The LIKE collector and registration page (2023)

Table of Contents
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0a

1996

1996

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******** 1996 ********

1 Rick Furr rfurr(at)vcalc.net Blacksburg, Virginia
EU (540) 951-8219 9 5 2185
5790
9897
13836
15045
29548
58562
62335
74738
508272
526699
538180
541431
557788 02185 --- THE THIRD OLDEST KNOWN! 58562 - Metal body, plastic crank - I found my Type I at a camera shop that a friend (John Kline) has. He knew I collected electronic calculators and one day he told me he had a cool looking mechanical calculator I should see. He said it looked like a pepper mill, ding ding ding...my mind knew I hit the jackpot. A customer had walked in off the street years ago and handed it to him. He cost it $100 and it stayed in the store all those years. I said "It's a CURTA and I have to have it", we looked and it was lost. Damn, has anyone bought this yet? We couldn't find it anywhere. I left the Curtaless store. A few weeks went by and then one day I got a call. It was my friend he said to come over and check something he had. I did, and to my surprise, he pulled out a beautiful Type I in a metal can. We made a deal and it was mine. Thanks John! - 28 Jan 1997 526699 - Leather case, metal can, plastic crank, clear metal - By Dave Wheeler - In excellent condition in a metal case and leather case with instruction sheet and calculation booklet. - 04 Dec 1999 15045 - Metal Body, Metal Crank - By Dick Greenwood - My Second Kind Came to me from an owner looking for a good home for his vintage Curta. It is a relatively low serial number unit (SN 15045) that has a rounded top on the operating handle. It also requires a lot more force to start rotating the operating handle. Curt must have reduced the force required to initiate the turn on later models. Has anyone else noticed this? - May 13, 2000 02185 - metal case, tuning machine knobs - 3rd OLDEST ACKNOWLEDGMENT! - By Carl Volkmar - He bought it from Dr. Yussim in Uruguay. Jack Christensen Revised 12/12/2002 - 7/19/2003 5790 - Metal body, swivel adjustment knobs, metal crank - By Carl Volkmar - 7/19/2003 9897 - Metal body, metal crank - By Carl Volkmar - 7/19-03 62335 - Plastic body, plastic crank - By Carl Volkmar - 7/19-03 .03 557788 - Plastic Case, Crank, Wiper Ring, Paper Case - By Carl Volkmar - 7/19/03 541431 - Plastic Case, Plastic Crank, Metal Wiper Ring - By David Franks 03-05-05 74738 - Plastic Case, Crank, Wiper Ring, Paper Case - By Lisa Shearer - 10 .Mar 06 13836 - Metal case - By Gabe Hieronymi - 11 Jun 06 538180 - No case, plastic crank , metal wiper ring - By Don Carter - 22 Feb 10 508272 - Metal case, all black, Type II - By Yvonne Tyler - 08 Feb 11 29548 - Plastic body (must be metal), metal crank, instructions, example instructions in English and German - By Tom & Barbara Vandeventer - February 14-20 2 Karl Volkmar cvolkmar(arroba)anv.net From Vegas, Nevada
EU 0 0 0 2185
5790
29208-D
9897
62335
557788 I bought a Type I in Germany in the late 1950s, which I used for many years. I've been trying to remember what happened to it but can't remember seeing it after the early 70's (557788) Well I just bought it off e-bay, it's in like new condition with box and papers. It's as much fun as I remember. (2185) by Dr. Yussim in Uruguay - "I'm not a specialist in calculators. This is the first Curta I've seen in my life. I don't know how to deal with it. Dirty yes. Rusty no. Maybe some very small minor small spots The rust is barely noticeable I'm not sure if these small spots are rusty or dirty The owner of the Curta was a merchant in Montevideo who used to import goods from Europe He died and his wife sold many items for a bit more money An antique dealer bought them the machine from her and i bought it from you dr 2001 3 Skip Godfrey sgodfrey(at)imt.net Bills, Montana
EU (406) 245-0409 1 3 26596
508501
525475
555487 Check out all sorts of interesting Skip facts on the Curta News Letter page. 4 steve browner steve(arroba)fad.sel.sony.com Mahwah, NJ
EU
1 0 ?????
4a

1997

1997

1997

1997




******** 1997 ********

5 Henry Friedmann NightKnight(arroba)worldnet.att.net

1 1 56020
561448 I have two curts. A model 1 and a model II. Both in perfect condition. I bought Gemmary I and Daniel Lewin II. I would be interested in sales brochures for the Curta. I would also like to know how much they originally cost. My Curtas are serial numbers 56020 and 561448. Skip Godfrey sent me service manuals for both. But if you have a service source, that would be nice to know. Your instruction manual was wonderful. Keep it up! PS By the way, old lens cases of the better kind, like Nikon, make a better bed for these lovely kids. In fact, they're built like Leica cameras, so I think it would be "fitting" for the brave souls who want to take them outside to put them in a plush-lined leather camera lens case that has a strap attachment. 6 Rick Standard rstan16821(at)aol.com Herdon, Virginia
EU (703) 437-4983 1 1 44150
508642 I am a rabid Curta fan and can never talk, hear or read enough about her. 7 Jack Christensen chronos(at)comcast.net 32 Old Barn Street
Hawthorn Forest, Illinois
EU (847) 550-5052 2 0 3681
71739 Repair Curtas: Craft the Timewise Rally Computer.
Jack continues to repair an average of about four Curtas each month. I can absolutely recommend it. -Haystack- 8 Carlos E. Vandoni Carlo.Vandoni(at)cern.ch EG, PO Box 16, 1288 Aire-la-Ville
SWITZERLAND +41 22 757 3173
+41 79 351 7037 (mobil)
+41 22 757 0318 (Fax) 4 2 ?????
?????
?????
?????
??????
?????? I am amazed at the relatively low cost of CURTAs in the US, in Europe they are much more expensive. 9 paul robert proberts(at)gate.net Stuart, Florida
EU
1 0 ????? Bought in 1970 as surplus space program equipment for $5 10 John Meier Jan.Meyer(at)t-online.de 83026 Rosenheim
DEUTSCHLAND 49 8031 44969
1 0 ?????
11 Juan H. Meyers jhmeyers(at)mum.edu Fairfield, Iowa
EU
1 0 ????? I still have my (only) Curta Model I, but in a plastic case instead of the (better) metal case. I used to use it to teach kids how multiplication and division really work! I bought it for just over $100 from the original Abercrombie & Fitch store in NYC, which must have sold it as a sports and hunting center to use as a rally calculator, as mentioned in "The Last Whole Earth Catalog". . 12 Charles L. Webb clwz1(at)airmail.net Carollton, Texas
EU (972) 939-2317 0 1 520854
13 and grapevines weindan(at)hws.edu Geneva, New York
EU (315) 789-1515
1 0 ?????
14 Dennis Farr dfarr(at)mail.com Tampa, Florida
EU
0 1 539041 The case is plastic and there is a box with the serial number stamped on the lid. Also has a price sheet for 'RACE AND RALLY EQUIPMENT' Medford N.J. Showing Curta $125 list price on sale for $104.95, Curta II $165 list price on sale for $139.95. Unfortunately, I don't know what year the price sheet was printed. But I'm guessing that was the mid 60's, I got the unit from my (former) brother-in-law who bought it new. fifteen rodd jones roddjones(de)aol.com (or msn.com) Wichita, Kansas
EU (316) 685-6778
0 1 509318 The warranty card was filled out on 03/19/59. I am not the original buyer. I bought my little gem in excellent condition about 5 years ago at a flea market for $8.00. It has the metal box and the warranty card but no instructions. I remember the Curta ads from the 1960s in sports car magazines like Road and Track and Car and Driver. Although I'm not interested in selling the best, most useful, most esoteric paperweight in the world. sixteen David Kay davidkay(at)west.net City of Westlake, California
EU
0 1 541758 Purchased by Vilem B. Haan, Inc., Los Angeles, 1963 Cost $1 Used for auto racing, math classes. 17 David good Dbonnes(at)msn.com AUSTRALIA
1 1 44193
508991 Type 1: Excellent condition, all black (no manual). Bought in the USA (believed to have been manufactured 1952/3). Cost US$700. Type II: Mint condition (possibly never used) and all black like Model I (is that unusual?). Saw it in a UK antique shop (no providence, no manual) and just had to have it. Costs UK#300 (US$500). 18 Jordan Kare square(at)sirius.com San Ramon, California
EU (510) 831-6862 0 1 ??????
19 Daniel Lewin mail(at)daniel-lewin.de Darmstadt
DEUTSCHLAND
2 1 7057
3234-D
509257

20 dov gadot gadov(arroba)inter.net.il 46 Carmel Street
Zur-Igal
ISRAEL 972-9-
7495268
972-9-
7495268 (Fax) 1 1 19049
525059
21 Nikolaus Bodley nbodley(at)alumni.princeton.edu Waltham, Massachusetts
EU
1 0 33212 Bought in Hong Kong in April 1957 during his naval service for the equivalent of $80. I'm pretty sure I don't have my curta anymore and it could have been stolen; possible dates are 1990 and 1995. 22 Fritz Kosic kosicek(at)orf.at A-1130 Vienna
AUSTRIA
1 1 ?????
??????
23 Julian Burke Julian (at) knology.net 1423 Marconi Dr
Knoxville (Tennessee)
EU (423) 691-0821 1 1 63708
5?????
24 Victor Cool Kuhl39@aol.com 500 WaukeeganRD
Deerfield, Illinois
EU
0 2 501787
511486 I bought the first for $20 at a resale store in near mint condition. The second is a two tone Type 2 inherited from my late uncle. New condition, unused. 25 Sold on 06/29/1998 Sold Munich (Munich)
DEUTSCHLAND Sold 0 1 539321 Bought in Munich in 1995 for 1100 DM. Almost new, without signs of wear. 26 Bonos AB ab(arroba)vuse.vanderbilt.edu 493 saddle drive
Nashville, Tennessee
EU
0 1 536087 It is in very good physical and functional condition with only a small fading of the hammered gray tone from handling. I got it from a guy in Florida who used it for street racing for several years. 27 DR. Rutger Verbeek Rutger.Verbeek(arroba)FernUni-Hagen.de Hagen
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 560608
28 Prof. Dr. Jens Kirchhoff jkirchh(at)t-online.de Claus Hartung Eck 17
D-37083 Göttingen
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 ?????? I collect all kinds of calculating instruments and computers like analog devices, slide rules, early card punches, etc. 29 Larry D. Allgood lallgood(at)snet.net 123 Jeremy Colina Rd.
Stonington del Norte, Connecticut
EU (860) 535-9491 1 0 43323 Bought 2 years ago by placing an ad on Compuserve. 30 Ralph Beckmann ralph(at)designlab.com Providencia, Rhode Island
EU
0 2 522934
521094 I have since new. It cost $165 each in 1962. 31 Shalom (Dick) Tsur, Ph.D. tsur(at)surromed.com SurroMed, Inc.
1060 eastern meadow circle
Palo Alto, California
EU (408) 588-3225 0 1 558273 I used one extensively in the 60's during engineering school and always wanted one. 32 Javier Susaeta-Erburu missing (on) gmail.com Madrid
SPAIN 913 202 436 1 0 68696
33 Pedro Schneider NJRALLYE(from)AOL.COM Norden, New-Jersey
EU (201) 466-7551 (West) 2 2 17942
52313
512529
514794 Plus a leather case for a Type II 34 Edgar 100343.2707(at)compuserve.com bailey
NETHERLANDS
0 0 548914 Sold to Jacky Young in 2020 35 Marcel Chicak marcel(at)starchak.ca Edmonton, Alberta
YOU HAVE (403) 466-6004 2 1 63318 63816 557842
36 Erez Kaplan calcmach(arroba)shani.net ISRAEL
2 0 4529
38368 In contrast to later models, the upper part of the first type 1 (SN 4529) opens like a normal screw shank. Picked it up in Israel for $60! 37 Ken Whitson und (at)andwhitson.com Santa Cruz, California
EU
0 1 536734 Bought new for auto racing in the mid 1960's, still using it for the same. 38 Joseph Fisher jfisher(arroba)hpl.hp.com Brookline, Massachusetts
EU (617) 679-9310 0 1 523229
39 Sold - 11/15/1999 Sold Winterpark, Florida
EU Sold 1 0 67066
40 Leo Theron leot(at)isdial.com PO Box 52089
Wierda Park 0149
Republic of South Africa +27 (0) 82-570-4676 0 1 539787 Purchased at auction for approximately $3.00. In perfect condition, with bakelite box. I bought the manual a few years later and paid much, much more for it! 41 Jim Spofford Jim_Spofford(right)WatsonWyatt.com Dallas, Texas
EU (214) 978-3585 1 0 55628 I remember being fascinated as a kid watching my father use this device. It died when I was 9, around 1971. I don't remember when I first picked it up, but I didn't have an instruction book for it. I remember not knowing how to fold the finger rest back into its storage position so I could put the lid back on. Luckily I didn't break it, and after a day or so I figured it out. It's still a treasured possession, both for sentimental reasons and my love of mechanical beauty. 42 Douglas Hicks warhorse1(at)msn.com Ban, California
EU (909) 849-9825 0 1 558006 Purchased September 25, 1971 for $134.45 43 Richard Freiland gadaoman(at)gmail.com 13840 SW 78 place
Miami, Florida
EU (305) 253-1011 0 2 502620
513709 I picked up the 502620 at a flea market in its original packaging along with a 42-page instruction manual in Spanish ("Instrucciones para la uso de la CURTA"), a warranty card (in English), and a sales receipt indicating it was released on May 15th. Purchased May 1958 in Quito, Ecuador. 44 Dave Bunsey, Sr. dabunsey(at)ameritech.net Chesterland, Ohio
EU (440) 729-4024 1 0 66870 Bought eons ago and still in use for Sport Car Raleys. 45 Werner Schaefer schaefer.cham(arroba)bluewin.ch CH-6330 Camera
SWITZERLAND
1 1 64779
561655
46 Jim Campana jbellco(at)aol.com Newark, Oklahoma
EU
0 1 514725
47 Rod Sorenson oldchief81 (at) aol.com Northfield, Massachusetts
EU
0 1 524581
551663 As a reformed surveyor, I've used them for auto racing since the mid '60s. 48 David carried lordof(at)aol.com Irvine, California
EU
0 1 502809 Purchased in the mid 1970s from the original owner who bought it in 1954 while working as a toolmaker in Chicago. Got original 'Chattel Mortgage' plus owner's manual. 49 David Owensby david(arroba)greencafe.com wild idyll, california
EU
2 2 8428
16985
518485
561314

