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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Sinclair Cambridge Scientific Handheld Electronic Calculator
- Description
- This handheld electronic calculator has a white plastic case and nineteen rectangular plastic keys. These include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, four arithmetic function keys, a total key, a clear/clear entry key, and an exchange key. These keys also can be shifted to represent trigonometric and inverse trigonometric functions, memory, square roots, natural logarithms, exponents, inverses, and pi. To the right on the top row of keys is an on/off switch.
- Text behind the keyboard reads: sinclair (/) Cambridge Scientific. Behind this is an eight-digit purple LED display.
- The back of the calculator has a compartment for two AAA batteries. A mark on the lid to this compartment reads: Sinclair (/) MADE IN ENGLAND.
- Reference:
- [Advertisement], Chicago Tribune, December 8, 1974, p. E30. Sinclair scientific calculator advertised as on sale for $89.95.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1974
- maker
- Sinclair Radionics Ltd.
- ID Number
- 1987.0435.18
- catalog number
- 1987.0435.18
- accession number
- 1987.0435
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
ICT 4-434 Punch Cards Associated with International Computers and Tabulators Limited
- Description
- These two blue eighty-column punch cards have square corners and are truncated in the upper right corner. Marks along the bottom edge read: I [...] C [...] T 4-354; INTERNATIONAL COMPUTERS AND TABULATORS LIMITED; and PRINTED IN ENGLAND.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1960s-1970s
- maker
- International Computers Ltd
- ID Number
- 1996.0142.20
- catalog number
- 1996.0142.20
- accession number
- 1996.0142
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Mainframe Computer Component, Williams Tube Electrostatic Memory from the Ferranti Mark I Computer
- Description
- Not long after the end of World War II, developers in both the United States and Great Britain set out to build new forms of room-sized mainframe computers. One challenge was storing the information generated by with a computer program. Frederick C. Williams and Tom Kilburn headed a team at the University of Manchester in Manchester, England, that developed a computer memory in which bits of data were stored on the charged screen of a cathode ray tube. Information on the screen was refreshed every fifth of a second. Such an electrostatic memory came to be called a Williams tube.
- Williams tubes were first used on the Manchester Mark I, a computer built at the university there in 1948 and used until 1950. Impressed by the machine, the British government contracted with the Manchester firm of Ferranti, Ltd., to build nine commercial versions of it. These appeared between 1951 and 1957. This Williams tube comes from the Ferranti Mark I built for the AVROE Company in Manchester in 1954. That computer was used there for ten years to solve problems associated with aircraft design, management, and programmable machine tools.
- There are six vacuum tubes across the front of the amplifier, all marked: MULLARD. The first on the right is markedL 606VD, the second: 606UB, the thrid: 6064SL. A mark in the upper right corner reads: FERRANTI.
- The contents of the memory of a Mark I was represented by a grid of dots on the screens of the Williams tubes. As early as 1951, British schoolmaster Christopher Strachey began work on a program that allowed him to play draughts (checkers) on the Ferranti Mark I at the University of Manchester. Using this program, it was possible to make the screen of one Williams tube appear like a checkerboard – though not to show moves of individual pieces. Other computer programmers – and later video game enthusiasts – would go further.
- References:
- Accession file.
- Martin Campbell-Kelly, “Christopher Strachey,”
, 7, #1, January, 1985, pp. 19-42. - J. W. Cortada, Historical Dictionary of Data Processing Technology, New York: Greenwood Press, 1987, pp. 256-258.
- Simon Lavington, Early British Computers, Bedford, Massachusetts: Digital Press, 1980.
- date made
- 1954
- maker
- Ferranti Limited
- ID Number
- CI.334386
- catalog number
- 334386
- accession number
- 309902
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Commodore 796M Handheld Electronic Calculator
- Description
- This inexpensive handheld electronic calculator has a black plastic case. It has an array of nineteen oval plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, four arithmetic functions keys, a decimal point key, a total key, and a clear/clear entry key, the device has a memory key and a percentage key. The on/off switch is left of the memory key and the outlet for a power adapter is on the left side. A mark behind the keyboard reads: commodore. Behind this is the red eight-digit light-emitting diode display.
