Object Details
- National Cash Register Company. Manufacturing Division
- Description
- The machine combines the capabilities of a printing adding machine with the ability to print a few letters. It is a modification of the Allen Wales adding machine produced after the National Cash Register Company had acquired that company.
- The device has a gray-brown metal case and nine columns of green and white color-coded plastic number keys. Odd-numbered keys are concave, even numbered keys, flat. Immediately to the right of these keys is a column of red keys marked with letters designating the significance of the number entered (e.g. one key reads âTXâ, perhaps for designating taxes). To the right of the keyboard is a lever, and, to its right, a column of four function bars and keys. To the left of the keyboard are four other function keys. Above the keyboard is a row of nine openings under a glass cover.The openings show digits in the total. Behind this result window are two metal levers, one for tabs and the other for non-printing.
- Behind the openings is the printing mechanism, with a red and black ribbon. The spools of the ribbon are under metal covers that are screwed in place. The mechanism includes a set of five wheels that can be set to a date. Behind these is a sheet of clear plastic, the carriage, and the narrow paper tape. The carriage is 39 cm. (15 1/4â) across, and divided into two parts. The narrow section on the left side takes a narrow paper tape, which is 6 cm. (2 1/2â) wide and is turned by a wheel on the left. The wider section on the right side takes pieces of paper and apparently was used to enter both figures and the date. The machine has a rubber cord and four rubber feet.
- A tag on the front of the machine reads: 158 552366. A mark on the back of the machine reads: MANUFACTURED BY (/) THE NATIONAL CASH REGISTER COMPANY (/) OF DAYTON, OHIO, U.S.A.. AT ITS (/) MANUFACTURING DIVISION (/) AT ITHACA, N.Y., U.S.A.
- Compare to Allen Wales adding machines. NCR acquired Allen Wales Adding Machine Company in 1943.
- This bookkeeping machine was used in the Washington, D. C., studio of African American photographers Addison Scurlock and his sons George and Robert S. Scurlock.
- References:
- "NCR Buys Allen Wales," The Washington Post, December 26, 1943, p. B8.
- Annual Report of the National Cash Register Company - 1953, p. 11. According to this brochure, the model 158 was introduced in 1954.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- 1957
- ID Number
- 1997.0368.01
- maker number
- 552366
- catalog number
- 1997.0368.01
- accession number
- 1997.0368
- Object Name
- bookkeeping machine
- Physical Description
- plastic (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- paper (overall material)
- metal (overall material)
- glass (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 30 cm x 58 cm x 45 cm; 11 13/16 in x 22 27/32 in x 17 23/32 in
- place made
- United States: New York, Ithaca
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Mathematics
- Bookkeeping Machines
- Science & Mathematics
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Mathematics
- Business
- Record ID
- nmah_694108
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-10d1-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