49a

1998

1998

1998

1998




******** 1998 ********

50 Helmut Waldbauer cut(at)waldbauer.com On
AUSTRIA ++43-1-603-13-62-13 6 3 7450-D
29810
48722
48762
53177
57376
503322
514533
514884 SN 7450 cutaway model (Corte) 51 Lee Sorenson lsorenson(at)brsrisk.com Fair Oaks, California
EU
0 1 522954 I bought my Type II in the late 70's from a retired state civil engineer, Don Kite, who had bought a lot at a state auction. I paid $75. It was in good condition and worked perfectly. In the early 2000's I noticed that it wobbled a bit and wasn't working properly. My brother Rod Sorenson was able to disassemble it, clean it, and put the screw that fell out back on. I would like a Type I for my collection. 52 Frank DeWitt frank(arroba)lbpinc.com Bloomfield, New York
EU
1 0 10265 Bought online 5 years ago. 53 Jim Hawkins jfhawk(at)mindspring.com Snellville, Georgia
EU
1 0 74116 Bought around 1970, never used. 54 Bernhard Adams adams(at)x4u2.desy.de Hamburg
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 79123 0 55 dr. sid kolpas skolpas(at)netra.glendale.cc.ca.us Granada Hills, California
EU 818-240-1000 x 5378 0 1 517934 Perfect condition but the packaging is slightly scratched. The box appears to be made of plastic. 56 David Estall dave_estall(at)compuserve.com Woking, Surrey, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 28290 I've had a CURTA Type I locked in a box for about fifteen years. My dad gave it to me, he says he worked with someone who was a genius at it. I didn't really know what it could do until I read the manual on your site. Fabulous! It now has pride of place and I'm excited to learn more about this great machine. 57 Tim Winker tim(arroba)winker.net Saginaw (Duluth), Minnesota
EU 218-729-0821 0 2 511697
554764 1st cut in a metal container, the 2nd in a plastic container. I also heard from Jim Bianchi who wrote the original article. I later found out that the book STIMSON'S RALLY FACTORS has a section on "Rallying with the Curta Calculator". A footnote states that it was "adapted from A NEW GUIDE TO RALLYING by Larry Reid". 58 satch carlson satch(arroba)satch.us Anchorage, Alaska
EU 971 221-2167 0 1 502832 First model, without red band.. 59 Tom Grimshaw Grimbo69(at)sunline.net Puerto Charlotte, Florida
EU
0 1 509156 I own a Curta which several people bought me as gifts when I was selling the originals which I bought new in 1961 for $150. Satch Carlson, John Buffum and a few others bought the new Me the One. Satch's note:Tom Grimshaw passed away a few years ago and I don't know what happened to the Curta we bought him. 60 andres davie adavie(at)mad.scientist.com Sydney
AUSTRALIA
1 0 70883 There is no case; this in original packaging - not sure if a case should have been included. Otherwise everything seems to be there. Perfect condition, incl. 51-page manual, folding instructions ("The 4 rules of calculation") and guarantee card. The Curta serial number is also stamped on the case back. 61 Hello horseradish so far(at)bajabb.com Alt, New Mexico
EU
1 0 64555
62 Tadamitsu Gamazawa caa56640(arroba)pop06.odn.ne.jp Sendai, Miyagi
JAPAN
0 1 533039
63 Sold Sold Phoenixville, Pennsylvania
EU Sold 1 0 71802 Bought new around 1967. In a leather rally case, with the original manual in English. Absolutely perfect condition. I would be interested in a sale at the right price. 64 Erwin Tomash etomash(at)gte.net Los Angeles, California
EU
1 0 36440 I have had a CURTA Type I since 1962. Sixty-five Steve Blanco sjwhite(at)argonet.co.uk Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
Great Britain
1 0 43080
66 Markus Rustemeyer rustemeyer.pad(at)sni.the Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 529115
67 Jim Bianchi jimbo(at)sonic.net Santa Rosa, California
EU
1 0 52043 This is in absolutely pristine condition, never worn. I used to have a Type II but sold it last year. I used it to write an article for _Rallye_ magazine on rally sailing in the mid 70's (if anyone has a copy of this issue I'd greatly appreciate it). --I also. -rick 68 James McDermaid jimm(at)doitnow.com 1141 West-Culver
Phoenix, Arizona
EU 602.254.8766 0 1 542608 Bought new in 1968 for $165 69 Burt Newmark wzkbar(arroba)att.net San Mateo, California
EU
1 0 77798 (Plastic box) (Continuation AG Mauren) New condition with box, booklet and operating instructions. 70 Craig Reynolds acriii(at)c3net.net Clinton County, Michigan
EU
1 0 19327
71 John the King johndk(arroba)ibm.net Palm Springs, Kalifornien
EU 760-325-346? 1 0 35276
72 Rick Benceno rickb(at)pail.dev.com Oregon-Stadt, Oregon
EU
0 1 521802
73 Lucky Murphy phcs(arroba)iag.net Orlando Florida
EU
1 0 71198
74 Stan age stalt(arroba)mail.idt.net Manorville, Long Island, New York
EU
0 1 548103
75 Gerry Hughes gerry.hughes(at)dfrb.fe.defence.gov.au Hobart, Tasmania
AUSTRALIA 0362 377318 1 0 30903 Originally used in the office of a gold mine in Tasmania. 76 Cristobal Holmberg 18148(at)student.hhs.se Stockholm
SWEDEN
1 0 44233 The machine is in perfect condition. It was probably never used. I also have the manual shown on this page in Swedish. 77 John Cherry John.Cherry(at)qsa.idt.com Sydney, New South Wales (NSW)
AUSTRALIA
0 1 546692 My father used the Curta, which dates from around 1969. My father is no longer with us so his history is a bit unclear but I know it actually belonged to his employer and was given to him when he retired. ' since no one else knew how to use it. I've never seen an instruction manual, but I have the original Bakelite case - the left-hand thread on the lid always gets me. 78 Ira Meislik imeislik(at)meislik.com Montclair, Nueva-Jersey
EU (973) 744-0288 0 1 536689 Bought for sports car rallies in the mid 60's. A few tabs are now missing from the plastic box. Equalization ring broken. The work is great, but who would expect less? 79 Tim Humphries Equipo(s)century.demon.co.uk Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 539157 Plastic case - Inherited from my grandfather, is in the original packaging with the booklet "Your CURTA calculator" and the booklet "Calculation examples". I also have a book on computational techniques from a company called Automatic Business Machines Ltd, London. 80 walt chamber Walt Kammer (arroba) aol.com Buffalo, New York
EU (716)-632-3264 1 1 74021
551188 Note: I am looking for another Curta Type II, metal box. 81 Larry McElhiney lmcelhiney(at)yahoo.com Indianapolis, Indiana
EU (317) 850 2002 1 0 49465 I have owned CURTA I for about 25 years. I bought it at a flea market for $10 with no manual... It took me a few hours to figure out addition and subtraction and about a month of diligent research at the University of California, Santa Cruz Science Library to get enough of the mechanical calculator understand theory to find out how to use the more mysterious functions. I love having people try to figure out what it is, let alone how to use it! 82 Gary D. Snyder gary.snyder(at)fibre.com Petaluma, California
EU
1 1 76640
544167 I bought both Curtas in May 1998. Both have plastic cases which, despite the obvious vibes on the Curta sides, appear to work well and appear to be very durable. The Curta I is a late 1960's model and shows signs of attempts to reduce manufacturing costs compared to the mid 1960's Curta II (as a clear plastic ring with a fixed retaining post rather than a metal ring with a retaining spring). to post). Both work great and don't appear to have any cosmetic, mechanical or functional flaws. 83 John H. Eells jheells(at)erols.com 11513 Pappelkammstrasse
Richmond, Virginia
EU
0 2 536131
514709 While at a thrift store around noon on Saturday. On 6/6/98 I saw two Curta Type II pocket calculators. The newer of the two in a plastic box (#536131) was $15. The older one in a metal box (#514709) was $25. I knew nothing about the Curta at the time, except for a vague recollection of seeing one used by a fellow UVA School of Engineering student in 1961. I thought what the heck, I'll risk the money and buy the cheapest one. This was just the calculator and case, no instructions. And even though it looked new, I didn't even know if it worked. That evening I went online to see if I could find instructions. I did it and yes it worked perfectly. However, I then found out that not buying both was a mistake. I suffered from mild anxiety all Sunday thinking someone probably bought the other one on Saturday. Afternoon. Still hoping this wouldn't happen, I got to the store before it opened. Not only was I pleasantly surprised to find the second one still there, but they had lowered their price to $15. I am now the proud owner of 2 very nice Type II Curtas. 84 Gerwin R. Bertelmann GerWinR(at)aol.com Berlin
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 65449 Compilation of all mechanical calculators 85 Ken Sanford kanford(at)aol.com Kensington, Maryland
EU (703) 482-7125 (work) 1 1 51266
559891 Paid $20 for model 1. Didn't know what it was at the time. I paid way more for the Model II! 86 mitch wofchuck mitch(arroba)wofchuck.reno.nv.us Reno, Nevada
EU
1 0 4730
87 Stuart L. Wayne swayne (and) hughes.net Westzweig, Michigan
EU
0 1 534332 Type II in a plastic case. The zero ring was broken in a rollover accident during the 1966 Blue Heron Night Rally in Pennsylvania. That being said, both my Curta and I are still running! I would never sell my Curta, but I'm curious about current values. After I stopped running, my Curta sat in my desk drawer at work for about 25 years. When people pressed me to borrow my calculator, I happily gave them the curta! 88 Nickkamm dalen(at)iquest.net Yorktown, Indiana
EU 765-759-9600 0 1 535297 In original packaging with plastic sleeve. Like new. See also page 15 "The key to every calculation problem" page 51 "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator" and the dropdown "Your CURTA calculator". I bought it new in Bitburg, Germany in the late 60's and never used it. 89 Scott Sprague Scottsprag(at)aol.com San Francisco, California
EU
0 1 525190 My parents gave me a "Curta" calculator. Apparently they used it as a mileage calculator/tracker during my dad's car rally days in the mid sixties. This is one of my most prized possessions, but I still use it often. I am a pilot and I find the Curta indispensable as a navigation aid. It can't short circuit or run out of batteries in the air... 90 Jorge L. Pang A. jlpang(at)panama.phoenix.net City of Panama
PANAMA (507) 613-8785 (con)
(507) 230-0216 (h) 0 1 510675 With black metal housing, without instructions. This computer belonged to my father. It is in excellent condition after all these years. My mother wanted to throw it away but I saved it. 91 rose art artrosencpa(at)gmail.com Monroe, New-Jersey
EU 732-343-1611 1 2 25915
508978
54913 My three Curtas were bought on eBay around 2001. 92 Hans Joachim Hoeft need(at)gisa.de D-78727 Oberndorf
DEUTSCHLAND 07423-7111 2 1 34387
36642-D
504220 SN 36642, skeleton model for demonstration 93 Carlos M. Howard jayhawher(at)aol.com Monrovia, Maryland
EU 410 204-7379 0 1 530023 When my father-in-law originally gave it to me, I thought it might be some kind of counting device or an architect's tool. He got it at a flea market for 50 cents. It sat in my sock drawer for years until I decided to find out. I got it for addition and subtraction and then I discovered your website. 94 George Binley bingo35(at)keynet.net Kankakee, Illinois
EU (815) 937-4456 1 0 44642 My friend gave it to me, the calculator is in a metal box and in perfect condition. 95 Rick Miskel miskell.sean(arroba)gmail.com Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
EU
1 0 73736 This curta belongs to my father. I remember it was a weird contraption in his garage growing up. He and my mom used it a lot in time speed distance rallies in the late 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's until they bought a dash mounted rally computer. This Curta still looks great and runs perfectly. 96 Harald Goldberg harry-g(at)pipemedia.co.uk Leicester, England
Great Britain
1 0 50448 I have a CURTA in the original metal housing with a left-hand thread. I bought it on February 8, 1963 from the Kingston Jamaica store in Switzerland for $85. Weirdly, I just noticed that the serial number on the sales receipt reads 42706, which oddly isn't the serial number of the machine I'm holding. In 1964, while working in Germany, I returned from a business trip to northern Italy. I decided to take a short detour through Liechtenstein. I stopped at a charming hotel in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein. In the morning I asked the concierge if it was possible to arrange a tour of the Contina AG factory in Mauren. He said he would check with them and let me know in a few minutes. He returned briefly to say that they would be delighted to welcome me to the factory. I drove straight away. It only lasted a few minutes. Nothing within Liechtenstein is very far. Their sales manager, whose name I don't remember, greeted me. He showed me the whole factory. It was very impressive for a relatively small operation. He was particularly interested in the machine that engraved the axes with the rotating numbers. The entire visit was very interesting and informative. Apparently, they were already thinking about other products. They showed me film camera parts that they were making at the same time. The cameras were from Berlieu or something like that. There may be an explanation for the difference in serial numbers. In 1972 I had an internal problem with the CURTA. He was still working in Germany at the time. I called Contina AG and asked if a repair was possible. You said sure. I sent the unit back to them and a few weeks later it was sent back to me and it has been working perfectly ever since. It seems possible that they accidentally changed the calculators at the factory. I don't use my Curta much these days. They didn't create a computer interface. Regardless, it is a pleasure and a privilege to own such a wonderful piece of craftsmanship, technology and of course history. 97 Del Andreini delDAA(at)aol.com Valencia, California
EU 805-296-1840 0 1 525638 Curta II with metal case and leather belt clip I'm very excited, I've had this Curta on my shelf for almost 10 years. It was given to me by a man I recently knew. He thought it might have something to do with flying, since I'm a pilot he thought he could take advantage of it. I recently went to a mining museum in Colorado and they had one on display so I was excited because I thought this machine had a mining application. So I looked on the internet and got a lot of information from WALAAA. What a great find. 98 Harald Urston harrafvr(at)comcast.net Valencia, California
EU 661-259-3947 0 1 507206 I received a CURTA from 1960 as a gift. It has been used a bit but looks like new. It has an undated 16 page manual #5 52 100 and is housed in a black metal box with a lid. 99 Großsegel mainsailhr(at)aol.com