- The back of the calculator has a compartment for a nine-volt battery. The cover is missing. A sticker below this reads:
- Solid State Portable (/) Electronic Calculator (/) AC OPERATION Use Commodore (/) adapter no. DC-620R or 505 or 506 or 507 (/) BATTERY 9V Type 006P SERIAL NO. (/) 647752 (/) MODEL 796M. Further text reads: commodore (/) Made in England Pt No 200958-3.
- According to Devidts, this calculator came in beige, black, and blue. For the beige version, see 1986.0988.061.
- References:
- Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, p. 56. They give a date of 1973.
- Serge Devidts, BE CALC Vintage Electronic Calculators website.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1976
- distributor
- Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1986.0988.210
- catalog number
- 1986.0988.210
- accession number
- 1986.0988
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Commodore 796M Handheld Electronic Calculator
- Description
- This inexpensive handheld electronic calculator has a tan plastic cover with a black plastic back. It has an array of nineteen oval plastic keys. In addition to ten digit keys, four arithmetic functions keys, a decimal point key, a total key, and a clear/clear entry key, the device has a memory key and a percentage key. The on/off switch is left of the memory key and the outlet for a power adapter is on the left side. A mark behind the keyboard reads: commodore. Behind this is the red eight-digit light emitting diode display.
- The back of the calculator has a compartment for a nine-volt battery. A sticker below this reads: Solid State Portable (/) Electronic Calculator (/) AC OPERATION Use Commodore (/) adapter no. DC-620R or 505 or 506 or 507 (/) BATTERY 9V Type 006P SERIAL NO. (/) 979524 (/) MODEL 796M. Further text reads: commodore (/) Made in England Pt No 200958-3.
- According to Devidts, this calculator came in beige, black and blue. For the black version, see 1986.0988.210.
- References:
- Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, p. 56. The give a date of 1973.
- Serge Devidts, BE CALC Vintage Electronic Calculators website.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1976
- distributor
- Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1986.0988.061
- catalog number
- 1986.0988.061
- accession number
- 1986.0988
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Typewriter Ink Ribbon Mechanism Patent Model
- Description
- This model was submitted with patent number 286,161 by A. H. P. Stuart Wortley of London, England that was granted October 2, 1883. The patent applied to an improvement in the ink ribbon spool shaft of typewriters that was meant to reduce the sagging of the ribbon.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1883
- patent date
- 1883-10-02
- inventor
- Wortley, A. H. P. Stuart
- ID Number
- ME.318159
- catalog number
- 318159
- patent number
- 286,161
- accession number
- 254082
- patent number
- 286,161
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Software on Cassette, An Introduction to BASIC - Part 1 (with Flowcharting Template)
- Description
- This software for the VIC-20 microcomputer by Commodore consists of two cassettes, an instruction booklet and a flowchartting template
- in the original box.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1983
- maker
- Commodore Business Machines, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1987.0249.23
- accession number
- 1987.0249
- catalog number
- 1987.0249.23
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Sinclair Cambridge Instructions
- Description
- This small pamphlet of instructions was published by Sinclair Radionics Limited of St. Ives, Huntingdonshire, England, for use with a Sinclair Cambridge handheld electronic calculator. For an example of the calculator, see 1981.0403.01.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1974
- maker
- Sinclair Radionics Ltd.
- ID Number
- 1981.0403.01.2
- catalog number
- 1981.0403.01.2
- accession number
- 1981.0403
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Documentation, Paperback Book Entitled VIC Revealed
- Description
- This paperback book by Nick Hampshire has an orange cover. It contains detailed instructions for programming a VIC version 7. According to the introduction (p. iii), "The VIC is produced in several slightly different versions, in different parts of the world. This book is written for version 7 machines whcih are designed for use with European PAL TV sets."
