Lot 1622: Type 1 Curta Mechanical Calculator Serial Number 21262, March 1953

Auction

Estate Auction: Multiple-Estate Liquidation Roseville, CA (139)

Lot Number

1622

Status

Sold

Hammer / Price

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Opening Bid

$5.00

Accepted Bids

73

Closed

5/11/25 7:45 PM PT

Description

This is a Type 1 Curta mechanical calculator, serial number 21262, manufactured in March 1953. Measuring approximately 2.5" in diameter and 4" in height, this hand-held device represents a revolutionary moment in the history of mechanical computation. Only 79,527 Type 1 Curtas were produced in total, making them highly collectible. | | | | | The Curta was invented by Curt Herzstark in the 1930s in Vienna, Austria. Its ingenious design replaced the complex, multi-drum systems of earlier calculators with a single "complemented stepped drum," enabling both addition and subtraction through nines' complement math. This innovation significantly reduced mechanical complexity and allowed for the calculator’s compact size. | | | | | Herzstark’s development was interrupted in 1938 due to the Nazi annexation of Austria, and in 1943 he was imprisoned in Buchenwald concentration camp. Remarkably, it was during his imprisonment that Herzstark was permitted to continue refining his design, with the promise that the finished device could be presented to Hitler. The camp was liberated in April 1945, and Herzstark soon after brought his working designs to production in Liechtenstein under Contina AG Mauren, with the support of Prince Franz Joseph II. | | | This piece is not only a rare and functional example of mid-century mechanical ingenuity, but also a powerful artifact of history, invention, and survival. | | This item measures approximately 2.5" in diameter and 4" in height, in good vintage condition with visible wear.