1 0 30422 My father came to Chicago many years ago. It is in the metal box and has the original guarantee stamped by the Quick Tourist Office, Vaduz & Schaanwald, Principality of Liechtenstein (it is an undated 1 year guarantee). I also have 2 of the owner's manuals. The calculator works fine but the compensation lever ring is broken (I did it when I was a kid, my dad was pissed!) but it works. I'm thinking of selling. 100 Bob Maurer Skydiving (at) ibm.net Short road 1810.
Saginaw, Michigan
EU (517)258-9130 1 0 62569
101 The Keenan Collection
Louis Skelton, Kurator onon(at)earthlink.com 2537-D Pacific Coast Highway Nr. 168
Torrence, Kalifornien
EU (310) 375-9992 1 1 30422
526157 I finally found a Curta at a price I could afford. It comes from the original owner who bought it in 1960. He is now 91 years old and has retired as a city manager in southern Utah to conduct additional surveys. ...I met him through an ad he placed for an HP calculator... When I called him he mentioned the Curta and the rest is history... Has the case, the manual and is in exceptional good condition but used. 102 jim because jweil(at)mac.com Fremont, California
EU
0 1 550865
103 Duschan R. Divjak dushan(at)pathcom.com Toronto Kanada
0 1 557864 This is in the plastic box. gray barrel. Never used. I bought it at a Michigan rally supply store in the early 80's. I also had 3 others, they were Type II. I gifted 2 of these, one to a friend who had a Type I and lost it and another to a friend who was fascinated by it. I just exchanged the last one for a Leica camera with a lens. The guy with the camera was so in love with the Curta that he had to have it. The 3 that are gone now were used, in metal boxes, and I bought them at a thrift register for $10 each. That was in 1982. 104 Guillermo R. Clements wclements2(at)juno.com Chesapeake, Virginia
EU 757-485-3070 1 0 32882 I have a Curta that almost went to a White Elephant sale. It was on my brother-in-law's estate and I wasn't sure what it was until I researched the device on the internet. The device itself is Type I and is in near mint condition. Unfortunately, the case is not one of the first metal cases. it's still metallic 105 Chico Rowinsky guyr(arroba)megsinet.net Columbus, Ohio
EU
0 1 542539 Bought new in 1971 for about half a month's salary to attend Los Angeles County surveying school. During the exams I remember 15-20 people doing their curtas in anger. The first competitive electronic calculator (The Bowmar Brain) was around $50 back then, but it didn't do square roots, so it was pretty much useless to surveyors. HP came out with a calculator that cost a whopping $300 (4 functions and square roots), about 50% more than the Curta, so the Curta was the calculator of choice and there were no battery issues! Gray barrel, black bakelite case. 106 James Godwin jgt(at)casscomm.com Ashland, Illinois
EU 217-476-8272 1 0 70511 Curta type I (one owner) in plastic case. Purchased in 1967 in San Diego, CA. Mine is like new, only used as a talking prop. 107 Laurence Bixby lbixby(at)cyberport.net Columbiafälle, Montana
EU 406-892-3365 1 0 12793
108 Chris Lott rclott(at)ro.com Huntsville, Alabama
EU
0 1 512263 I just bought mine used from a colleague online. I've always wanted one like this. I saw one owned by a distant cousin when I was young, and later in college an old engineer had one that he found at a closeout store. A most ingenious device. 109 Oktay Haracci oktayha(arroba)superonline.com Istanbul
TURKEY
1 0 50248 I bought it from a retail store in Germany about 35 years ago. Although it is 35 years old (which is also confirmed by the age formula in cu-date.htm) it is in PERFECT CONDITION (not even a small scratch can be found) 110 Bill Leonard wal(at)ids.net Jamestown, Rhode Island
EU
2 0 66132
70669 66132 - Plastic Box
70669 - Plastic Box
Cardboard box with S/N, guarantee, product brochure, "4 rules of calculation" leaflet, manual: "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator" (will never be sold) 111 Adam Douglas adamsd(at)cts.com San Diego, California
EU 619-554-1770 x133 1 1 75395
537078 OWNER! I now have a beautiful Type I. Serial number 75395, formerly US Bureau of Land Management. Many thanks to collector Richard Fisch! Type II has a left-hand thread plastic body. 112 David because dweil(at)computer-museum.org Computer Museum of America
Coleman-College
7380 Dr. Alley.
La Mesa, California
EU 619-465-8226 1 0 68909 68909 - Plastic Box
Donated to the CMA in 1997. 113 Patrick Finnigan finnigan(at)ca.ibm.com Toronto, Ontario
YOU HAVE 905-316-5421 1 0 29093 I used one as a summer student in 1968/69 in a mining/metallurgy lab. I would take it home whenever I could and pull square roots by repeatedly subtracting odd numbers and other things. I found this after 15 years of searching along with some surveying tools. Metal housing with right-hand thread. I also have some copies of manuals courtesy of Michael Williams (ACM Transactions on the History of Computing which he obtained from the Smithsonian) which I am happy to copy, share etc. Other apocryphal stories I have heard over the years : 1) "I used one on a British Navy destroyer for sailing during WWII", 2) "In Russia we had a lot of them..." Sometimes there is a grain of truth in any of these stories. Remarks? Also, I noticed at the "Science Museum" in Ottawa, which has a Type I on display that appears to be in "perfect" condition, on the metal case was an "O" ring (large diameter, round cross-section rubber ring) just below the Threads on the lower case shell, just above the "lip" where the top eventually rests after being screwed on. It may or may not be original (can your readers comment?), but it's a good idea nonetheless: make the closed case almost airtight. PS You remember the sqrt algorithm, right? Put the original number in the most significant digits of the result register, then subtract 1, 3, 5, etc. until there is an overdraft (9s). After the overshoot, lower the thumbstick, rotate it once to restore the correct value, then raise it again until ready for the new column, subtract 1, 3, 5, 7, etc. to overdraw , move the adjustment lever one less, turn it clockwise, etc. etc. This works because the sum of the first odd numbers "M" is 1, 3, 5, etc. equals M**2 (Thanks to Prof. Gauss! ). 114 Fred Jacob fjacobs(at)idt.net New York, New York
EU
1 0 63252
115 Lloyd Albright w1zj(arroba)netwiz.net The Leftover, California
EU 510 222-1037 0 1 542322
116 claudio abaecherli claudio.abaecherli(at)lonza.ch
oder 100415.1317(at)compuserve.com CH-3930 Whisper
SWITZERLAND
0 1 547347 This Curta was a gift from my parents when I finished high school. It was sold in the summer of 1968 at the "La Tecnografica" shop in Lugano, Switzerland for around SFr. 630.-, at that time about half the workers' wages. Using Rick Furr's improved formula, the production year would be 1966, probably pretty close. It was our high school chemistry teacher who showed us a Curta I and I was very impressed. The Curta II served me well during my studies at the chemistry department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. During my doctoral thesis I bought an HP-67 pocket calculator (costs twice as much as the Curta... ) Despite heavy use, it is still in very good condition. I still have the original booklet with the calculation examples in Italian, as well as a photocopy of the article published and translated by A. de Man on this site. Note: I could scan and upload the German brochure and article as well as the schematics posted in this article (the other pictures are very dark as they are photocopies) if anyone feels the need. 117 Juan Bellefleur John.Bellefleur(arroba)rogers.com 9 Margaret Graham Cres.
Monte Alberto, Ontario
YOU HAVE (647) 267-6261 5 2 28269
33138
33140
37583
58298
510292
540681
118 Paul S. Pace, PLS Pacepack(arroba)nvbell.net Reno, Nevada
EU
0 1 558419 I just found your site and I am very happy to go through the many interesting articles about Curta. I'm a surveyor and bought a Type II in the early 1970's; i still have it 119 Larry Vanice lvanice(arroba)gateway.net Fort Wayne, Indiana
EU
1 0 69979 I bought it on July 11, 1968 for $95.00 plus $1.90 tax from AW Motors, a Datsun dealer here. I had a 1967 MGB roadster and did a little bit of rallying. I've tried the curta a few times and kept it. It is in the plastic box and carton with all the papers/book. There is a business reply envelope that you can mail to: THE CURTA COMPANY P.O.BOX 3414 VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA in the event of a warranty claim. Van Nuys is the original spelling of my name, an unexpected connection. I've nurtured it for thirty years and now I'm ready to pass it on. 119a

1999

1999

1999

1999




******** 1999 ********

120 Decano P McCullough dpmccul(at)aol.com Columbia Maryland
EU
1 0 21352 metal body. This was done by Dr. Bought by Bengt Hamelton and passed on to his daughter (my mother in law) and recently to me. 121 Marke Reinhardt magnet(arroba)sover.net Downtown Manchester, Vermont
EU (802) 362-3265 1 0 74678 Thanks for subscribing. I bought this new one while racing my Austin Healey. I've never really been good at using it, but it's such a beautiful device that I can't put it down. 122 James Negro james(arroba)jdblack.demon.co.uk Hastings, East Sussex, Inglaterra
Great Britain +44 (0)973 614193 4 2 4703
9296
14902
18866
508954
519445 The older type has a metal body with right-hand threads but rectangular adjustment knobs. The earlier Type II is black, like a Type I, while the other is gray with colored adjustment knobs and a square crank. It would be interesting to know which serial numbers the changes were made to. I have already registered some Curtas in your list but I would like to add one more. It is an early MINT make 1, serial number 4703, uses round slides instead of rectangular ones, and has the name "CURTA" in quotes on both the case (which is right-hand threaded) and the barrel of the case. Some other features are different, the set screws holding the base are black instead of plated, the lettering on the base forms a circle and System Curt Herzstark is not on the base but on the barrel under the name "CURTA". 123 Bill Jones jones(at)pcmagic.net San Jose, California
EU
0 1 ?????? I bought it used in the '80's as a backup for my Zeron 660 rally computer. Since the Zeron never lets me down, I mainly use it for rally pre-checks. 124 Harold W. Harmon Haroldharmon (at) bigfoot.com Howell, New-Jersey
EU
0 1 516080 My Curta originally belonged to my grandfather. In the early 1970s I was given an electronic pocket calculator for Christmas. One of those early Melcor(?) that did basic math for about $100. Anyway, my grandfather pulls out this Curta calculator and it absolutely blew my mind. When she died a few years ago, it was the only thing I asked my grandmother for as a keepsake. I couldn't believe I found other owners by searching the internet. 125 Bryan C. Nube BryC(at)dial.pipex.com Bristol, UK
0 1 513555 This is one of more than 900 computing devices in my collection. 126 Los Talcott lestalcott(at)eaton.com Rochester, Michigan
EU (248) 656-1344
0 2 525645
526413 525645 (metal case) was a college graduation gift in June 1966. 526413 (plastic case) was purchased in June 1968 on a business trip to Phoenix, Arizona for $110. It was used in three rallies. Its original owner joined the military and needed the money. Both are in excellent condition. I have the original packaging of the first and two instructions as well as a booklet with example calculations. 127 Bill Taylor A.S.C. bill(at)illusion-arts.com Illusion Arts, Inc.
6700 Avenue Valjean
Van Nuys, California
EU
2 1 32597
20071 558124 How wonderful to find a website dedicated to my favorite "complicated mechanical device". We are all in your debt. I would very much like to join the group. Although I had always wished for a Curta to grow up, thanks to Scientific American's promotion, they were out of my reach. The more I became involved with film cameras, the more I appreciated fine mechanics in general. I was lucky enough to find a new Curta II (SN 558124) in 1982 at the Feldmar Watch Co. in Los Angeles. I had sniffed for years and gotten them at a bargain price. The second, a Curta I (SN 32597), fetched much more at a Sotheby's instrument auction in 1997. The second Curta I (SN 20071) arrived in 1998. I keep looking for old serial numbers. My friend, the great Los Angeles cinematographer and archetypal short-tempered Scotsman, George Randle, loved the Curta because it didn't require "damn sparks" in its operation. It was pretty cool, he admitted, despite being built by Damn Krauts! 128 Jay Bayanker bayankerj(arroba)nimo.com Fayetteville, NuevaYork
EU (315) 428 6455 0 1 513923
129 Tullio Parravicini mepas(at)logica.it Via A. Moro, 4
20040 Carnate (MI)
ITALY 39.39.482379 0 1 513279 I bought my Curta in a shop in Arezzo (Florence) in 1998, it is in excellent condition after all these years, still in a metal box. 130 Klaus Hanfler klaus(at)hanfler.com Koenigstein
DEUTSCHLAND +49 (0)172 6945909 1 0 53124
131 Felix Frank franfel1(arroba)ibm.net Caracas, DF Venezuela 58-2-2424617 0 1 505288 I have a Curta type II, serial number 505288, original box and manual in Spanish 132 Jim Milstein Jim_Milstein(de)CenturyTel.net boulders, red
EU
0 1 517170 I have a Type II, No. 517170, in a metal box with a left-hand thread, with "Your CURTA calculator", "Notes on using CURTA" and "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator". I bought it at a federal auction in 1978 when it was in surplus. The base of the calculator and its case is hand engraved with the National Park Service inventory number, NPS #22797. The manual has a penciled note: "Please return to L.B. Riley." The date formula suggests it was made in 1958. The calculator is in excellent condition; The box shows signs of wear but is otherwise undamaged. It is transcendentally beautiful. 133 Gregor Finn finn(arroba)isi.edu Marina Del Rey, California
EU
0 1 513115 The device is in almost new condition. 134 LarryWeinstein lweinste(arroba)wright.edu Institute of Administrative Sciences and MIS
Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
EU
0 1 ?????? I first saw a short when my department manager, Myron Cox, brought it to a meeting. After his death I was able to purchase the instrument from his children. Myron's hobby was repairing watches, so he was able to keep the Curta in mint condition. I plan to use it for classic car rallies in the future. 135 Michele Sandra Murphy naturalears(at)email.msn.com Austin, Texas
EU
1 0 56295 I have a Curta type I, +ACM- 56295, which I inherited from my father. He was active in the SCCA, the Mustang Sports Car Club, and drove in rallies in the 1960s, winning many trophies and plaques. I remember how excited he was when he received his CURTA+ADs; Bought it used but is in excellent condition. He never let us touch him. I found it in a box my sister kept and I stole it immediately. She thought it was rubbish. SAY OH. I use it to homeschool other people's kids. My new homeschooler found your site yesterday. 136 Third of Pearu pterts(at)southcom.com.au Hobart, Tasmania
AUSTRALIA 61 3 62497165 0 1 535469 Bought at a flea market for €5. He asked the lady "is it working?". She said, "Yes. I had an electrician check it out." The device comes in a plastic case and is in excellent condition. 137 Stefan Nordqvist vcc1.stefanno(arroba)memo.volvo.se Gothenburg
SWEDEN
1 0 34097 I own a CURTA which was inherited from my wife's late grandfather. 138 Guillermo Schouten point(at)wxs.nl doll pants
NETHERLANDS
1 0 60052
139 Sack Goldrum


0 1 545546 I bought it in the early 60's and used it in four rallies and then decided sailing wasn't for me and became a driver. Black and mint colored plastic box. 140 Dean OP59(at)aol.com

1 0 ????? I first got interested in Curta calculators in the 1950's when I couldn't afford one. As an engineering student, sports car rally driver and naval pilot, I've seen its power! In the 1960s, my interest was rekindled when I visited the Technical Museum in Munich. There is still (from 2 years ago) a very nice exhibition with history and references to the concentration camps where "New Germany" also has photos and history by Mr. Hertstark. My wife (originally from the 1960s) and I visit Germany and Europe often. Ellie has "standing order" to search all garage sales and antique markets for the "Numbered Pepper Mill". My search continues! I am currently a Delta Air Lines L-1011 Captain and am still looking for a Curta. If you know a mod. 2 (or all) available please let me know. 141 gary caplin ctutor812(at)aol.com Bellingham, Washington
EU
0 1 558399 I was just surprised that there are so many people from Curta. I purchased mine in April 1972 from "CURTA COMPANY", 14438 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, California. Has been in a storage box for many years. I played with it a few times but didn't really use it. It is housed in the original blue Curta box with a serial number #558399 printed on the outside. The machine sits in the opposite rotating plastic box. I have the original green and white "YOUR CURTA CALCULATOR" folding instructions, the original light brown "INVOICE EXAMPLES" booklet, a guarantee certificate with the date of purchase from the Curta company, and the Curta company's business card. THE MACHINE HAS NEVER IN FACT BEEN USED SO IT IS IN ACTUAL CONDITION.
Court II
N/S: 558399
CONDITION: EXCELLENT
I AM READY TO SELL IT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER REALLY LEARNED HOW TO USE IT EFFECTIVELY. BECAUSE I WORK IN THE BROADCASTING BUSINESS AND USE AN ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR, I WORK WITH TIME CODE, THE CURTA DOESN'T USE ME. 142 Nita de Glanville
Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA

1 0 9068 My Aunt Nita is currently visiting from South Africa and has brought a Type 1 Serial: 9068 in its black case marked CURTA Only. The lid is awkward as it rotates backwards. Anyway, I digress, there are no instructions. It belonged to her late husband John, a civil engineer, who bought it around 1951. We both really enjoyed reading your site. What enthusiasts! Keep it up. 143 Boys


