Skip to main content

Search

My Visit
Donate
Home Smithsonian Institution

Site Navigation

  • Visit
    • Museums and Zoo
    • Entry and Guidelines
    • Maps and Brochures
    • Dine and Shop
    • Accessibility
    • Visiting with Kids
    • Group Visits
      • Group Sales
  • What's On
    • Exhibitions
      • Current
      • Upcoming
      • Past
    • Online Events
    • All Events
    • IMAX & Planetarium
  • Explore
    • - Art & Design
    • - History & Culture
    • - Science & Nature
    • - Innovation & Tech
    • Collections
      • Open Access
      • Snapshot
    • Research Resources
      • Libraries
      • Archives
        • Smithsonian Institution Archives
        • Air and Space Museum
        • Anacostia Community Museum
        • American Art Museum
        • Archives of American Art
        • Archives of American Gardens
        • American History Museum
        • American Indian Museum
        • Asian Art Museum Archives
        • Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, African Art
        • Hirshhorn Archive
        • National Anthropological Archives
        • National Portrait Gallery
        • Ralph Rinzler Archives, Folklife
        • Libraries' Special Collections
    • Podcasts
    • Stories
  • Learn
    • For Caregivers
    • For Educators
      • Art & Design Resources
      • Science & Nature Resources
      • Social Studies & Civics Resources
      • STEAM Learning Resources
      • Professional Development
      • Events for Educators
      • Field Trips
    • For Students
    • For Academics
    • For Lifelong Learners
  • Support Us
    • Become a Member
    • Renew Membership
    • Make a Gift
    • Volunteer
      • Smithsonian Call Center
      • Ambassador Program
      • Museum Information Desk
      • Docent Programs
      • Behind-the-Scenes
      • Digital Volunteers
      • Participatory Science
  • About
    • Our Organization
      • Board of Regents
        • Members
        • Committees
        • Reading Room
        • Bylaws, Policies and Procedures
        • Schedules and Agendas
        • Meeting Minutes
        • Actions
        • Webcasts
        • Contact
      • Museums and Zoo
      • Research Centers
      • Cultural Centers
      • Education Centers
      • General Counsel
        • Legal History
        • Internships
        • Records Requests
          • Reading Room
        • Tort Claim
        • Subpoenas & Testimonies
        • Events
      • Office of Human Resources
        • Employee Benefits
        • How to Apply
        • Job Opportunities
        • Job Seekers with Disabilities
        • Frequently Asked Questions
        • SI Civil Program
        • Contact Us
      • Office of Equal Opportunity
        • EEO Complaint Process
        • Individuals with Disabilities
        • Small Business Program
          • Doing Business with Us
          • Contracting Opportunities
          • Additional Resources
        • Special Emphasis Programs
      • Sponsored Projects
        • Policies
          • Combating Trafficking in Persons
          • Animal Care and Use
          • Human Research
        • Reports
        • Internships
    • Our Leadership
    • Reports and Plans
      • Annual Reports
      • Metrics Dashboard
        • Dashboard Home
        • Virtual Smithsonian
        • Public Engagement
        • National Collections
        • Research
        • People & Operations
      • Strategic Plan
    • Newsdesk
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • Photos and Video
      • Media Kits
      • Fact Sheets
      • Visitor Stats
      • Secretary and Admin Bios
      • Filming Requests

Texas Instruments Longines Symphonette Handheld Electronic Calculator

National Museum of American History

Object Details

Texas Instruments
Description
This is a version of the Datamath calculator (the TI-2500) produced by Texas Instruments for sale by Longines Symphonette. Longines Symphonette was a subsidiary of the Longines-Wittnauer Watch Company that began sponsoring radio concerts on three large American networks in the 1940s. In about 1960 they began selling tapes, records, radios, and recording equipment as well as watches. By 1970 sales in watches had dwindled to less than half of total sales. Longines also worked with Texas Instruments on the development of digital watches.
The handheld electronic calculator has a tan plastic case with a dark brown keyboard. It has an array of eighteen keys, sixteen of them square and two rectangular. These include ten digit keys, a decimal point key, a total key, four arithmetic function keys, a clear entry key, and a clear key. A switch at the right in the top row of keys may be set at “CHAIN” or “CONST.” A mark above this switch reads: Longines Symphonette. Behind the keyboard is an eight-digit LED display.
A jack for a power outlet is along the back edge. An on/off switch is on the left side. A sticker on the back reads: Longines Symphonette (/) electronic calculator (/) A Product of Texas Instruments Incorporated. It also reads in part: Serial Number (/) D1000 37880. The sticker indicates that the calculator had a built-in battery that gave four to six hours of portable operation and fully recharged in ten hours. There is no easy access to the batteries.
Unscrewing three long screws on the back of the case allows one to remove the back. The inside has five chips. The largest reads: TMS0119NC (/) 7325. This is a TMS0119 chip, manufactured in the 25th week of 1973. A mark on the circuit board reads: CAL30367H (/) MADE IN U.S.A. There is space for four soldered batteries.
The instrument has a black plastic zippered carrying case.
This appears to be the same design as the second version of the TI-2500, introduced in February 1973 (see especially 1986.0988.188 as well as 1986.0988.189, 1986.0988.190, and 1986.0988.342).
References:
Guy Ball and Bruce Flamm, The Complete Collector’s Guide to Pocket Calculators, Tustin, CA: Wilson/Barnett, 1997, p. 157.
Online Datamath Museum, accessed May 15, 2015.
Isadore Barmash, “Longines Is Ticking With Taped Tunes,” New York Times, September 8, 1970, p. 59, 62.
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
Gift of John B. Priser
1973
ID Number
1986.0988.359
catalog number
1986.0988.359
accession number
1986.0988
Object Name
electronic calculator
Physical Description
plastic (case; keys; carrying case material)
metal (circuitry; zipper material)
paper (stickers material)
Measurements
overall: 1 3/4 in x 2 3/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 4.445 cm x 6.985 cm x 13.97 cm
place made
United States
See more items in
Medicine and Science: Computers
Computers & Business Machines
Handheld Electronic Calculators
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1364054
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-d16b-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Texas Instruments Longines Symphonette Handheld Electronic Calculator
There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .
International media Interoperability Framework
IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
View manifest View in Mirador Viewer

Footer logo

Link to homepage

Footer navigation

  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Get Involved
  • Inspector General
  • Records Requests
  • Accessibility
  • EEO & Small Business
  • Shop Online
  • Host Your Event
  • Press Room
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

Social media links

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Sign up for Smithsonian e-news

Get the latest news from the Smithsonian

Email powered by BlackBaud (Privacy Policy, Terms of Use)
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Back to Top