number
- DL.59.0989D
- catalog number
- 59.0989D
- accession number
- 111627
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Francis and Day's 82nd Album
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Francis, Day & Hunter Ltd.
- ID Number
- 2018.3010.284
- nonaccession number
- 2018.3010
- catalog number
- 2018.3010.284
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Print
- Description
- This engraving image was prepared for vol. 1 of John Wilkes, ed., Encyclopaedia Londinensis (London, 1801). The text at bottom reads “Improved Air Pumps / London Published as the Act directs, Feby 20th 1796, by J. Wilkes” and “J. Pass sculp.” Fig. 1 shows Vreem’s modification of Hauksbee’s pump. Fig. 2 show’s Cuthbertson’s pump.
- Francis Hauksbee the elder (1660-1713) was a scientist in London who experimented with electrical machines and air pumps. Guillaume Vreem was an instrument maker in London who, in 1717, published an account of an improved form of Hauksbee’s air pump. John Cuthbertson
- Ref: T Brundtland, “From Medicine to Natural Philosophy: Francis Hauksbee’s Way to the Air Pump,” British Journal for the History of Science 41 (2008): 209-240.
- Guillaume Vreem, Description de la machine du vuide: selon la maniere de feu Monsieur Hauksbee, avec quelques avantages que la sienne n'avoit pas (1717).
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1796
- 1796-1801
- ID Number
- PH.330429
- catalog number
- 330429
- accession number
- 290491
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
A Little Girl From Little Rock
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1953
- lyricist
- Robin, Leo
- composer
- Styne, Jule
- depicted (sitter)
- Russell, Jane
- Monroe, Marilyn
- ID Number
- 2018.3010.330
- nonaccession number
- 2018.3010
- catalog number
- 2018.3010.330
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
"Woulfes Chemical Apparatus"
- Description
- This engraving was prepared for the fourth volume of the Encyclopaedia Londinensis (1810). It is marked “Plate VI” and “Woulfes Chemical Apparatus” and “Heny Lascelles delt” and “J. Pass Sculpt” and “London, Published as the Act directs, Feby 5, 1801. By J. Wilkes.”
- Peter Woulfe (1727-1803) was an Irish chemist and mineralogist who in 1767 described a bottle suitable for distillation. By the end of the century it was widely known as Woulfe’s apparatus.
- John Wilkes (1750-1810) was a London printer and bookseller whose 24-volume Encyclopaedia Londoniensis was published between about 1801 and 1828.
- Ref: Peter Woulfe, “Experiments on the Distillation of Acids, Volatile Alkalies, &c., Shewing How They May Be Condensed Without Loss, and How Thereby We May Avoid Disagreeable and Noxious Fumes,” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London 57 (1767): 517-536.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1810
- ID Number
- PH.329198
- accession number
- 280069
- catalog number
- 329198
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Africa
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1673
- graphic artist
- Bowen, Emanuel
- ID Number
- GA.11163.06
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
I May Never Pass This Way Again
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1957
- depicted (sitter)
- Earl, Robert
- Lotis, Dennis
- Mason, Glen
- lyricist; composer
- Melsher, Irving
- maker
- Chappell and Co.
- ID Number
- 2018.3010.178
- nonaccession number
- 2018.3010
- catalog number
- 2018.3010.178
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Nuclearman costume
- Description
- Seven-piece costume worn by Mark Pillow as Nuclearman, the nemesis of Superman, in the 1987 film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. This superhero adventure is about Superman's efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons on Earth. Sidney J. Furie directed this film which also stars Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, and Jackie Cooper.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1987
- user
- Pillow, Mark
- designer
- Bermans & Nathans
- maker
- Bermans & Nathans
- ID Number
- 1987.0213.035
- accession number
- 1987.0213
- catalog number
- 1987.0213.035
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
500 Yuan, The Central Bank of China, China, 1944
- Crowdsourcing
- Transcribed by Smithsonian digital volunteers
- Description (Brief)
- One (1) 500 yuan note
- The Central Bank of China, China, 1944
- Obverse Image: Name of bank at top, denomination at center, portrait of Dr. Sun Yat-sen to the left.
- Obverse Text: 中央銀行 / 伍百圓 / D/A 333569D / 中華民國三十三年印 / 英國華德路公司製
- Reverse Image: Name of bank at top, denomination at bottom, gateway at center.
- Reverse Text: 500 / THE CENTRAL BANK OF CHINA / 500 / FIVE HUNDRED YUAN / NATIONAL CURRENCY / 500 / GENERAL MANAGER / GOVERNOR / 500 / 1944 / WATERLOW & SONS LIMITED, LONDON.
- Description
- [[Obverse Text]]
- 中央銀行 / 伍百圓 / D/A 333569D / 中華民國三十三年印 / 英國華德路公司製
- [[Obverse Image]] Yat-Sen Sun
- [[Reverse Text]]
- THE CENTRAL BANK OF CHINA / 500 / FIVE HUNDRED YUAN / NATIONAL CURRENCY / 1944 / GENERAL MANAGER / GOVERNOR / WATERLOW & SONS LIMITED, LONDON
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1944
- maker
- Waterlow & Sons Limited
- ID Number
- NU.71.348.0133
- catalog number
- 71.348.0133
- accession number
- 298051
- serial number
- DA333569D
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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