1 0 53256 Passed on by my surveyor father. The black metal case shows signs of wear from daily use. Includes leather carry case. 144 James H luck jhg(arroba)worldnet.att.net Calle Waterford, 17
Beachwood, Ohio
EU (216) 464-1811 0 1 524336 I just bought my Model II from a guy in England. I used a 1961-1965 Model II for sports car rallies and paid $90 for it. I sold it after I stopped playing. Then about five years ago I put a want ad in Road & Track and bought a Type I for $100, sold it in 1998 for almost $1000. I've missed owning a Curta so much that I'm keeping it. 145 Gary Fleischer xspook(at)theriver.com Sierra Vista, Arizona
EU (520) 458-8967 1 0 76994 Bought new in the early 60's and used for rallies. Plastic box with original instruction manual. I still use it frequently. It looks more elegant than electronic calculators. 146 Robert Adelstein robertad(at)sprynet.com Denver, Colorado
EU
0 1 518330 I bought the smaller Type 1 machine when I was in college taking a surveying course. He later bought the Type II. I took care of him as if he were alive and my friend. I'm glad to see there are other Curta people out there. I look at the device and realize how amazing this machine is. I don't want to sell it but I'm interested in its value in case I find another one in the future. Ever since I had that machine, I've built an Altair computer, an old Sinclair computer. As you can see I'm a collector and I still think the Curta is the most amazing machine of them all. 147 Thomas Stocker stocker(arroba)klima.unibe.ch 3012 Bern
SWITZERLAND +41 31 631 44 64 1 1 80288
560566
148 Lin Hsin Hsiung camus(arroba)ms1.tisnet.net.tw Hualien City, ROC
TAIWAN (886)38323336 0 1 542826 Curta is brand new, it has paper box and menu and black box. 149 Bill Standard Invoices(at)zlogic.com West Windsor, Vermont
EU
1 0 71424 Bought new in 1971, I can't remember how much. Beautiful shape in a black plastic case. No instructions or other incanals. 150 Daniel Kuras kurasd(arroba)dmci.net Jackson, Michigan
EU
0 1 553736 I've wanted one for years. 151 Dwayne Newton eyeworks(at)sirius.com San Francisco, California
EU
0 1 501656 good condition metal case, zero ring broken but preserved. No instructions. Curious about the value. 152 John Broad g.breda(at)tin.it Roma
ITALY
1 1 61990
521496 59073 (sold February 10, 2001): I bought the Curta at Porta Portese (Rome's largest flea market) for £50,000 (about US$27). The seller asked me, "What is that? - I don't know what it is." The calculator is in excellent condition and comes complete with its metal case. I bought a new Curta Tipo I SN 61990 in a very special condition (mentis) with instructions and the original packaging. I paid for the curta, more or less a quarter of the curta sold. I bought a new Curta. This time it's a Curta II SN 521496. I found it at a flea market in Campagnano Romano, a small town near Rome. 153 L. truth lverity(at)iea.com Spokane, Washington
EU
0 1 533418
154 Lorenzo Keeney lkeeney(arroba)cox.net 645 Del Prado Drive
Boulder City, Nevada
EU 702-293-6373
702 293-5810 (Fax) 1 0 52458 I bought my Curta around 1958. I used it twice in rallies with my MG. It is in perfect condition and has a metal body. I think I have the manual somewhere but it would take a bit of searching. 155 marc hoffeld marc.hoffeld(arroba)santel.lu Luxemburg
LUXEMBURG
1 0 11536 It seems unused. Black metal box. 156 Matz Cohen palford(at)btinternet.com London, United Kingdom
1 0 56434
157 Esteban Glover sglover(arroba)operis.com London, England
Great Britain
0 1 524619 I have a Curta TYPE II, metal box, first condition. Never used seriously. 158 Esteban Brenner sbrenner(arroba)efn.org Eugen, Oregon
EU (541) 484-2723 0 1 506367
159 Gail Oliver encuesta(de)co.st-johns.fl.us St. Augustine, Florida
EU 904-823-2485 0 1 557727 I have the original black plastic box. I'm the surveyor for St. Johns County, the curta was in a box of old survey field books I found while sorting. I have it on display in my office. 160 clay brown mgbbrown@hotmail.com 5739 Hobgood Street
Rougemont, Carolina del Norte
EU (919) 603-0453 0 2 507475
538659 I have a Curta II in a plastic case, serial number 553299, with the owner's manual and a copy of the yellow calculation manual. This is in excellent used condition. He bought it from Bryan Halladay in England and it was used in rallies. I am learning professional use in historic rallying from my 1969 MGB Roadster. I am interested in a Mint Curta I or Curta II in a metal box complete with all literature and box. I also want to get a leather rally case. **Update** I traded in my later Curta II for the following: Older Curta II, serial number 507475, black case, old left-hand thread case in excellent used condition, all original literature, original box and slipcase. leather, made in USA) with belt loop and shoulder strap. I'm also looking for a complete Curta I (packed with case, all original documents). I found a "curta mug" that connects the curta to a clipboard for collection. I was told there was also a cable attached as other rally equipment. Maybe someone can enlighten me on this cable thing. I am also looking for an excellent late Curta II complete with box, original literature for everyday use, as well as a Curta I with all its literature and box to complete my collection. I also found a "Curta Cup" for a Curta I. I will be using a Curta II for TSD calculations in the historic rally class for my 1969 MGB roadster as well as for everyday use. I'm a fan of the RABID Curta and have owned three of these excellent instruments so far. **Update** This is a later Curta II with a like new plastic body and leather "rally" case which was actually a vintage camera lens case adapted for use with the Curta. It has a zero ring made of metal. Serial number is 538659. Interestingly, it fits a second "Curta Cup" I was given which is used to clip the calculator to a rally navigator clipboard, but my first year Curta II does not fit the same A cup. I will be using this for rallies as it is the age appropriate type for my vintage 1969 SCCA rally car. I'm also interested in getting a full complement of literature for this one. 161 bed hat pbhuet(arroba)dbtech.net 15657 Marmorweg
North Harbor, Alabama
EU 205/339-5518
205/339-5096 (Fax) 0 1 539261 I just found out that the "gizmo" I found in an old "junk shop" is famous. It has always been very intriguing to me and I knew from the moment I saw it that it was an extremely intricate piece. I paid $5.00 for it in Murphysboro, Illinois about 25 years ago. I've discovered some of its features through experimentation, but I'd certainly like to know more. I intend to explore the site a friend found for me and learn more. If it is of interest I will list the information about it to the best of my ability. With black plastic housing with O-ring seat and left-hand thread. It is in very good condition as is the case. The label on the front of the box is slightly damaged but otherwise appears to be perfect. 162 Michael C. Gibbons Mike-Gibbons(at)msn.com
gibbons.mike.mc(arroba)bhp.com.au Tucson, Arizona
EU (520) 219-4023 1 0 29636 I think my Curta is new to my family. I'm proud that I can finally play it (at the age of 49). It is in nice condition in a metal case with a left-hand thread. (No manuals) My father and grandfather sold office machines in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 1948 to 1959. They could have been factory dealers. My father died, so the details are sketchy. Originally I was a master mechanic. Although I'm now deeply into computers and networking, nothing will fascinate me quite like the Curta's jewel-like mechanical controls. I was intrigued to find your site. I am amazed at the number of people who take pleasure in owning one of these gems. 163 Charles L. Gaston clg(at)bworld.com.ph Manila
PHILIPPINES
1 0 24019
164 mauritius robinson Maurice(de)digsan.freeserve.co.uk Lewes, East, England
Great Britain
1 0 8248 Mine is in one of the left-hand thread metal boxes. Unfortunately I hadn't looked at it for a while, but when I finally opened it the packaging holding it in place had melted (my office gets hot) and leaked onto the top of the machine. Any ideas how to remove it (it's tricky now) and you can get a new gasket. 165 Craig McInnes macinnescs(arroba)ids.net Jamestown, Rhode Island
EU
0 1 520008 CURTA Model II with black metal case and manual, very good condition. 166 Matt Ackermann ackermann(at)bigfoot.com 8610 users
SWITZERLAND
0 1 507001 This Curta was assembled in June 1999 by Mr. Kleinecke in Liechtenstein. Mr. Kleinecke was responsible for maintaining Curtas after Hilti bought Contina. All spare parts and machines necessary for the service and repair of Curtas were supplied to him. My sister bought me this Curta a few weeks ago. Mr. Kleinecke assembled it from spare parts. He says this will be the last machine he can assemble as he uses the last remaining spare parts from two of the 500+ pieces. It arrived in the original black packaging and looks like new. Mr. Kleinecke wrote down my address and he had to be sure that the machine would be valued and not just sold. It's a truly marvelous piece of engineering and one has to admire the people who had the ability, patience and perseverance to conceive and produce it. 167 George E Heide heath(at)rjwaldronco.com und geoheath(at)telus.net Vancouver (White Rock)
British Columbia, CANADA
1 1 67399
552899 This Curta is in near "as new" condition but of course the case has some minor scratches and scuffs. Turning the crank is almost as good as sex, but not quite. It is a pleasure to use and look at. I remember them being used for auto racing as a teenager and then I saw one in a showroom about 5 years ago. That's it, you had to have it! Mine belonged to an engineer but didn't look like it had been used much. Too expensive I think. Anyway, I'd like to say I bought it for 50 cents, but I actually paid $200 and some airplane clock parts. Still a bargain! 168 Koik plum Erikkoik(at)foryou.net Urban, Ohio
EU 937-653-8100 1 0 ????? No serial number visible (/Remove the bottom plate and look at the underside -Rick- /I believe my father bought this Curta from the factory in the early 60's. It is a metal barrel in its original packaging, metal reverse thread with white rubber- O-ring The rubber base of the case is a bit hard and stinks but it's all there I use it as a curiosity to surprise modern day kids and adults who think everything they've ever been worth was something electronically worked. Glad to find this website and look forward to more information. 169 Douglas Palen Haus Palenshus(at)geocities.com Ellensburg, Washington
EU 509-933-3843 0 1 523129 My device looks like new. It's a nice gray color with black knurled grips and eye-catching red and black number dials. Unit is all metal with black metal body (white rubber "0" ring). I don't have the manual; story not available. I want big dollars. 170 Claude Van Hutte claudevanhoutte(arroba)gmail.com B 1640 Synt-Genesio-Rhode
BELGIUM 32 2 3804009 1 0 3067 I just got a curta from my dad. The serial number is no. 3067 and it was manufactured in Lichtenstein by Cintina AG Mauren. At the moment I am trying to collect data about this wonderful machine. Curta Type I - Metal box with right-hand tread 171 Richard L. De Saussure, III richard(arroba)desaussure.net 7774 Killdeer Lane
Cordoba, Tennessee
EU (901)-753-9009 1 0 75931 I am the original owner of a Type I Curta calculator. I bought this Curta as a child while traveling to Europe with very good family friends. We came to Paris and all the "locals" had curtas (apparently) and used them for currency conversion. We got a car and drove to Liechtenstein without knowing that Curtas were produced there. My father had given me a certain amount of money for the trip and when I saw the Curta I had to have it. The big decision was whether to get the curta (and nothing else for the rest of the trip) or save the money for other souvenirs. Luckily I chose the Curta. Mine is Type I, serial number 75931, plastic case with the leather "rally case". I still have the original manuals. I'm looking for the original purchase receipt, which I think I still have. The Curta is black and in mint condition despite years of use. I think (but not sure) this was purchased directly from Contina AG Mauren (which is stamped below). I say this because I remember being warned at the time of purchase that the machine would need a routine cleaning in 10 years if not abused. Although I guess I have one of the "later" models, I'm pretty proud of my Curta. (PS: this Curta is not for sale). Please consider adding me to your list of proud Curta owners. 172 Hermann Brauckmann h.c.brauckmann(arroba)inter.nl.net Oegstgeest
NETHERLANDS
0 1 558939
173 Sold - 08/20/1999 Sold Chino Hills, Kalifornien
EU Sold 0 1 539434 My father bought it on a business trip in Europe. The box still contains a customs label dated 05/10/70. It is made in Liechtenstein. It is still in excellent condition with the original manuals in good condition and the case still looks like new. Sold - 8/20/99 - Sold 174 Jose A. Carlos interjoe(arroba)alltel.net Jamestown, NewYork
EU 716-487-2980 0 1 539399 I got my curta from my brother's farm nine years ago. I never knew what it was until I found this website wow! Step on the left, plastic case, appears to have been used very seldom. You may want to sell if the price is right. 175 Damon O'Donoghue streetorgan(at)ozemail.com.au AUSTRALIA
0 1 501325 I didn't know that so many people were interested in these little beasts! I saw a curta about 20 years ago and fell in love with it. His owner didn't want to be separated from him. However, a scientist friend recently backed down and gave me his (which I didn't know I had!). It is in very good condition, black metal case with some scratches. Please add me to your database. Keep it up. 176 Rick Blake Constsupr1(at)aol.com Fort Myers, Florida
EU 941-707-1201 0 1 511181 I want to know more about this calculator! A friend recently gave it to me. The calculator is in very good condition, there are no manuals and the left-hand thread metal case is in good condition (no dents but scratches). 177 Juan S. James climb(in)televar.com Omak, Washington
EU
1 0 38603 Curta acquired it from a relative who was a petroleum engineer. It has a black metal case that opens to the right. Case marked "Gaynor & Co Accessories" in perfect condition, no case or instructions. 178 Removed on request-TB N / A Greensboro, North Carolina
EU
1 0 66831 I have a Type I, serial number #, in the original metal case. I used it along with a slide rule in engineering school...then when I became a TSD rally fan. 179 Tommy Estridge TommyEst(at)aol.com N. Hollywood, California
EU (818) 762-2695 1 0 78096 I bought this new in October 1972, I still have the original guarantee card, the operating instructions and a small booklet entitled "Calculation examples for the Curta calculator". The Curta is like new, the plastic box is slightly scratched. I am interested in selling. make me an offer 180 Michel Poirier-Defoy lpindfoy(at)tlb.sympatico.ca Montpellier, Quebec, Kanada (514) 659-2480 1 0 76153 Case with left-hand thread made of Bakelite. John Bellefleur, a good rally buddy of mine, told me about his side. I am currently the press officer for CARS and Rallye Sport Quebec. Happy to be part of a select club that owns such a fabulous little machine. I bought my Curta in 1969 for CDN$75 and I've recovered a lot. I managed national events before moving to the stage format. And I've won my share of rallies, I might add. It has worked thousands of hours and is still in like new condition. Comes in a left-hand thread bakelite box. I use it all the time for timing when I host TSD events in Quebec's Laurentians every winter. 181 David Lukesik david.m.lukasik(arroba)boeing.com Parkhalle, Maryland
EU
1 0 12873 It was given to me by an old family friend who was a civil engineer/surveyor. I want to know as much as possible about him. It's in mint condition but there's no manual so all I've been able to figure out so far is how to add, subtract and multiply with it. 182 Jim Bridges jcbejb(arroba)worldnet.att.net Stafford, Texas
EU
1 0 17903
183 Sold Sold Portland, Oregon
EU Sold 1 0 7416 I got that from my wife. Her mother had a stroke and she cleaned the house. She said it belonged to her late father. He remembers seeing them both at the kitchen table using the curta to calculate the accounts! His father worked for the Utah Oil Refining Co. so I assume he used it at work. The machine is in good condition with no major scratches. Some of the levers have a slight drag which I put down to the machine never being serviced and in need of some oil. It has a metal case, no dents, but with some signs of wear. All inscriptions are legible and worn. I estimate the date of manufacture to be around 1949-50. I also have the owner's manual, a 5 3/4" X 4" booklet. 184 Pink panties Pereira wsp(at)tba.com.br BRASILia, DF
BRAZIL 61 338-8650 1 0 3928 metal body. Excellent condition. Original instruction book. 185 Arcilla Castleberry caslbry(at)cncnet.com Oroville, California
EU
1 1 72857
516839 Type 1, plastic case Type 2, metal case With operating instructions, computer examples and leather rally case for wonderful Type 2 computer instruments; It goes well with my 220 slide rules, 3 Gunters rules and an ivory sector. 186 Lorenzo Altese latesse(at)free.fr Strasbourg
FRANCE 0662410460 0 1 548726
187 Gordon Matzigkeit gord(arroba)fig.org Regina, Saskatchewan CANADA (306) 731-3011 0 1 553266 This is one of two CURTAs my parents bought for rallies (the other is another Type II, serial number 558304...I know because I have his box). It has a plastic case with inverted screws and a gray body. The story behind this CURTA is that it got dusty and the shaft stopped turning so my dad gave it to me to try and fix it. Using his other CURTA as a guide, I took it apart, cleaned and lubed it and put it back together and to our delight it worked. The only problem is that it smells like WD-40 now. ;) 188 Juan Steigerwald jsarch(arroba)mindspring.com Calle Helena 174
Fanwood, New-Jersey
EU 212-941-6800
Fax: 212-941-4803 1 0 29274
189 Pedro Guerini pete(at)netdex.com Santa Rosa, California
EU
1 0 70224 In perfect external condition. Purchased from Stanford University Bookstore in the late 1960s. Requires minor maintenance. The line counter does not always correctly lead to the next column when subtracting. Since it works perfectly sometimes, I guess it needs some lubrication. 190 Dr. Patrick Covernton covernton(at)eudoramail.com Poole, Dorset, Great Britain
1 0 12969 I have a Curta in good condition in its original metal box. It was gifted to me in the mid 80's, I also have the computer example booklet but there are no instructions. Seems to work great but has a sticky digit that sometimes needs to be erased back into the counting register. Maybe one day I'll get around to fixing it. 191 Richard Barnhart none Oroville California
EU
0 1 514508 Information from Clay Castleberry - recorded above 192 Steve Castleberry none Oakland, California
EU
0 1 525581 Steve's dad [Clay Castleberry - pictured above] gave him this Curta because he's a real civil engineer. He also gave him an old K&E slide rule because he chewed on the leather case when he was a baby 43 years ago. Good training as a civil engineer. 193 Sold on 04/22/1999 Sold Philadelphia, Pennsylvanien
EU Sold 1 0 24160 La Curta belonged to my father who died in 1962 at the age of 42. He was an architect. I had it for years and decided to sell it so I could use the money to contribute towards a diamond engagement ring. I didn't need the money, but I wanted to get my dad involved. It was in mint condition, the metal case was chipped but overall healthy. 194 David Rad sacdw(at)dames.com Sacramento, California
EU
0 1 525601 I was very excited to find your CURTA website. I am also the proud owner of a Curta II (#525601) which my father bought new in the early 60's. I recently rescued them from my mom's garage sale where she sold them to a 12 year old for $5.00. Luckily, the boy's father forced him to return it to get his $5 back, thinking he had been scammed. It is in good condition, however the crank pin has been lost and replaced with a clip. Any suggestions for getting a replacement needle? 195 Sold - 10/02/2007 Sold DEUTSCHLAND Sold 1 0 41637
196 Toni Offerman lapluie(at)videotron. ca Boisbriand, Quebec
YOU HAVE
0 1 500485 I have a Curta calculator that was gifted to me by an old family friend 25 years ago. It came in a metal box but I lost the instructions. 196a

