Antique Adding and Calculating Machines Adding and Listing Machines Eureka Adding Machine Carriage with Burroughs Adding Machine, 1905 William S. Burroughs (1855-1898) invented an adding and listing machine with a full keyboard in the early 1880s, submitted a patent application in 1885, co-founded the American Arithmometer Co.
Feb 21, 2012 - Burroughs Home Page has also serial numbers and manufacturing date. Peggy Aldrich Kidwell, 'The Adding Machine Fraternity at St.
In 1886 to produce the machine, and received a patent for his invention in 1888. After its Bankers' and Merchants' Registering Accountant machine failed in trials in 1890, the American Arithmometer Co. Marketed its improved Burroughs Registering Accountant in 1892 for $475 (Kidwell 2000). In 1905, the company was renamed the Burroughs Adding Machine Co. In 1894, an article - clearly referring to the Burroughs Registering Accountant - reported that 'An ingenious adding machine, recently introduced in Providence banks, is said to be infallible in results, and to do the work of two or three active clerks. Inclosed in a frame with heavy plate-glass panels, through which the working of the mechanism can be seen, the machine occupies a space of 11 by 15 inches and is nine inches high.
![Burroughs Portable Adding Machine Serial Number Burroughs Portable Adding Machine Serial Number](http://public.beuth-hochschule.de/hamann/burroughs/burro5/burro5.jpg)
On an inclined keyboard are 81 keys, arrange in nine rows of nine keys each. The printing is done through an inked ribbon.' ( The Bankers' Magazine, Aug.
1894) An 1899 discussion of modern banking methods stated that 'great assistance has been derived from certain mechanical labor-saving contrivances, among which I will mention the typewriter, the registering accountant or adding machine, and the telephone. The registering accountant is of comparatively more recent introduction, but I think I can safely say it has proved itself one of the most useful instruments even introduced to the banks.' ( Bankers' Magazine, Feb. 1899) The following table provides data on worldwide sales of Burroughs machines from 1895 through 1926. Through 1910, the data cover only adding-listing machines.
Beginning in 1911, the data also cover calculators and other types of bookkeeping machines. Worldwide Sales and Use of Burroughs Machines.
Year Number Sold Total Sold Since 1895 (from Column to Left) Other Cumulative Data Year Number Sold Total Sold Since 1895 Other Cumulative Data Year Number Sold Total Sold Since 1895 Other Cumulative Data 1895 286 286. 1901 2,122 6,424 Over 8,000 in use 1907 13,300. 54,834 in use in August 1896 418 704. 1902 3,163 9,587. 1908 1 every 10 minutes every business day. 63,574 sold by Jan.
60,000 firms using by Sept. 1897 498 1,202. 1903 4,446 14,033 Used in accounting departments of 10,000 banks, mercantile houses, factories, wholesale and retail stores, etc. Used by 70,000 firms 1898 729 1,931 Used by 2,000 commercial houses, banks, etc. 1904 5,008 19,041 17,000 in use during year 1910.
103,750 users 1899 972 2,903 Used by 2,000 commercial houses, banks, etc. 1905 7,804 26,845 Over 22,000 in use in March. Over 130,000 users 1900 1,399 4,302 Over 5,000 users in Sept. 40,263 in use in October 1925.
Over 750,000 in use. 1,000,000th made Source: James W. Cortada, Before the Computer, 1993, Tables 2.2-2.3, and Burroughs advertising claims, 1898-1926. A 1900 ad stated that Burroughs Registering Accountants had been used 'in the largest banks in New York City' for five years. 1900 ad stated that the Burroughs Registering Accountant was 'Used by over 5000 banks, small as well as large.' In March 1905, Burroughs claimed that 'there are over 22,000 of these machines now in constant use among banks, mercantile houses, department stores, factories, gas and electric light companies, railroads, express companies, lumber dealers, etc.'
In 1906, Burroughs claimed that as of October 5 of that year, 40,000 of its machines were in use in over 30,000 concerns and that 'ninety per cent of all adding machines sold are Burroughs.' Burroughs advertised an electric model in 1906. At that time, Burroughs machines ranged in price from $300 to $500 depending on model. Burroughs manufactured its 50,000 th machine in 1907 and claimed that the 13,300 machines that it sold during 1907 exceeded 'the combined sales of all other makes of adding machines during all the years of their existence.' In 1908 Burroughs offered 58 models, 'One built for every line of business.' The many models varied in number of columns, the width of the paper onto which they printed, whether they were designed for computations involving fractions, feet and inches, pounds and ounces, etc., and whether they had features such as counters and split keyboards.
