That is, calculating machines.
The two advertisements below – for the Dalton Calculating and Adding Machine – appeared in the closing months of the First World War, and in terms of text and graphics are fitting examples of the way such devices were brought to the attention of the public.
Though known and marketed as “Adding” machines, the advertisements specifically emphasize the machine’s parallel capabilities in the performance of the subtraction, multiplication, and division. Given the (simplified) description of how these operations are actually performed, in terms of keystrokes and data entry, it’s evident that the copy-writer assumed that his audience would have a basic familiarity with calculating machines, probably from the use of earlier generations of such devices.
Given the timing of the advertisements, it’s notable that the “first” example, from September 17, 1918, specifically alludes to mobilization for America’s effort in “The Great War”, a central issue underlying this effort being speed. (A brief segue, as it were.) An analogy is drawn to the capabilities of the Dalton Calculating Machine. But, with appearance of the example from over a month later – in late October – the war, which would end thirteen days later, is neither mentioned nor alluded to.
Obviously, the future was at stake, not the present.
The full text of both advertisements is presented below.
______________________________
September 17, 1918
Put greater Speed into your
Office Accounting
“Speed up” is our national “middle name”. We gather our men, materials, machinery together and then the wheels commence to turn with mighty force. The same is applicable to the new office girl who is given a DALTON Adding-Calculating Machine to figure with.
Here is her instrument for the production of figure facts. No machine equals it in simplicity of keyboard. Only 10 keys, one for each numeral. She writes 1276.91 and then 1.53, then .77. She notes each figure is put into its proper column automatically. Consider the ease of figuring, the accuracy, the relief afforded by this service.
Shortly she begins to operate the keys without looking at them at all. This is “touch operation”. It is the fastest, moist accurate method of handling figures, and is practicable only on the DALTON. Multiplication – all figure work requiring multiplication is easily handled. The DALTON adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, makes out statements, tabulates. It is the “all-around” adding, listing, calculating machine for figure work in any business.
Phone Barclay 9729 for Demonstration
Compare your present methods with the 10-KEY DALTON. It may mean a saving in labor or time you did not consider possible. Phone today or write for data descriptive of the DALTON.
GRUBBS & SHERIDAN
642-646 Woolworth Bldg.
Dalton
Main Office and Factory, Cleveland, Ohio
ADDING AND CALCULATING MACHINE
____________________________________________
October 29, 1918
The All-around Calculating Machine for Every Business
No other office figuring machine has the practical application of the DALTON. Aside from the simplicity of the keyboard arrangement which eliminates the necessity of experienced help – aside from its utility as the fastest adding and listing machine made – it is also a versatile all-around calculating machine.
Adding machines, as a rule, are designed for adding and listing only. The DALTON is far more than an adding machine. It is as easy to multiply on the DALTON as it is to add. The cipher (0) key makes this possible. Multiplication of the most complicated problems is but a question of seconds.
See it yourself. Here is a machine for any arrangement in any business. Railroads, great mercantile houses, business firms everywhere, are standardizing on DALTONS. It adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, lists, every operations, adds two totals at once, makes statements, tabulates, etc.
Phone Barclay 5350 for Demonstration
Is your office strictly efficient? Office costs, like plant or store costs, can only be cut by more efficient machinery. Let us bring a DALTON to your office for inspections. Or write for booklet descriptive of this new time and labor saver.
New York Sales Agents: GRUBSS & SHERIDAN
642-646 Woolworth Bldg.
Dalton Main Office and Factory, Cincinati [sic], Ohio
ADDING AND CALCULATING MACHINE
______________________________
Here are three views of a “Dalton Extra Special Adding Machine” of 1920 vintage, from, and as described in detail, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
______________________________
References
Dalton Adding Machines (at Branford Antiques)
Dalton Adding Machine (at Smithsonian Museum of American History)
The History of James L. Dalton and The Dalton Adding Machine Company (at Dalton Data Bank)
Mechanical Calculators (at Wikipedia)
]]>This advertisement, from August 9, 1943, illustrates the company’s National Class 3000 Bookkeeping Machine.
The advertisement is quite simple in style and design. A sketch of a model using an NC 3000 is repeated four times in the same illustration, giving an impression of “depth” and activity as in – well, quite appropriately! – an office setting. An example of a neatly completed bill appears in the background.
The full text of the advertisement appears at bottom. Note the use of alpha-numeric telephone number prefixes (“CIrcle”, “MOtt”, and “CAnal”).
Here’s an illustration of an NC 3000 from the Office Museum website:
These two images – showing the front and rear of an NC 3000, on its stand – are from the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History website. This example was manufactured in 1938 or 1939.
Without machines to help them do this job, hundreds upon thousands of new bookkeepers would be needed to keep our records, and millions of man-hours would be stolen from our war effort.
National Typewriting-Bookkeeping Machines in industry, in business and in government are speeding record making and record keeping for the nation because they are simple and easy to operate…for they alone combine the standard adding machine and typewriter keyboards with full visibility of forms in the machines… Any typist with a knowledge of an adding machine becomes a proficient operator with a few hours’ practice.
Nationals are flexible…for they can be changed to do all sorts of bookkeeping…like the statement you receive from the department store or the wholesaler…or for purchase records…payroll writing…posting general ledgers…and numerous other applications.
National Typewriting-Bookkeeping Machines, as well as all other National products and systems, save man-hours and provide protection over money and records for the bookkeeping of the nation.
National Accounting-Bookkeeping Machines may be secured by essential industries through priorities… A stock of modern used National Cash Registers is also available for business needs.
The National Cash Register Company
CASH REGISTERS * ACCOUNTING – BOOKKEEPING MACHINES
40 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA, CIrcle 5-6300
321 EAST 149TH STREET, MOtt Haven 9-3323
138 BOWERY, CAnal 6-4906
References
Early Office Museum – Antique Special Purpose Typewriters, at http://www.officemuseum.com/typewriters_office_special.htm
Mathematical Treasure: National Class 3000 Bookkeeping Machine on Stand, at http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_694189
NCR Corporation, at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCR_Corporation
National Museum of American History – Bookkeeping Machines, at http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object-groups/bookkeeping-machines/national
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