2000

2000

2000

2000




******** 2000 ********

197 Westmarke Westtrap(at)sympatico.ca Toronto Kanada
1 0 23575 I inherited this Curta from my grandfather who bought it in Europe sometime in the 50's. It was recovering from its effects after he died last year and now my dad and I have it. 198 Leland Mayonnaise lmandkj(at)peoplepc.com Long Beach Kalifornien
EU
0 1 519983 When I was a surveyor in 1975, I bought my Curta from a chief surveyor. I had previously used one when I worked in government. Appraiser early 1960s. The metal case is heavily worn. The calculator is widely used. However, it is still in excellent condition. I found your website by accident. I had just moved the Curta from one shelf to another and thought I'd see if there was any info online about it. Eureka! What a job these mini machines are. 199 Mark Jason Lord mjd-www-like+(at)plover.com Philadelphia, Pennsylvanien
EU
1 0 67741
200 LTC Jim VanDam Rallye13(at)msn.com Boise, Idaho
EU
1 0 77061 I have a TYPE I with a black plastic case and instructions. I bought my CURTA new in the late 60's and used it for "pre-speed limit" TSD and Monte Carlo style rallies in California and Nevada. Many members of my auto club, the Nor Cal Rally Team (NCRT) and our parent organization, the Four Cylinder Club of America (FCCA), made much better use of these rally-specific devices than the tables. Although at speed the universal adage "GIGO" was particularly apt. I continue to live and meet in Idaho, but CURTA is staying safe at home. I sometimes take it to meetings so recent rallies can reflect on this odd instrument. 201 Ulrich Chlormann Ulrich_clormann(at)t-online.de Schwabhausen (Munich)
DEUTSCHLAND
2 0 37947
53429 SN 53429 (used but in very good condition) SN 37947 (almost used, very good condition but the small tip of the cleaning lever is broken and missing). I got both at auction, one from the US and one from England. I'm still looking for a nice (and not too wide) Curta II. 202 Graham Collin geh(arroba)bcs.org.uk London, United Kingdom
1 0 77823 Absolutely flawless. Plastic case Original packaging and instructions I stumbled across this treasure in the early 70's and will never take it apart again. It is the epitome of exquisite engineering! 203 Lake Ed mr_lake@hotmail.com Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
YOU HAVE
0 1 541447 (plastic container) 204 Removed on request-MF
Linz, Upper Austria
AUSTRIA
8 5 4633
7733
24855
38766
39200
65674
75498
79572
500845
529613
534298
566499(?)
569944(?) As I'm sure you can see, I'm an absolute CURTA addict. 205 colin labouchere Colin Labouchere@compuserve.com Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK
1 0 10759 Just bought at Portobello market in London. Curta I No 10759. The serial number was illegible due to a broken bungee cord at the bottom of the case but has been cleaned. I was pleased to learn that I was one of the first. Based on the information on your website I believe this is 1951. The compensation ring is broken. The machine has done a lot of hard work and urgently needs cleaning, but everything works. 206 Federico (Rick) Ide Rickide2(at)aol.com Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, Michigan
EU
0 1 556327 with plastic housing --- very good condition I bought this device from Mr. Gary Hays around 1968-69 - at the same time I sold a Type I. Used for TSD rally work for many years --- now I just enjoy owning it. It was and is a wonderful machine, a wonderful display of engineering and workmanship. 207 David D. StoneMr. ddstonesr(at)aol.com Traverse Ciry, Michigan
EU
0 1 560754
208 Olle Nilson antik.ten(at)alfa.telenordia.se Jönköping
SWEDEN
1 0 35923 Just bought at an auction in Stockholm 209 other king ark(arroba)acm.org Gillette, New-Jersey
EU (973) 360-8677 0 1 561213 I am the first owner of this. I bought it in 1977 or maybe 1978. I remember seeing ads for them in Scientific American in the 60's and then they eventually disappeared. He hadn't bought any at the time because he was a kid and couldn't afford it. One day I realized that I hadn't seen those ads in a while and maybe they weren't available anymore. I remembered the American distributor was in Van Nuys, California, so I called him. The phone was still working and the guy I spoke to said, 'I'm out of business but I have one unit left. Do you want it?'' So I think I officially imported the last Curta to the United States. 210 kurt rochlitz kurt.rochlitz(at)pi.be Belgium
1 0 20759 You are doing good work! 211 Roberto Schaffer Shaffer (de) texas.net 111 Soledad
Episode 1240
San Antonio, Texas
EU (210) 222-1600
(210) 222-2611 (Fax) 1 0 12365 Recently I discovered [Curta] of my late father among my mother's belongings. I learned it as a child and was delighted to find it fully functional and in very good condition. Unfortunately, the finger ring on the cleaning lever broke. I'm guessing someone tried to put the machine in the metal box without pulling the lever back. I would like to know if there are spare parts. I believe my father bought the new CURTA when he was an engineer for the Minnesota Department of Highways sometime after 1956. 212 Roland takes care rsoucie(at)mindspring.com Cambria, California
EU
1 0 75896 I bought it new around 1971, cleaned and oiled it once. In perfect condition but box scratched 213 Burt I. Weiner biwa(at)pacificnet.net Glendale, California
EU
0 1 509808 It is in mint condition with the boot for protection and a leather sheath worn on a belt to hold the boot. It was gifted to me by Ted Ryan from Los Angeles about 20 years ago. He used it when he was a civil engineer working for the Department of Highways. Ted later taught electronics at a Los Angeles high school. I use it from time to time. I'm a broadcast engineer working as a consultant. Many times I've impressed, maybe even shocked, people by taking out the curta and doing some math with it (for fun). Sometimes they've even forgotten that they had a problem because of their fascination with the strange "pepper grinder" they used to study math. I plan to keep my curta and enjoy it. It has become part of the family. The fact that Ted gave it to me and what it is has given it special meaning and a place in my heart. Thank you for your site. 214 Douglas fir brown dbrown(arroba)arl.mil Las Cruces, New Mexico
EU
1 0 70071 I just got this from the owner's widow. In mint condition with box (same serial number), warranty card and documentation still wrapped around the plastic box. I've wanted one since a rally driver let me have one in the early '60s. 215 Edmund Duran eduran(at)espol.edu.ec Guayaquil
ECUADOR 593-4-269670 1 0 25668 My uncle worked as an accountant for Esso (Standard Oil) here in Guayaquil in the 1960's. This company owned all of the aircraft fueling operations in Ecuador, and each delivery required some calculations. They did have some electric calculators back then, but safety regulations didn't allow them near the airport apron where planes were refueled. Later, of course, all this was converted into kilobytes and megahertz, and the Curta became a curious paperweight. I was 16 in 1976 and [had] already a slide rule and [was] a collector of calculators...my uncle wasn't. Enough talk. My Type I is in perfect mechanical and aesthetic condition, I have the instruction manual in Spanish and the metal case has some minor scratches. 216 Cleo E McCall apexmccall(at)home.com Willingboro, New Jersey
EU
1 0 34726 I'm a surveyor and I have an extensive collection of calculators. Although most of my electronic calculators are from the 1970's, I really love my Curta I. I recently bought two of these from a retired engineer and quickly sold the new one. I kept the other one because it has the older metal case as well as a leather sleeve that was handmade by his wife who did leather crafts. It's like new; only lightly used. The manuals are with him. 217 Juerg Dedual ded(at)swissonline.ch CH - 9056 application, AR
SWITZERLAND
1 0 31486 I have a Curta in good condition in its original metal box. I also have the manual in German. 218 Bobby l Jones tsar14bob(at)aol.com Virginia Beach, Virginia
EU (757) 460-5172 1 0 20022 My father uses it in his job as a surveyor for the city of Detroit, MI. 219 Ricardo Williams rwilliams(at)advi.net Berg Airy, North Carolina
EU
1 0 28732 The case is metallic. I don't have instructions, the housing has a left-hand thread. The device is in excellent condition. 220 Chris Gillings chrisg+curta@gillings.com Lane Cove, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA
0 1 506419 Found at a thrift store in Windsor, Victoria, Australia while looking for slide rules. When I told the shopkeeper that I was looking for "calculators and such," she pulled out a familiar-looking black, round-topped metal box from behind the counter and said, "I'm not sure you'll find this interesting, but I think so." , it's a calculator." I happily paid the asking price, which was about half what they're getting now. It's in good condition but tends to snag a little with some nines involved in the trim knobs. There's no manual, of course, but it was easy enough to figure out how it worked. I'm *very* impressed with it: it's one of those immensely *gratifying* things. [Hum, click!] 221 Dufour Remy jpdufour(arroba)wanadoo.fr Jarni, Lorena
FRANCE (33) 03 82 33 22 11 0 1 551666 Something is wrong with my Curta 2, the ring on the top of the machine is missing. I look for a 222 Marcos G. Leonard mg.leonard(arroba)ieee.org Los Altos, California
EU
1 1 9916
541833 Mine is a Curta Type I in a left-hand thread metal case. It was from a friend who kindly sold it to me when he saw how badly I wanted it. Ever since I saw the ads in Scientific American I've wanted one, but couldn't afford it. 223 marca butterworth marca(arroba)markbutterworth.com Santa Clara, California
EU
1 1 38599
527348 My type I is absolutely new, never used. Originally given as a gift to the original owner and shelved pending sale from the estate. Type II was used in the survey. I love running them and doing square roots! Part of my collection of mechanical machines with four functions including a TIM step drum and many pinwheel calculators: German, Russian, English, Swedish. 224 Steve Richard smrdcatman(at)juno.com Everett, Washington
EU
0 3 539451
552808
544783 (3) Type II S/N 539451 purchased new December 1967, $172 from J.H. Maher Co. for rallies. Still active in rallying today. S/N 552808 received from a friend (for one song) 1996 S/N 544783 recently purchased from the internet 225 J. Decker manitowoc(at)idngh.com EMAILS. Box BT 38 C2
WA, TemaMore
GHANA 233 22 206873
1 0 78845 Manufactured in Liechtenstein by Contina AG Mauren. 226 Graem McKenzie medical(en)beyond.net.au Townsville-Queensland
AUSTRALIA 61 7 4773 5345 0 0
I used a CURTA during my time in the Australian Civil Forces during the Vietnam War. I was on an inspection attachment to a medium artillery unit and the CURTA was being used for gun placement and target calculations. I didn't see anyone else until 1980 when I lived in Georgetown, Malaysia (Penang) in a surveying and drawing equipment shop. After haggling over the price for weeks just before leaving I had intended to buy it with the allowances I had received for my return to Australia but with the hassle of moving I forgot and it was all these years one sore point for me. Every time I'm back in Asia or visiting a thrift store, I try to describe this battery-free calculator to a youth store clerk who can't understand why I don't just buy the latest "Casio". Just tonight I thought I'd look it up on the net and I'm glad there are like-minded people out there who appreciate such a fine instrument. GDPR document 227 Dr. A.S. HERE. Gerhard von BOTTON
orthopedist g.debotton(arroba)wanadoo.fr Chartres
FRANCE 0033 2 37 25 20 52 1 0 19038
228 Juan J. Pisarcik jandlpisarcik(at)juno.com
(609) 407-1535 1 0 48243 with a metal box with a left-hand thread, a booklet "CUR-TA-BLE (for the rallyist equipped with Curta) 1961, illustrated instructions and a booklet "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator". The handle of the machine got stuck before buying it, this has no effect on the operation. 229 Mike Rowley mike.rowley(at)urs.org Salt Lake City, Utah
EU (801) 366-7316 0 1 518556
230 Grant young nq5t(at)home.com Double Oak (-- Nr. Dallas), Texas
EU 972.718.4700 1 0 58294 Looking for a good Type II (and I collect slide rules too) 231 Frank G Soler nestorius(at)home.com Walnut Creek, California
EU (925) 945-1786 1 0 36252 This CURTA was purchased by my father when he was studying Engineering at Princeton University (Class of '51). I found it along with his Pickett & Eckel Model 2 slide rule after his death. Not knowing what it was, I took the CURTA to all the senior engineers at Chevron Corporation (where I work) and they were all fascinated and amazed. Nobody had seen anything like it before! Black metal box and no instructions, excellent mechanical condition. 232 R. Bruce Gezon Smuncher (like) alltel.net Murrysville, Pennsylvania
EU
1 1 62076
?????? I bought my Type II in the early 60's when I started rallying. I bought the Type I from my boss Bob Helmick in the late 1960's after he returned from a holiday in Liechtenstein. He bought it there on a whim. I convinced him not to do it. My Curta II is packed in a box somewhere in the basement. 233 Carlos G. Hanson dtcgh(at)gte.net Indianapolis, Indiana
EU (317) 780-9007 0 1 540329 Bought new in 1968 by Burns Industries of Buffalo, NY for the SCCA rally. plastic container. I think it cost me €165. It took a 25 year detour through racing where it didn't see much use but now I'm back in rallying and I still love using this machine. I love your point of view and the information leading specifically to possible services when I need them. Type II First digit damaged; either 540329 or 940329Rick's note... I'm sure your first digit is "5". There is also usually a double number in the curta under the lower deck. 234 Habib KARACAN hkaracan(arroba)usa.net Istanbul
TURKEY G/M 0532.6123514 1 0 14568 Probably from my grandfather in the mid 50s, very good condition with metal case. If a good offer comes, I can sell it. 235 Monika m_siltala@hotmail.com

1 0 ????? I have a Curta Model I. In fact I had no idea what a Curta was and thought I'd check the internet if I could find out if this old fashioned calculator I've had for years is worth anything. The year by the Curta equation turned out to be 1955.9. The case is metal, rotates counter-clockwise and is in fair condition with no dents, some scratches and signs of wear in most places. The "calculator" itself is in excellent condition. 236 Harry Walter hwolters(at)accuray.com

0 1 533953 I have a Curta Type II in the original packaging including the operating instructions and calculation examples for the Curta calculator. Also instructions for performing standard deviations and square root calculations at Curta of Automatic Business Machines Limited, 15 Cromwell Road, London S.W.7, Kensington 8877, with notes and corrections by J.R. Munro from Manchester CEN.2321. None of the manuals or instructions are outdated. 237 Michael Barger barger(at)lycos.com Grand Ledge, Michigan
EU
1 0 66666 I am the proud owner of this CURTA in perfect condition. Circa 1978 this CURTA was gifted to me by my father who had gotten the CURTA from an engineer's widow who wanted it to "go to a good home". The CURTA came with a "Made in the USA" embossed leather case but no instructions. My dad couldn't figure out how it worked, so he gave it to me, I was 16 at the time. After lots of trying, I figured out how to use all the functions except square roots. I was told the story of CURTAs used on U-boats in WWII, now I know that the true story of Curt Herzstark is fascinating for a full fiction. Realizing that each CURTA was assigned a unique serial number, I wondered about the chances of getting it. 238 Felix Schaefer fschaefer (arrow) schaefer-mafo. en DEUTSCHLAND +49 40 5473 4921
Fax: +49 40 5473 4934
Mobil: +49 171 354 8218 0 1 560051 the serial number of my CURTA (Type II) is 560051 www.schaefer-mafo.de 239 Guillermo Wasmer wazz8595(arroba)dotnet.com Lago Elkhart, Wisconsin
EU 920-876-2767 1 0 50515
240 ben hogue bpogue4(at)gmail.com Austin, Texas
EU 512-809-6647 1 0 69639 Father bought this Curta in the late 60's and is a real estate appraiser still working and going strong at 82. However, Curta now fascinates me more than he does. In fact, I've always been fascinated by it, so Dad recently gave it to me. He prefers to play spreadsheets on his PC. Mine is in original condition, with cylindrical plastic box, original box, instruction manual, sample calculations and guarantee card. 241 bill bell smeghead(at)coastalnet.com Dover, NC
EU
0 1 534433 Great site I saw two names of people I met in England and will contact them. 242 Karl Braun cebrown(arroba)execpc.com Greendale, Wisconsin
EU
1 0 12936 I own Curta type 1 SN 12936 excellent condition good metal case [some minor scratches on the paint] NOT FOR SALE!!! 243 Bernhard Stedman bernardo(at)bsltd.net Crawley, West Sussex, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 501324 BTW, I see Damon O'Donoghue has the next Type II coming to me off the production line (he has 501325). I'm in the UK, he's in Australia. These must have traded well, or someone immigrated with theirs... Mine is a family heirloom that I want to pass on to my son. 244 Guillermo J. Godecker godecker(at)aol.com Ijamsville, Maryland
EU 301-865-6554 0 1 508286 I have just inherited this great machine in excellent condition from my father. It took a while and several people helped figure it out. It belonged to an accountant who worked for him in the early 1960s. Does anyone have a guide they could share? Can you also deduce something about the date of manufacture from the S/N? 245 Don Hediger don.sacrifice(that)msfc.nasa.gov