In 1908 Burroughs also stated that 'Nine out of ten adding machines in use are Burroughs.' In 1910 Burroughs offered 74 models with between 6 and 17 columns of keys and began advertising some of its models as bookkeeping machines. In 1911 there were 78 Burroughs models ranging in price from $175 to $850. In 1916 there were 98 models, including a machine with 17 columns of keys priced at $615-$715. In 1928, Burroughs claimed that 100,000 Burroughs Portables had been sold.
In 1935, Burroughs offered 450 standard models. Insert Oldsmobile ad from System 1904 To put the prices of Burroughs adding machines in the early 20th century into perspective, consider the fact that in 1904 the Oldmobile Standard Runabout was $650, while the Oldsmobile Light Tonneau Car was $950.
During the first decade of the 20th century, Burroughs faced competition from both and a number of rival adding-listing machines, including Dalton, Pike, Standard, Universal, and Wales. Unlike Burroughs, these competing machines had 'visible' printers that printed in view of the operator. Pike, Universal, and Wales machines had full keyboards like the machines produced by Burroughs. By contrast, Dalton and Standard machines had ten-key keyboards. In 1908, Burroughs acquired the Universal Adding Machine Co., which described its products as 'A Typewriter Carriage on an Adding Machine.' In 1909, Burroughs acquired the Pike Adding Machine Co. And in the same year began to sell Burroughs Pike visible adding machines.
In 1911, Burroughs introduced its Burroughs Class 3 visible adding machines based on the Pike design. In 1914, following an antitrust suit, Burroughs was enjoined from buying competing companies. Also in 1911, Burroughs introduced a key-driven calculator that looked very much like a Felt & Tarrant Comptometer. In 1912, the Burroughs Calculator was $150. Felt & Tarrant sued Burroughs for patent infringement based on the similarity of the cases, and Burroughs modified the appearance of its calculator.
In 1921, Burroughs acquired the Moon-Hopkins Billing Machine Co. Moon-Hopkins and other combination typewriter-adding machines are discussed and illustrated in the Early Office Museum's exhibit on. Burroughs Adding and Listing Machines Description Image Click to Enlarge Bankers' and Merchants' Registering Accountant 1890 American Arithmometer Co. Louis, MO National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Ten of these machines were produced, but they were not successful in trials. Burroughs Registering Accountant Introduced 1892 Advertised 1892-1901 American Arithmometer Co. Louis, MO 1892 Price $475 The Commercial Adding Machine Co., St. Louis, MO, exhibited a Registering Accountant at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago; presumably, this was the machine exhibited.
In 1902, the product name was changed to Burroughs Adding Machine. Source of image:, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp.
Collection, cb000562. 1892 ad Bank Office with Burroughs Registering Accountant, Oliver No. 1 Typewriter, Copying Press, and Vault Photo is on a divided back postcard and therefore dates from 1907 or shortly thereafter, but the Burroughs dates from at least a few years before 1907. Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1 Style 4) Patented 1888-98 American Arithmometer Co., St. Louis, MO In 1906, Burroughs advertised Styles No. 3, 4, and 5, which differed in number of columns and in width of paper tape. Source:, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp.
Collection, cb000242. Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1 Style 5) American Arithmometer Co., St. Louis, MO Source:, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp.
Collection, cb000243. Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1) Advertised 1901-07 American Arithmometer Co., St. Louis, MO Burroughs Adding Machine Co., Detroit, MI 1906 Price $300-$500 depending on number of columns and other features. The same image was used in advertising during 1901-06. Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1) in Office at B-logo Business Systems Department 1907 Source:, Univ. Of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp. Collection, cb000184.
Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1) at the Bank of Hickman, Hickman, NE Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1 Style 7) 1908 Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 1 Style 9) 1911 Burroughs Adding Machine Co.
Detroit, MI Burroughs Bank Subtractor Machine 1913 Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Source:, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp. Collection, cb000207. Burroughs Duplex Adding Machine 1913 Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Courtesy of the Burroughs Electric Light & Gas Billing Machine 1915 Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Source:, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp.
Collection, cb000200. Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 3) Introduced 1911 Advertised 1913-27 Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Office with Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 3) Not earlier than 1912 Insurance agency office Dover, NH Strayer's Business College Student with Burroughs Adding Machine (Class 3) Burroughs Adding Machines and Calculator 1915 Advertisement Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Detroit, MI Class 1 machines were advertised at $250-$615, Class 3 machines at $125-$350, and the Burroughs Calculator at $175.
In 1916, Burroughs 17-column electric machines were $615-$715. Burroughs Bookkeeping Machine (17 columns, electric) 1925 Advertisement Burroughs Adding List Machine This woman is using a Burroughs machine to add numbers and print on ledger forms. Other Adding and Listing Machines Introduced by 1910 A company named the 'Columbian Adding Machine Co.' Issued stock certificates in 1897 and existed in New Jersey in 1898. We do not know whether it actually produced an adding machine. In 1906, it was reported that 'Among listing machines the Burroughs may be said to easily lead the list in numbers of machines made and sold.