- The book is annotated and signed on the title page: Jeffrey T. Vogel (/) Woodbridge, VA (/) Jan 22, 1983. A price tag on the inside of the back cover indicates that the book sold for $12.95. A tag on the back indicates that it was distributed by Hayden Book Company, Inc., of Rochelle Park, New Jersey.
- The book was received with a VIC 20 microcomputer, 1987.0249.02.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1981
- maker
- Computabits, Ltd.
- Hayden Book Company, Inc.
- ID Number
- 1987.3049.01
- catalog number
- 1987.3049.01
- nonaccession number
- 1987.3049
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Sinclair Cambridge Handheld Electronic Calculator
- Description
- This handheld electronic calculator has a plastic case and eighteen rectangular plastic keys. These include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, four arithmetic function keys, a total key, a clear/clear entry key, and a constant key. To the right on the top row of keys is an on/off switch.
- Text behind the keyboard reads: sinclair (/) Cambridge. Behind this is an eight-digit purple LED display. According to the instructions, the device would actually carry out calculations on numbers ranging from 10-20 to 9.9999999 x 1079, although the display of such answers required careful manipulation.
- The back of the calculator has a compartment for four AAA batteries. A mark on the lid to this compartment reads: Sinclair (/) MADE IN ENGLAND.
- The calculator has a black hard plastic carrying case. This fits in Styrofoam packing.
- For the instructions, see 1981.0403.01.2. These are dated 1974. Compare to the Sinclair Cambridge Scientific Calculator (1987.0435.18).
- Newspaper advertisements date from 1974. By 1975, Sinclair had introduced a form of the calculator with memory.
- References:
- [Advertisement], Chicago Tribune, February 19, 1974, p. C6. Sinclair Cambridge calculator advertised as previously priced at $99.95, on sale for $59.88.
- [Advertisement], Washington Post, July 9, 1975, p. 31. A Sinclair Cambridge with memory (not this model) advertised as regularly priced at $39.95, on sale for $34.88.
- David Renwick, “The Prince of Little: Inventor Clive Sinclair Thinking Big is Thinking Small,” Washington Post, October 17, 1984, p. D1.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1974
- maker
- Sinclair Radionics Ltd.
- ID Number
- 1981.0403.01
- catalog number
- 1981.0403.01
- accession number
- 1981.0403
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Gang Punch Made by the British Tabulating Machine Company
- Description
- In the 1880s American engineer Herman Hollerith devised a system to compile statistical information by entering data on individuals onto punched cards, allowing holes in the cards to admit wires and complete electrical circuits, and using electric counters to accumulate totals.
- Hollerith devised this kind of punch, which he called a gang punch, to punch data that was common to several cards. For data on a census, this might be the enumeration district. For payroll applications, it would be the date of payday.
- In 1904 a British firm organized to lease Hollerith machines in Britain and much of the rest of the wold. A subcontractor manufactured punch cards. From the 1920s. the British Tabulating Machine Company manufactured punch card equipment itself. This gang punch is one of its products.
- This punch has a 12x10 array of holes.The rows of holes are labeled Y, X, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Six metal cylinders fit into the holes for punching, with a manually operated press to push them down. Cards are fed and removed by hand, from right to left. On the left is a metal plate with zigzag rows of holes on its top front and top back edge. These may be used to indicate the position of the card before punching.
- A tag on the right side of the punch under the card bed reads: THE (/) BRITISH TABULATING MACHINE Co (/) VICTORIA HOUSE, SOUTHHAMPTON ROW, LONDON, W.C.1 (/) GREAT BRITAIN AND U. S. A. - BRITISH BUILT. A stamp on the press reads: 5390.
- References:
- M. Campbell-Kelly, ICL: A Business and Technical History, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989.
- H. Hollerith, "Quick Setting Press," U. S. Patent 1,193,390, August 1, 1916. The machine shown in this patent has levers for setting the pins. This is not true with this object.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1920s
- maker
- British Tabulating Machine Company
- ID Number
- MA.320563
- accession number
- 241402
- catalog number
- 320563
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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