1 0 24218 I'm an engineer at NASA and came across a Curta Type I, SN 24218 while checking out my great uncle Raymond Seger's estate. I didn't know what it was at first and found out it had some mathematical use after "playing" with it for a while. Most family members had assumed it was used for photography since the device was found in a drawer with some old Leica cameras and flashes. Uncle Ray was a carpenter and built bowling alleys for years. Eventually he built his own bowling alley. I'll probably never know why he had a curta. Interesting information, Uncle Ray was born and raised in Liechtenstein. As a NASA engineer, I enjoy the novelty and history of owning a Curta. 246 rudy hairstyle none 3906 W Ina Rd. #200-363
Tucson, Arizona
EU 520-469-7800 0 1 546763 I've admired these units since I was a teenager. I couldn't have any then. It's spotless and running smoothly as it was done last week. 247 Mario smiles nagano(at)canalvip.com.br Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo
BRAZIL
1 0 10133 After discovering the amazing Curta calculator at the HP Calculator Museum, I've been looking for one for the last two years and finally found one on the eve of last Christmas day at a local flea market here in BRAZIL (who said no, does Santa exist? ) :^) Mine is a Curta Type I in a black metal case with a left-hand thread. The box has neither the "<-Open->" arrow nor the line frame surrounding the brand name "CURTA". The serial number is quite low (10133) indicating it was made in 1949 or 1950. Unfortunately the clear ring on my Curta broke but the previous owner kept the missing piece which I found in the case back. AFAIK, here in BRAZIL there is another curta in a local computer museum: www.museudocomputador.com.br/galeria_calculadora2.htm 248 Ludgerus Friedhoff Friedhoff (arroba) cityweb.de D-46119 Oberhausen, Baumstrasse 4
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 67997
249 Nigel Thompson nigel.thompson(arroba)sparticus.net Uppingham, Rutland
Great Britain
1 0 72538 Complete with black molded case (love the left hand thread) and manual (multifold single sheet of green and black) I purchased the above from a colleague who had previously used it to build CRT deflection system coil assemblies for televisions in the late 1960's early 1970's to calculate went unused until 1981, when the subject of computing equipment came up during an office meeting about a project he was working on. I was programming one of the HP calculators back then (forget the model) and my colleague brought this over here to show how it used to be done! He left the company he was working for about a year later and before leaving he discovered the Curta was still on his desk. He gave it to me as a parting gift and what a gift, I've shown it to many people over the years and it's sparked a lot of discussion. For me it's about history, craft and engineering, but mostly the realization that nothing like it will ever be produced again (certainly not commercially) and that it represents a pre-recharge time for everything digital and computer based. Nothing demonstrates this better than during the 1947-1970 production period; only two versions went into production. I can't think of many modern devices that have a half-life of 11.5 years. (Calculated using my old Curta!!) PS My Curta is not for sale but I have a scanned electronic copy of the manual in case anyone is interested. 250 Enrico Panfili panfili(arroba)bbcm.univ.trieste.it Sad
ITALY
0 1 511682 I inherited a metal cased Curta in excellent condition from my late boss who is already retired. We are both biochemists and I well remember my boss and his closest associate "crunching up" numbers to calculate enzyme activities from 1966 to 1971! (I was about 25 years old). The instruction manual was soon lost and I am VERY happy to find it on this site: I happily "milled" numbers again with the Curta machine and amazed today's youth! 251 Paul Powell ivor(at)paulpowell.freeserve.co.uk Rossendale
Lancashire
Great Britain
1 0 29063
251a

2001

2001

2001

2001




******** 2001 ********

252 Nigel JS Steward Nigel Steward (Arroba) HotMail.Com Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire
Great Britain
0 1 558450 I first used a Curta as a court attorney in the mid 60's but recently got the one below which is really good for serious rally use. I have a Type II in its plastic case, all in new condition, possibly unused, originally sold in Cape Town, RSA. I also have three pieces of original literature. A one-page brochure (two-page) “Who counts on Curta” – “Curta, the calculator for people who count”. "The Key to All Calculation Problems," a 16-page booklet and "Your Short Calculator" drop-down menu. I have interests in two MGs, an MGA Roadster and an MGB GT V8, and would like to purchase a leather rally case with a belt loop and shoulder strap and a "curta mug" to hold the curta on a clipboard for the rallies. I've also heard of a cable for use with the Curta in a rally environment but have never seen it. I'm hesitant to use my Mint Curta in serious long distance vintage rallies so I'd happily buy another 'more used' Type II, cosmetic appearance isn't important as long as it's in perfect condition." 253 Joe McClohen rounderneuert(at)ix.netcom.com Arlington, Texas
EU 817-861-2792
0 1 524391 The original owners were Jerry and Marry Stoughton. May drove and Jerry sailed to at least two Class A SCCA championships in a VW Bug serial number 524391. I had met in my late teens and early twenties in the late 1960's and had become acquainted with the Stoughtons. In the 1980's I strove to foment a revival of TSD rallying for all to enjoy through the Maverick Region Porsche Club of America. In an independent pub crawl after the event, Jerry and Mary indicated that the rally's retirement was imminent and offered that their Type II was for sale. I replied "tell me your price and I'll pay it". After a brief deliberation, they named $35. I have used this wonderful tool on a number of occasions in TSD rallies and have done quite well. I would like to find an opportunity to use it more. 254 Nathan Orenstein nathan-o(at)netmedia.net.il Jerusalem
ISRAEL
0 1 546616 Plastic case, manual lost. Curta was purchased in the US and used for auto racing navigation. It was also used at work (electrical engineering) when the accuracy of the slide rule was not enough. 255 Gerhard Wenceslaus gerhard.wenzel(at)t-online.de NRW de Solingen
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 75083 I collect calculators. You can visit my museum at www.calculators.de. Thank you and happy collecting 256 Doug Glover doug.glover(at)sympatico.ca Mississauga, Ontario
YOU HAVE
1 0 50571
257 Alfred Werra alfred.werra(at)gmx.the 48149 Münster
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 529069
258 Scott Soper scottsoper(at)yahoo.com Olympia, Washington
EU
1 0 73961 My father used this in the 60's when he was a surveyor. I always told him I wanted him voluntarily, but he decided not to wait. Most people can't tell what it is when they see it. 259 jo und jim hurley ojo1o@hotmail.com Lincolnshire, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 533946 It was bought at a car market not so long ago. It is in perfect condition, appears to be unused, even the cover is perfect. The instruction manual/instruction manual is missing. This curta is not for sale, we intend to pass it on to our grandson. 260 March at Rodgers mrodgers(at)austin.rr.com 6415 Trakton cut
Austin, Texas
EU
1 0 50383 I have a Curta calculator in mint condition with metal case and both manuals in mint condition. According to their website it is a 1963 model. This unique machine is very special to me. I remember my grandfather showing it to me as a child aged 8 and being so impressed that after a brief encounter I remembered ordering it 35 years later after his death. I would be honored to be inducted in memory of my grandfather: (In memory of Colonel William P. Allyn) 261 Peter Vogel pajaro(at)encode.com Bracebridge, Ontario KANADA 705-645-2291
1 0 5099 The metal container has a right-hand thread. The only markings on the pot are: "CURTA" (quotation marks are engraved along with the letters on the pot). There is no other line work, etc. The o-ring, inner bottom foam pad, inner top rubber clamp pad; They are all there and in excellent condition. On the statement above the setting register is engraved: SYSTEM "CURTA" CURT HERZSTARK Again the quotation marks around the CURTA. The second line is engraved in much smaller letters. The adjustment knobs are pins, not the serrated sliders I've seen on all the calculator pictures. The cylinder on the opposite side of the adjustment register is engraved: AGENTES ÚNICOS S.A.
THE SUTTNER
EMAILS. BOX 6490
JOHANNESBURG
The computer works perfectly and without any problems. It appears to have been used very little, if at all. The "images" attached (actually direct scans on my scanner bed) are of poor quality and misleading as to the condition of the calculator. For example, the image at the bottom of the calculator indicates that the letters may be blurry, partially missing, and not sharp: in fact, the letters are fairly complete, not blurry, and very sharp. In all the images I've seen, I've never seen an image that shows:
- an embossed boat with quotation marks around CURTA and no other letters or lines,
- a right-hand thread boat,
- the cylinder of the calculator engraved in quotation marks around CURTA and/or the second line SYSTEM CURT HERZSTARK (on the cylinder, not on the bottom),
- “Peg” style adjustment knobs. 262 John W Stanley johnwstanley(at)lineone.net Crewe, Cheshire UK
0 1 505168 A brief history: - As a PhD student in 1962-3 I used a Friden (? Freiden) electromechanical calculator which was on sort of permanent loan to the University of Nottingham, England. Even before he had completed the essential statistical calculations on fossil brachiopods, the company was taken over and the Freiden rental machines were taken off the market. I saw a Curta as a college student in the late 1950's and figured it might be affordable to buy privately for my thesis during the recession. For the sum of about sixty pounds (very painful at the time!) I bought mine from a (forgotten) shop in Nottingham,
UK and I still have it. I think the manual will emerge from the bottom layer of paper in a desk drawer one day when I'm cleaning up! I still have the box. I just discovered your site and realized how much interest there still is in these mechanical marvels. I have been interested in mechanical things since I was young at Meccano and still find fascination in this device which must be close to the latest precision devices from before electronics and consumer devices other than watches. One of my favorite parts at parties is the demonstration of how instrument calculation was done in front of the electronic calculator, which youngsters seem to think was invented around the same time as fire. God knows what they would think of a slide rule! My Curta works perfectly and has virtually no marks, although the aluminum (oops! aluminum) case shows signs of wear. What is interesting, however, is that the rubber O-ring, foam pad and lid pad have retained their elasticity and show no signs of wear. There's something very satisfying about the "feel" of these instruments, from the silkiness of the black anodized body to the surprisingly smooth yet positive movements. Having owned mine for almost 40 years, I can't imagine parting with it (although I think there will come a time when I will!). 263 bones4disc bones4skiv(at)email.msn.com

0 1 526827 I recently inherited the Curta from my father and am looking for an instruction manual. My father was a mechanical engineer for Collins Radio and Rockwell Int. for 36 years, a fairly successful SCCA driver in the late '60s and probably the smartest man I will ever meet. The Curta is in mint condition and while I've discovered simple multiplication and division functions, I know the computer is far more powerful than I can imagine. If you know someone willing to part with an owner's manual, or even a copy of it, I'm definitely interested. 264 Pierre Zimmermann pazimmer(at)altavista.net lausanne
SWITZERLAND
1 0 37683 This device in very good condition has a black metal case, French manual and original packaging. 265 DIB KARAM JUNIOR dib(at)fpte.br SAINT PAUL
BRAZIL 55.14.520.3200
1 0 67995
266 Stephen-Jagd campos-hunt(arroba)msn.com Fairfax, Virginia
EU (703) 803-9519
0 1 553720 I had no idea these calculators would have such a huge following! Curta type II with computer examples and operating instructions. It also has a leather carry case. The whole package is in perfect condition. 267 $ Monaco rwmonaco2(at)juno.com Orlando Florida
EU
0 1 540738 I have a Curta Type II No. . It is in a plastic case in a small box with a couple of manuals entitled: "Your Curta Calculator" and "Calculation Examples for the Curta Calculator". A small guarantee and registration card that was never filled out! A "Math Handbook: Tools for Solving Everyday Problems, Tables, Formulas, Rules of Calculation" and a receipt dated 10/16/67 I've just started reading how they work. What an interesting device! 268 Diana dcmercer(at)earthlink.net

1 0 75789 I have used your guide and found that it works very well. 269 Peter Mabey PeterMabey(at)aol.com 226 Nicholls Tower, Harlow CM18 6EF, United Kingdom
0 1 520745 Bought new for around €40. I didn't look up the exchange rate, but it was a substantial sum: about a couple of weeks' salary for an engineer in the aerospace industry like I was then. I still have the manual entitled "The Key to Every Math Problem" with a note on the back published by LONDON OFFICE MACHINES LTD. who also took out a service contract for cleaning and parts replacement, which I accepted. while I used it professionally. I still use the machine from time to time but unfortunately I dropped it last year and the operating handle broke and I couldn't reattach it so I had to turn the pivot. (I'll have to try this again as it's still the best device for solving puzzles where the result of a multiplication must have known digits in certain places.) The manual I have is the one described in point 36, except that the address of London Office Machines is Sweda House, 5 Lower Belgrave House, 5 Lower Belgrave Street, London SW1, Tel SLO 0407, and the reference number is 60 04 15e. This suggests that L.O.M. It was a subsidiary of Sweda, the maker of the largest pocket calculators in its general listing. At a later date the service contract was delivered to Automatic Business Machines Ltd., 11, Wyfold Road, London and a label showing the new address was attached to the box. This label is now partially lost, but its phone number started with 01-3xxxxxx, so it must have been after the switch from alphanumeric codes to digit-only codes. 270 Les & Lisa van Horn lvanhorn(at)new.rr.com green bay wisconsin
EU
0 1 507968 As a collector of vintage surveying equipment, a Curta is a must. We bought ours from a retired surveyor. He was the original buyer and kept both the owner's manual and what appeared to be a booklet detailing the selling features of buying a Curta. He paid 142.00 plus 7.90 plus tax and had it on a ten day trail. I believe it was purchased by Geo-optic Company, Inc, New York, NY. 271 Nigel R. Tomlinson zusammen(at)erols.com Fredericksburg, Virginia
EU
over
Wolverhampton, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 544857 Excellent condition with plastic case given to me by my best friend who has since passed away. 272 david surall davidsouthall1(de)excite.co.uk Cradley Heath, Midlands Occidentales, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 7854 Type 1 with rounded cap and right-hand thread Metal carrying case Original operating instructions
* Instructions for use of the CURTA (45 pages)
* London Office Machines Ltd -BRIEF (16 pages)
* CURTA Table #101 Square Roots (double-sided card) The zero collar is broken, can it be replaced? Are spare parts available? The machine is in excellent condition except for the reset ring. 273 Prof. karl klein Kleine(arroba)fh-jena.de Jena
DEUTSCHLAND +49-3641-205-502 [Fax -503]
1 1 10577
505608 SN 10577 (4/1950) SN 505608 (5/1955) Look at the photos of Curt Herzstark that Karl helped me find on Curta's main page.Almiar 274 Darrel R. Dilley Drdilley(arroba)yahoo.com Kalkaska, Michigan
EU
1 0 20021 20021 (~1956) 275 Bill Drude BNDrude(at)aol.com 16 Carleton Place Pacific, Kalifornien
EU
0 1 542883 I have a Curta that I bought from Abercrombe & Fitch in 1968, just before electronic calculators came out. I used it while working for Varian Associates in the layout drawing department. When Hewlett Packard released their HP 35 calculator, I started using it in place of the Curta. I still enjoy showing friends and family how the Curta works. I still have the original packaging, instructions and plastic case. It's a great machine. 276 radiation forests Ray.Woods(at)siemens.com North Bend, Washington
EU
1 0 40557 My father gave me his first Type I, which he used for rally races. PS I received the poster and my colleagues came to my office just to study it! 277 Ramón Fregoso ramon(at)fregososdiaz.com Mexico City, D.F.
MEXICO
0 1 527054 My Curta has a green body with a black top and bottom, it is in mint condition with a black metal body and is in mint condition. I got it at a ridiculous price at a flea market in Mexico City. 278 Glenn Jolliffe GlennJ(at)eaznet.com Safford, Arizona
EU
1 0 59349 My father was a surveyor in the 1960's and taught me how to use his curta when I was about 8 years old. It has fascinated me ever since. When my father died in 1999 I inherited it and will never be separated from him. 279 Paul Amos pamos(at)logical123.net

