Origin of Modern Calculating Machines. A Chronicle of the evolution of the principles that form the generic make-up of the Modern Calculating Machine.

TURCK, Joseph Abram.

Published by Chicago: The Western Society of Engineers, 1921

About this Item

First edition of the first popular history of modern calculation, by an engineer then at the cutting edge of the field. By the early 20th century, manufacturers of mechanical calculators were focussing on adapting them for keyboard operation. Joseph Abram Turck (1870-1956) patented his Mechanical Accountant, a multi-column key-driven machine, in 1903. In 1911 he joined Felt & Tarant, manufacturers of the world's first practical and commercially successful adding machines. This copy is from Felt & Tarant's company library, with their purple ink stamp on the recto of the first plate. Origins of Cyberspace 393; Tomash & Williams T58. Octavo. With 37 full-page half-tone illustrations in the text. Original dark green morocco-effect cloth, spine and front cover stamped in blind with text and art-deco pattern, dark green endpapers. Loosely inserted 1922 clipping from "Typewriter Topics", reviewing the history of keyboard adding machines. Light bumping and rubbing, minor browning and infrequent foxing to contents, short closed tear to centre of final few leaves, touching text: a very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 151069

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Origin of Modern Calculating Machines. A Chronicle of the evolution of the principles that form the generic make-up of the Modern Calculating Machine.
• Publisher: Chicago: The Western Society of Engineers, 1921
• Edition: 1st Edition