The Universal Adding Machine is probably next, followed by the Standard machine and the Wales Adding machine.' Other listing machines on the market in 1906 were Mallman's Addograph (Chicago), American Addograph (Philadelphia), Bundy Adding Machine (Binghamton, NY), Commercial Adding Machine (Cleveland), Comptograph (Chicago), Pike Adding Machine (Orange, NJ), and Wendling-Hock Machine, made by the California Adding Machine Co. (San Francisco).
However, it was reported that the latter machines 'are as yet practically unknown to the general public, and it is rare to see them in either banks or business houses.' ( The Business Man's Magazine, Aug. 62) The Addograph was produced by the Mallman Addograph Mfg. During 1903-08 and sold for $275. Kidwell, 'Yours for Improvement'-The Adding Machines of Chicago, 1884-1930,' IEEE Annals of the History of Computing, July-Sept. Beach, Tools of Business, 1905, also mentions an electrically controlled McCaskey Calculating and Listing Machine, manufactured by the McCaskey Electric Calculator Co, Chicago, IL. Referring to this full set of adding-listing machines, Beach states 'These machines are necessarily expensive in construction and vary in prices from $185 to $400.'
By comparison, Beach states, 'Among the non-listing machines.The Comptometer, Mallman Addometer, The Mechanical Accountant, The Beach Calculating Machine.are sold at prices from $75 to $150.' Description Image Click to Enlarge Adding Machine Photograph 1895 Invented by Fred A Eastman Duplex Typewriter Co. Des Moines, IA Dudley Typewriting and Adding Machine (a.k.a. Numerograph) Scientific American May 23, 1896 Numerograph Mfg.
Charleston, WV Standard Adding Machine (a.k.a. Hopkins Adding Machine, New Standard Adding Machine) Patented 1891-1901 Introduced 1899 Advertised 1904-10 (Standard), c.
![Number Number](http://www.johnwolff.id.au/calculators/Burroughs/BurroughsPortable-1293-IMG_4943-6.jpg)
1915-1917 (New Standard) Standard Adding Machine Co., St. Louis, MO (through 1910) New Standard Adding Machine Co., St. Louis (c.1915-1917) Based on serial numbers, 3,400 machines were sold by Jan. 1904-06 Price $185 (Standard and then Model B), 1907 & 1911 Prices $185-$250 (Standard) 1910 Prices $160-$250 (Standard), 1916 Price $125 (New Standard) Photograph of Model B courtesy of Larry Wilhelm.
Model B Model E, 1907 ad Hiett Adding and Listing Machine (a.k.a. Universal Adding Machine) Patented 1897-1903 Introduced by 1900 (see photo below) Advertised late 1890s (Hiett), 1905-10 (Universal) Universal Accountant Machine Co., St.
Louis, MO (1897-1905) Universal Adding Machine Co., St. Louis, MO (1905-10) Electric motor attachment introduced 1903 The Universal Adding Machine Co. Was acquired by Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Universal Adding Machine may have operated as a division of Burroughs during 1908-10. Peggy Kidwell kindly provided useful information on these machines and companies. Universal Adding Machines at the National Business Show in 1900., Univ.
Of Minn., Minneapolis, Burroughs Corp. Collection, cb000158 Hiett, late1890s Universal No. 5, Universal Accountant Machine Co., patented 1897-1900 Universal, 1906 ad Dalton Adding Machine Patented 1899-1912 Prototype 1902 Advertised 1909-28 Addograph Manufacturing Co, St.
Louis, MO (1903) Adding Typewriter Co., St. Louis, MO (1903-09) The Dalton Adding Machine Co., Poplar Bluff, MO (1909-14), Norwood, Cincinnati, OH (1914-16) 1915 Price $125-$150; 1926 Price $100 Dalton merged with other companies to become Remington Rand in 1927. 1918 ad stated '2000 Daltons serving the Government in times of peace.' 1919 ad stated that the US government had over 3,000 Daltons. A later ad stated 'The United States Government uses over 4000 Daltons' and indicated that 'Tens of Thousands' were in use.
An undated ad stated 'Choice of 50,000 users.' The 1928 Remington Rand catalog offered Dalton adding-listing machines ranging from models similar to the one pictured here (but without glass sides) to bookkeeping machines and a bookkeeping cash register. The machine produced by the Dalton Adding Machine Co.
Was based on inventions by Hubert Hopkins. In 1903, Hopkins sold his interest in the Addograph Co., which owned the patents based on his inventions up to that time.