0 1 511185 I was given a Curta Type II about 20 years ago. I had no instructions how it works. This morning I thought of this little machine sitting on the shelf in my study and decided to do an internet search. I can't tell you how pleased I was to find all this information. The secrets of this little gem have been revealed. Thank you very much! I'm not interested in breaking up with him. 280 smartass55 Wisecrack55(at)aol.com

1 0 34925 I guess my grandfather used it while playing. I don't have the paperwork. But I have this crooked metal box left. 281 Fred Kroll fredkroll(arroba)worldnet.att.net Bellevue, Washington
EU
0 1 528813 Curta type II in metal box, very good condition. No manuals. 282 Don Murtagh donmurtagh(arroba)connectiv.net Landenberg, Pennsylvania
EU
1 0 44385 I got my Cueta from a friend who was a road rally driver for many years. It looks new. It is a Type 1 in a metal box with the lid opening clockwise. My friend used it along with a map book titled "Cur-TA=Ble for the Curta equipped Rallyist" by Willard Coddington and a Stevens rally indicator which is a 9 inch plastic disc with 3 articulated arms secured with butterfly screws are attached. The arms are marked T, E and M. It was used to coordinate the time, mileage and mileage since the last checkpoint. I have the operating instructions for my Curta calculator, a booklet “Calculation examples for the Curta calculator” from Contina AG, Vaduz, and the guarantee from 19.07.61. I'm really not interested in selling these items along with my slide rule collection. 283 Joe Weber webberj(at)survcon-hou.com SURVCON INC.
5757 wooden path
Houston, Texas
EU (713) 780-4123
0 1 541735 I was surprised to see a page dedicated to the curta and I think it's great. My father bought his in 1965 when he was a surveyor. I remember using it a lot while working with him, even though I was only 14 at the time. He passed away in February of this year and I'm sorry you couldn't see that. I am also a surveyor and have since been licensed in 3 states but have only spoken to one other surveyor who has one of them. The model is a Type II and is in perfect condition. 284 gross daniel ornerypest(arroba)yahoo.com Solomon, Maryland
EU (410) 326-4964 0 1 536161 Hello! I was surfing the weird wild web and came to your Curta collectors and registration page and remembered I still have my Curta calculator. I bought it new around 1966, mainly for sports car rallies. Type II has enough numbers to do 2 consecutive calculations at the same time. I built a custom dual clipboard with one holder for the Curta and another holder for the Heuer stopwatch which I used in conjunction with this. I still have all 3 (Curta, stopwatch and clipboard) but I rarely use them all together. 285 Andres Romero Ortiz j-insurance(at)uniandes.edu.co, rosemary_aro(at)yahoo.com Santa Fe of Bogota, D.C., Denmark
COLOMBIA +57-1-620 1242 1 0 24838 I am new to CURTA's "Peer Society" (1954.1 I believe). In fact, I found my CURTA at my father's house a few days ago. 286 Hiromi Chiyoda hiromi(at)exerceo.com San Francisco, California
EU
0 1 524265 Type II made in Liechtenstein, Swiss Customs Union by Contina Ltd Mauren Metal case and basic instructions worn but legible. In 1980 I was asked to help a friend of my mother prepare some items for a flea market. My brother and I were told that we could each choose an item as compensation for our efforts. My brother picked a box of comics and I picked this very cool mechanical calculator. My mother's friend was a widow and her husband was in the US Army (military I think) and he traveled extensively in Europe and Asia right after WWII. The single-page basic instruction manual has been wrapped around the metal body and held in place with a reliable elastic strap. I've always been fascinated by the device but had no idea there were so many others. 287 Lindley and Charlotte Mixon mixonart(arroba)xyz.net Halibut Bay, Alaska
EU
1 0 64224 Manufactured: Liechtenstein by Contina AG Mauren, serial number in mint condition with plastic case in excellent condition 288 Philip Schnur philip.twine(arroba)blueyonder.co.uk Aldridge, Walsall (bei Birmingham), England
Great Britain +44 (0) 1922-448803
0 1 551752 Moms are moving into a caretaker controlled apartment (She's 81) So you just cleaned out your garage before moving in just to find that wonderful, precision-made mechanical calculator. based on Rick Furr's formula it is dated mid-September 1967... I vaguely remember my late father showing me this item when I was about 13 (I'm 47 now). It is in mint condition and housed in a black cylindrical plastic case. Bakerlite container with left-hand thread, I also have the original packaging and accompanying papers (1) 'Your CURTA calculator', single sheet folded several times in green and black (2) 51-page folder 'Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator machine'. ..after hitting enter on my computer I'll paste the details into the "For Sale" info as the financial returns should put a smile on my mother's face (wanted to make it jump) 289 David Kritopeit dave(at)kristopeit.com Racine, Wisconsin
EU
1 0 71125 I received my Curta from the widow of a mechanical engineer at SC Johnson Wax Co. His name was Jerry Meldgaard. He had bought it for $50 from a Curta representative on a plane trip to Europe in the early 1970s. Apparently the representative was in the next seat. During the conversation he informed Jerry that the Curta was not selling very well due to the increasing use of electronic calculators. Jerry told him he had always wanted one, and the rep said he could have one for $50. Jerry loved fine mechanical instruments and also owned Leica cameras. Jerry was a customer of my restaurant and after his death his wife remembered my interest in Jerry's Curta. I still have the original packaging with the corresponding serial number, manual and warranty card. it's like new jerry never used it and neither have i. 290 Paul Ricc webmaster@jiffyprint.com Portland, Maine
EU (207) 797-0333
1 0 15053 About 30 years ago a family auctioneer friend gave me a Curta (S/N #15053) Type I. I didn't know what I had at the time. I kept it until recently when I showed it to my stepdaughter. I decided to find out what it was. I was surprised to see a website dedicated to the machine. It is in perfect condition (like new). 291 Allan Gough goghaa(at)gmail.com Hamilton, New Zealand
0 1 543190 In 1964 I joined a CPA firm and in 1968 I became a partner and I still hold that position. My previous employer had several Marchant mechanical/electrical calculators. I used them a lot but they were big and heavy machines so much that the female staff didn't want to move them. In the new company I discovered a Curta. It was probably bought in England in 1956 by a client of the office who was holidaying abroad. On his return to New Zealand he gifted it to one of the partners who was a bit of a gadget man. I quickly learned how to use it, but the two of us were the only ones who could use it. This was a Type 1 model and I found it didn't have enough capacity to handle pounds, shillings and pence, which was the currency at the time. In due course the partner retired (he was a WW1 veteran at Gallipoli) and another partner took over the curta and learned how to use it. At my request, a Type 2 model was purchased from an agent in Wellington, New Zealand. It was my calculator and I still have it today. In 1990 I got Type 1 because I was the only one who could handle it and electronic calculators took over. In 1986 our home was broken into and Type 1 was stolen along with other property. It was undoubtedly thrown away because the thieves couldn't have used it. Unfortunately it didn't have a serial number but it had a metal case and was in good used condition. The real story for me is that in 1974 the customer who bought the Series 1 Curta became my father-in-law. I still have the operating instructions and calculation examples that came with both Curtas. The Type 2 I have is number 543190 and was bought in 1965 or 1966. It still runs well but due to constant use over many years some of the body paint has faded and some of the markings are quite faded. The IT people in our office are fascinated by this and have told me that many of my clients refer to me as the accountant with the coffee grinder or the pepper grinder. In the late 1960's car testing was very popular in New Zealand and I was a timekeeper. One of our biggest competitors used a Curta for timekeeping. He jealously guarded his machine and his method. One day I asked him about his method and he told me very quickly and briefly what he was doing because he thought I wouldn't understand. What I didn't know was that I had a Curta and that ten minutes on my machine was enough to learn his system. He never knew I knew! I have never used a Curta for car testing (similar to US car rallies) as I have used a book and manual entries along with a Halda Twinmaster and time and speed charts (Larry Reid). I didn't have to convert the time to decimals and the written records allowed me to cross-check the time penalties on the score sheets with my own calculations. I was often able to point out errors and improve our results. I still take part in the occasional car races but now they don't have good support. I still don't use the Curta for car trials, but I use it occasionally in my office. In 1987 I was in Liechtenstein and asked about the Curta factory. They told me it was closed. I knew little about the history of Curtas until I came across the website a few days ago. I hope this volume is of interest to you. I live in Hamilton, New Zealand and own a Curta Type II No. 543190. This was purchased in New Zealand around 1965 or 1966. It comes complete with the plastic case and the foam pad on the bottom. I have used it for many years throughout my career as a CPA in the US. It hasn't been used much in the last ten years and now feels a bit stiff to move. You need a service. Do you know someone who can fix a Curta in New Zealand? The company that bought it in Wellington, New Zealand closed down a long time ago. I used to have a metal bodied Type 1 but it was stolen many years ago and probably thrown away. I have the original instructions for this machine which was purchased in 1956. I also have a fold out guide that would have come with the Type II as it pertains to both types. I also have a beige notebook entitled "Calculation examples for the Curta calculator". Based on the aged appearance of the otherwise mint pages, I think it came Type 1. Finally, I have a promotional brochure called The Key to Every Calculus Problem. It has a green cover with some orange accents and is dated 1962. Any help you can give me regarding the service would be greatly appreciated. 292 Pablo Andres Pichardo ppap(at)codetel.net.do Santiago de los Caballeros, Santiago
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 809 724 2413
0 1 506524 “My father was an accountant and used this machine when I was a kid. When I was 17 I used the CURTA to calculate in rally races. When I got to university (1969) I used my curta instead of the regular ruler. 293 Tom Poole HarryPants (clothing) aol.com Birmingham, England
Great Britain
1 1 75549
558512 I saw my first Curta (Mk II) on my boss' desk in 1977 and immediately fell in love with the idea of ​​owning one. It was one of eight (I think) purchased by management for use in the drawing office. This was the only remaining example and no one was sure (or seemed to care) where the other machines were. I've done my job of taking care of her in silence, but in the years I've been with the company I've never found her. I was sure I would find her one day, but I never did. The only time I saw another Curta machine was when I visited my local science museum. I recently bought both of my machines unused and still in their original boxes from an auction house in London. The original plan was to sell the Mk II and keep the Mk I but I am so pleased with its impressive condition that I am hesitating and hoping my partner will forget the money I owe him. 294 Medida MD MDMeason(at)aol.com Atlanta, Georgia
EU
1 0 56190 I just bought a "Curta" type 1, I was shocked to find out what it was, well when I looked it up on the internet and they told me what it was. Its serial number is 56190, it opens with a clockwise twist. Can you give me a date of birth (at) or other information? Thanks again for enlightening me. 295 Lazarus tlazare@plasticomnium.com Paris
FRANCE 00 33 612 60 90 21
0 1 556951 In good condition, all buttons seem to work but show no results! I'm looking for someone who can fix it or maybe sell it as is? 296 Glen Campana manilamann(arroba)netscape.net Bradenton, Florida
EU
1 0 55845 Type One with metal case (no box or manual) Near mint condition. I have a Type 1 No. 55845 that I want to sell. I inherited the calculator from my grandfather, who was vice president of Williams Brown & Earl Co., a Philadelphia scientific instrument supply company. The Curta was essentially unused and in near mint condition; However, no documents or boxes can be found for this unit, they may still be with my grandmother, but have not turned up yet. 297 Christian Lavallat christian.lavillat(arroba)wanadoo.fr 6 Avenue des Thones, 74000 Annecy
FRANCE 0450234911
1 0 43547 As I was talking about my passion for precision mechanics and watchmaking, a friend gave me this CURTA 1. I had never worn it. Since I am totally crazy about this miracle and I use it very often. My friends are obsessed with it. Sorry I do not speak English. [This speaks to my passion for precision engineering and check out a friend who gifted me this CURTA 1. Never used. Since I am totally crazy about this miracle and use it very often. My friends are busy. Sorry I do not speak English] 298 Dr. Anoop Sahal Anoop.Sahal(arroba)gp-P91617.nhs.uk Stockport, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom
0 1 ?????? I just got a nice Curta II with manual. The manual is actually a companion manual for the Curta I. Was a specific manual ever made for the II? I struggle with dividing large numbers by small numbers, eg 82/8. I've had some success with the subtractive method with the reversal switch in the down position, using numbers of similar magnitude, eg 355/113 (try this for fun). I can't understand this part of the manual. I don't realize I'm overshooting and I can't duplicate the readings on my II. I have to agree that the curta is hypnotic. Its action is sweet mesmerizing. It could be compared to the ring from The Hobbit in its effect on its owner. I twist the handle multiple times when I'm stressed! I wonder if you can give me some advice. 299 Steven C. Ross" scross(arroba)bellatlantic.net Sterling, Virginia
EU
0 1 528478 It is in very good condition and has been in our family for over 30 years. When my dad gave it to me a few years ago I didn't know what to do with it so I kept it in my closet until my kids found it. I went on the internet to see if I could figure out how to use it and downloaded the manual. That's how I found this website. Awesome, I didn't know it was a collector's item. 299a

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300 Dan Kennison dkennis(at)rap.midco.net 608 Along the way Dr
Rapid City, South Dakota
EU (605) 343-5244
1 0 13426 I first became interested in Curta during my freshman year. I was staying in the room next door to a gentleman named Earl Hildebrandt who worked for Dunn & Bradstreet. I've lost track of him since then, but he has used the curta a lot in his work and has demonstrated it to me on several occasions. I seem to recall that they were advertised in Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines a few years earlier. I really wanted one, but of course I couldn't afford it at the time. For the past few years I've looked for one at thrift stores, antique stores, and wherever I thought it might turn up, but to no avail. I bought my Curta in 1999 in a very nice transaction with Skip Godfrey. I am selling this for a friend in Singapore. It is in near perfect condition with no scratches or signs of wear. The pot is a high gloss antique style with "CURTA" engraved into the metal. It came with two pieces of original literature and a professionally reprinted Curta operator's manual. In the original promotional brochure, the sales representative is listed as ALPHA INSTRUMENT CO., Washington 6, DC, phone number FE 8-0570. I don't want to part with my Curta and hope to buy a Model II at some point in the future. 301 Chad chadmurdock(at)hotmail.com

0 1 538446 This website looks great! We just bought some stuff at a US Bureau of Land Management auction and this came with a Curta Type II Ser.#538446. It looks like it has never been used. We have the plastic box, a 51-page "Curta Calculator Computer Examples" booklet, an "Instructions for Use" type fold-out booklet, and the 30-day registration form certificate. I see these are quite collectible. 302 Dr. Jeffery Luria jluria(at)midtel.net 847 Grovenor's Corners Street
Central Bridge, New York
EU
0 1 552856 I have had a Curta II since the late 60's when I bought it when I saw the ad in Scientific American. The serial number is 552856. I have all the original manuals and brochures or starter sheets. I have a Curta II that I bought in 1968 or so, the serial number is 552856 and it contains the box sealed with the plastic seal, the fold out instructions, the calculation examples and two of the "Math Manuals" published by the Curta Company in Van Nuys, California. "Live to travel, travel to live." 303 Udo Stichling udo.stichling(arroba)vermessung-stichling.de> Hugelstrasse 15 - D-42277 Wuppertal
DEUTSCHLAND 0202-26369-0
1 0 59112 I am a surveyor in Germany. My grandfather (Paul Stichling) and father (Wolfgang Stichling) were also surveyors. Now I own my father's curta. I don't know when it was bought. 304 dianne madera