Hopkins then co-founded the Moon-Hopkins Billing Machine Co. Dalton sued Moon-Hopkins for patent infringement, and in 1915 a US District Court found Moon-Hopkins had infringed on patents owned by Dalton. 1913 ad Dalton in office, 1911. Minnesota Historical Society, pf026733 Pike Adding Machine Introduced 1904 Advertised 1905-07 Pike Adding Machine Co., Orange, NJ Acquired by Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Operated as a division of Burroughs 1909-11.
Pike Manual Courtesy of the Pike Electric Burroughs Pike Adding Machine, 1910 ad Bundy Adding Machine Patented 1905 Advertised 1904-06 Bundy Mfg. Binghamton, NY (1904), Endicott, NY (1905) Wales Adding Machine, Model 10 and Model 20 Patented 1903-13 Introduced 1905 Advertised 1908-1925 Adder Machine Co., Wilkes-Barre, PA (1906-14) Wales Adding Machine Co., Wilkes-Barre, PA (1925) 1914 Price $175 and up. 1916 brochures list over 2,000 banks using Wales machines and 54 companies (not all of them banks) that were using from 5 to 83 each. Model 10, 1908 ad Wales Adding Machine, probably Model 10, at Office Room, York Foundry, York, NE, 1911 Wales manual/electric Model 20 Mallman Addograph Made 1903-08 and marketed c. 1916 Mallman Addograph Mfg. Chicago, IL (1905) Peru, IN (c. 1916) This company also made the non-listing Mallman Addometer as of 1905.
1916 ad Commercial Adding and Listing Machine Advertised 1908 (Connecticut Computing Co.) Connecticut Computing Machine Co., New Haven, CT (1908) White Adding Machine Co., New Haven, CT (c. 1909-16) Marketed in manual and electric models. In 1905, The Commercial Adding Machine Co, Cleveland, OH, introduced its Commercial Adding and Listing Machine. We do not know whether this company became the Connecticut Computing Machine Co. Connecticut Computing Machine Co., 1908 ad White Adding Machine Co. Electric model, White Adding Machine Co. Second and third images courtesy of the Adding and Listing Machines Introduced Between 1910 and 1921 Description Image Click to Enlarge White Adding Machine On market 1916 White Adding Machine Co.
New Haven, CT Wetmore Adding Machine Wetmore Adding Machine Co. Milwaukee, WI This company was raising capital to produce an adding machine and published a drawing of the proposed machine, 1910-11.
See Popular Mechanics, April 1911, p. We have seen no evidence that the machine was produced or marketed. Image coming Barrett Adding Machine Model 12 On market 1913-16 Barrett Adding Machine Co., New York, NY Philadelphia, PA (1916) $175 in 1913 $250 in 1916 Listing machines were $185-$250 at the time of this ad. Non-listing machines were $110-$160. Sunstrand Adding Machine 1914, $125-$175.
In 1924, Sundstrand advertised that over 50,000 of its machines were in use. Sunstrand Adding Machine No. Machines were $125-$225 at the time of this ad. Duco Adding Listing Machine Duco Adding Machine Co St. Marketed briefly in 1914, production suspended during World War II, marketed again in 1918.
1918 International Adding and Listing Machine International Money Machine Co. Terre Haute, IN, and Reading, PA Advertised 1914, $300, Marketed during 1915 American Adder No. 4 American Can Co.
Chicago, IL $88 in 1915-16 Gancher Portable Adding Listing Machine Automatic Adding Machine Co. New York, NY Advertised 1915, 7 column $50, 9 column $65 Morse Pre-Vis Adding Machine Introduced 1912 Patented 1914 Advertised 1915-17 Morse Adding Machine Co. Chicago, IL.Price $100 in 1915. This adding-listing machine has 9 keys, fits inside an 8' cube, and weighs 12.5 lbs. The name 'Pre-Vis' comes from 'pre-visible.' Which refers to the fact that when a key is struck, the number shows up immediately on a register and can be corrected being being listed or accumulate. Federal A Visible Adding and Listing Machine Patented 1904-1918 Marketed before and after World War I Federal Adding Machine Corp.
New York, NY $300 shortly after World War I. Automatic Adding Machine Automatic Bookkeeping Register Co. As of 1918, the company had acquired patent rights and designs for this machine, but had not yet set up manufacturing. Design, 1918 Sum-a-Graph Sun Typewriter Co. New York, NY McCaskey Adding Machine Patented 1919-20 McCaskey Register Co. Alliance, OH.
Victor Adding Machine Victor Adding Machine Co. Victor began selling adding-listing machines in 1921, sold 100,000 of its $100 Model 110 by 1925 (E. Darby, It All Adds Up: The Growth of Victor Comptometer Corporation, 1968, pp. All material on the Early Office Museum web site is copyrighted. All rights are reserved. First, you must not plagiarize our material. Plagiarism is the act of passing off as your own the words, photographs, or other work of someone else.
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