1 0 78642 I was cleaning out my closet and found this calculator. I decided to go online and look up the name. I was unfamiliar with the calculator and thought it was a lost cause. The serial number: 78642 was bought by my father in Liechtenstein, it is in a plastic box, but the machine is metal and the instructions and booklet are still with it. I'm sure it has never been used. What is the value of these calculators in today's market? I checked out your website and was surprised at the interest your readers showed in this calculator. 305 Steve Willy willey(arroba)rainierautosports.com Seattle, Washington
EU
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509304
306 Jonathan cut off


0 1 541184 I just got a quick call from a family friend. It belonged to my father. 307 heidi abrams heidi.abrams(at)lvvwd.com From Vegas, Nevada
EU
1 0 42769 My father gave me this curta when I was a teenager. He thought it was a fascinating little machine. It is in its original cardboard packaging with the stamp "Made in Liechtenstein" and a serial number sticker. I have a guarantee from "Contina AG, Vaduz / Liechtenstein", a booklet "Calculation examples for the Curta calculator" and a booklet entitled "Your Curta calculator" with "The four calculation rules". The metal case opens to the left and has a rubber O-ring with a padded top and bottom. On the computer itself it says "System Curt Herzstark" at the bottom. Both the box and the device are in like-new condition, having rarely been taken out of the box. Unfortunately my daughter just broke part of the ring on the cleaning lever but I have the part so I can fix it. (Anyone out there know where I can get it repaired?) Formula says it was made circa March 1959. It is NOT for sale. 308 Frank Gagliano nortonbyk@monmouth.com Lakewood, New-Jersey
EU
1 0 51295 It has been in the family since new beginnings as my father-in-law drove sports car rallies in the 1960s. The Curta is in perfect running condition with no broken parts and is still in its original metal box with an anti-clockwise .anti-clockwise lid clockwise. Even the rubber O-ring is still in good condition. 309 Mr Herman voyager1(at)i-2000.com Zentral-New Jersey
EU
0 1 518518 Wow you have an amazing website with great photos and lots of information. I surfed the web and wondered what else to look for with my Google search engine. Well I looked to the right where I have a few of my Porsche models and other items on display and noticed one of my Curtas on the shelf. So, that's what I typed in for the search. A wonderful site and I wish you all the best with your finds and a great site. I hope it lasts forever. Oh, my Curta? The one on display is one of 3 I have. The other 2 are in a powder room which I can't get into right now because it's blocked by toy trains. In any case, this is in a black metal case, Type II, No. 518518, Made in Liechtenstein (Swiss Customs Union) by Contina Ltd. Mauren, System Curt Herzstark. It's in perfect condition and I'm sure I have the accompanying literature somewhere with the others I have. I remember at least one of the others I own is also packaged in the original box they were sold in. The Curta was in that box. And he also has all the literature. I bought these items when I was at a road rally. I must have paid at least $25 for them and no more than $45 for the most expensive ones. My Curtas were all bought around 1980. They were cheap back then as all the rally types have switched to the electronic types. I should have bought more of these... I wish I could get the others. I also need to give them the serial numbers. I remember one of them having a very low number or something else. I think that has an interesting number itself 518518, it's like 2,518 back to back. Sort of tidied up... Have a nice day and thank you again for posting and making so much information available to those interested in the Curta. Great site Rick. 310 Pablo Chrismann PKrisman1(at)aol.com

0 1 538365
311 mac thompson mact(at)peak.org Bangkok
THAILAND (662) 908-9960
1 0 79256 I was first introduced to CURTA while doing a part-time survey job at Oregon State University. Later, in the army, I traveled around Europe in A-Space and made a detour to Vaduz and bought a Type I in the metal box, a super machine. I think it was about $125. I got out of the military and went to Laos as a civilian with USAID for several years, used the CURTA for many things, calculated rice drops, etc. This was stolen from my VW van in 1973 when I was in Feather Flight's foam. Throw darts in an afternoon. Not CURTA what to do, even in the age of handheld calculators. Around 1981, a friend in Bangkok traveled to the United States via Europe. I suggested to him and the family to go through Vaduz, which they did and they found what I have now, I think the last of the bunch. About $60 I think. I don't use it much now, but it's handy, I just took it out of my pocket, along with my five or six slide rules. Mac retired in Thailand 312 Norma Guttormson normg2(at)Shaw.ca 23 Brown Crescent
Saskatoon, Sk.
YOU HAVE
1 0 19500 I am very impressed with the wealth of information you have about Curta calculators, their owners and the many links to other sites. My uncle left me his Curta calculator in 1957. He was a civil engineer and amateur mathematician and bought the Curta after his retirement. I doubt he used the calculator much. It was in near pristine condition when I received it. I'm a retired accountant and apart from learning how to use the calculator and showing it to some colleagues shortly after receiving it, it hasn't been used since. It's been in a cloth sleeve in a drawer with my other knick-knacks for all these years. 313 rich king Reynrich(en)aol.com

0 1 543471 Thank you for your very interesting website Curta. He was particularly interested in attempts to find a formula for dating by serial number. I recently bought a Type II with a serial number. 543471. I also have the original bill of sale. It went on sale in Toronto, Canada in March 1968. Retail price was $165.00 plus 5% sales tax. Total $173.25. That was about 10% of the cost of the new pickup truck my family bought that same year. I do not know if this information. It might be of interest to anyone, but if you know someone you might be able to pass it on to them. 314 Sandra Ausher sandraausher(at)aol.com

1 0 27970 I have a Curta Type I calculator. My husband used it in the 1970's when he was a surveyor. The first two digits of the serial number are not very unique. I think it's 27970, possibly 22, 72 or 77. 315 Bernard Cadier bcadier(arroba)wanadoo.fr paris island france
FRANCE
1 0 7903 Inherited from my father after his death in 1963. He probably bought it around 1950/1955 in Paris or Switzerland in connection with his work calculation requests. My father was an engineer like me. I remember that since my early childhood I was always in the company of this object in our house. Of course, I think this fantastic machine is valuable and would not part with it for any reason. 316 Lita Hayes


1 0 5227 I currently have a Curta Type I. It is in its original metal box and has the 45 page manual. 317 Rico Beck rich_beck(arroba)swbell.net Houston, Texas
EU
1 0 15881 I got my Curta calculator from my uncle Robert Manly, who used it as a geologist for Standard Oil of California. He gave it to me as "a computer that didn't need power" around 1996 because of my work at Compaq Computer Company and my engineering background. Since receiving it, I have seen two specimens on display at the Los Alamos National Labs Science Museum (see WWII Atomic Bomb Laboratory). They were used to perform technical calculations for nuclear weapons. They also have photos of it in use. My Curta comes in a metal box with a rubber grommet, instruction manual and a 13-page product guide showing a black and white photograph of a hand holding a Curta against a yellow background." 318 marca warren warren5(at)ntlworld.com Nottingham, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 60003 I found my Curta at a car dealership in Dorset. I'm not sure of the date but it must have been around 1982. I was about 13 or 14 at the time and thought it looked intriguing as I had no idea what it was because there were no instructions. If I remember correctly, I paid about 3€ for it. Having no instructions it took me a while to figure out how to use it, but in the end I managed to get all four features. Mine has a metal body with a left-hand thread. I wouldn't call it new, but it's not far off. I have a box it came in but no instructions as mentioned above. If anyone could tell me the approximate year of manufacture I would be very interested. 319 Gilles Bajolet gilles.bajolet(arroba)wanadoo.fr 60580 eats the forest
FRANCE +33 3 44 58 59 22
1 0 26449 I'm lucky enough to own a CURTA Type I. This machine is in mint condition, it belonged to my grandfather "Jean-Labord" who owned a garage in Domevre en Vezouze in Lorraine. The date on the manual is October 1955. I also have the metal case and the manual in FRENCH. My grandfather didn't use it much and the machine is like new and works admirably. I like this memory very much, because it is the only thought left by my grandfather. 320 Jim Carlson jcarlson(at)sbcglobal.net Chatsworth, California
EU
1 0 67544 Every time I flipped through my Scientific American, I saw the Curta ad and was hooked. He had always admired the elegant design and precise workmanship. My previous experience with the calculator was with Friends in college, and at work I resisted it for a while (several months). Eventually I gave in and bought it from the Curta USA dealership in Van Nuys, California for $125. I used it quite extensively for engineering and financial calculations. It was a godsend. Wherever I worked, friends were in short supply. The salesman/service technician told me: "The metal case was replaced with plastic because (I paraphrase) if dropped, the plastic case breaks and the machine can be easily removed. The metal case tends to warp." and do It is difficult to restore the calculator without damaging it". I remember the mid-60s, the SN shows early May 1966. My active use ended when the HP came and then the spreadsheet (three elegant solutions for same problem). I lost the manual and the packing box years ago. The machine and the box are in perfect condition. It is not for sale. 321 Roberto A. Pearce drrob95(at)excite.com Obispo, California
EU 760-872-7856 0 1 533914 My Curta was owned by my grandfather, A.A. Brierly, who was a surveyor in Inyo County for more than 40 years and worked for Inyo County, California for 65 years, beginning in 1905 and retiring in 1970 at the age of 85. My Curta is in excellent condition. I have always been fascinated by the small instrument. Everyone I show it to loves it. 322 Yves PERFORATED yves.drillet(arroba)wanadoo.fr Ermont
FRANCE
0 1 548268 I bought it at a flea market in France in 1999 for the equivalent of about $100. 323 Ralph Hesse hessonrn(at)cox-internet.com Victoria, Texas
EU
1 0 8883 My father was born in Berlin in 1923 and worked in Cologne from the late 1940s to 1952. He bought and used his Curta at work while he was in Germany. My parents emigrated to the USA in 1952. I remember Curta sitting on a shelf in the house when I was young. 324 Juan Favill jfavill(at)wi.rr.com Brookfield, Wisconsin
EU
1 2 78057
504988
517305 I've been thinking for a while that an addition to the Curta page should be an example string calculation where one calculation leads to the next and the next and so on until I get the final answer. This is done within the gear calculation that I discuss in the following article and my idea is to modify the spreadsheet and offer it to Curta owners/enthusiasts to use as an exercise and learning experience and use Curta the way it should. to be. It was 1959 in England and with some experience designing gearboxes and gearboxes I was hired by a company making engines for motorcycles, lawn mowers, generator sets etc. I accepted the offer and started working in the design office. I was soon shown a Mk 2 Curta and given a demonstration of how the gearbox design process had been programmed around this mechanical calculator, new to me. Starting with log tables and tedious but necessary pencil-and-paper calculations, the methodology changed overnight. I quickly became the king of the curta as the curta rarely left my side as design project followed design project. Then, after a few years, the electronic calculator appeared and I switched allegiances, but I never lost the memory of holding the black top hat in my left hand that seemed to vibrate with life, while the thumb and forefinger of my right hand turned the handle. Both hands worked in unison while calculating the product of a complex group of numbers. I never had to look at the calculator, my eyes focused on the numbers on the paper in front of it and my mind focused on the silent counting with the continuous hum of the mechanism as a constant companion. A real mix of man and machine. And the years passed, as is inevitable, and twenty years after letting myself be seduced by the Liechtenstein mechanism, I came to the United States to the only American manufacturer of motorcycles. The times of the curta were long gone. Now calculations that would have taken days even with a Curta were made in the blink of an eye and designs were improved because new computers could now run thousands of variants of calculations, freeing up the skills needed by the designer to focus on all the other designers need to do. Then came retirement and my mind turned to the hypnotic sensation of a curta, at full speed, responding instantly to confident hand and finger movements. I wanted one in the worst possible way. Was it about reclaiming lost youth or was it some kind of addiction? So I announced in the local newspaper in the town in England where Curta King used to be, for no other reason I'm now considering that I might find "my" Curta. During a trip to England and a visit to my hometown I was offered a brand new Mark 1 in a plastic case and an excellent Mark 2. The owner of the Mark 1, after I showed him how it worked (I'd even taken it to the Antiques Road Show without success), when I offered him what I thought was a fair market price, he responded by saying, "Oh no, I could not do it." . Confused, I asked him why and he replied that it was too much and quoted a much lower price. The Mark 2 was the gray version with a mix of black and red sliders. Then, in September 2002, on a return visit to my hometown, I ran into an old colleague who, after a group of us had raised the subject of calculators, asked me if I would like a Curta that he had in his possession. My reply was immediate and I was then handed a second Mark 2. Life sometimes brings unexpected joys and this time I was reunited with "my" Curta. I know it from tell-tale scratches on the third keyboard slot, but it's as silky smooth as I remember. The black finish is worn under the wiper lever, the dots of the knurled finish shine, as do the tops of the keyboard glides. The outer ring of the base, on which the curta rested on innumerable desk tops, is also bare, shiny metal. After all, he had to make a living! The instrument is of course priceless as for a time it was an integral part of my daily life which I now remember every time I pick up the black top hat and it falls into its natural resting place in my left hand. My pinky under the body, thumb and forefinger grip the knurled carriage and when I turn the handle with the thumb and forefinger of my right hand my curta springs to life and I get my dose. Yes it is an addiction! 325 Jim Mayo jim.may2(arroba)verizon.net 897 Woodlawn Dr.
Thousand Oaks, California
EU
1 0 21319 What a joy to find a website dedicated to the curta! I have a Curta calculator that I bought new a long time ago. I'm a mechanical engineer and used my Curta at work. What a fantastic little machine! Mine is a Type I with serial number 21319 and comes in a metal box. I also have the instruction manual. Both are in preliminary condition. 326 J. McDade none Long Beach Kalifornien
EU
0 1 507435 The owner was an electrical engineer and surveyor. He loved this gem and treated it like one of his children. 327 ben edington ben(at)edginet.org read, UK
1 0 34224 I recently inherited the Curta from my grandfather who was a surveyor in Vancouver, Canada for many years. I'm happy to report that it's being used very well, insofar as the Units setting loses precision. The metal case is very battered, but basically it still works very well. (Most people seem content that their Curta has had little or no use, but that strikes me as a great shame.) 328 Bengt-Eric Grandin bengt-eric.grandin(at)telia.com Naturally
SWEDEN
1 0 51196 From a relative who died more than 30 years ago. With metal container. 329 dough forest dougwoods(arroba)internet.look.ca Chelsea, Quebec
YOU HAVE
1 0 54647 I found this site by accident. Then I found out that the register is a virtual who's who of North American rally boaters: Ralph Beckman, Tom Grimshaw, John Bellefleur and Michel Poirier-Defoy. My Curta has a very noble rally heritage. I've racked up many tens of thousands of rally miles and won numerous national championships and international rallies and it still runs like clockwork. 330 Removed on request-DC
Bognor Regis, West Sussex, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 555251 In 1974 a neighbor gave me the CURTA because she knew I worked at Work Study - "Time and Motion" (Industrial Engineer in the States I think) and thought it might be useful (never used it!). It is in excellent condition in a plastic box (slightly scratched) with a screw back lid. The enclosed manual is - Sample calculations for the CURTA calculating machine - Contina AG, VADUZ. Principality of Liechtenstein (Economic and Customs Union with Switzerland). 331 Federico Breivald fredrik_breivald(arroba)hotmail.com Chicago, Illinois
EU
1 0 35410 I got it from my grandfather in Sweden about 8 or 9 years ago. I don't know how he got that idea, but he's always going to auctions and junk sales and buying lots of weird stuff. I have to take a look. I had no idea these things had such a following. Of course, when I bought them, I realized how cool they are and that they are something very special. But to see her for such a price, wow. I'm glad I took good care of it. When I get home I'll put it in a display case. 332 Geoffrey Cruz geoff(arroba)cross.lu Oxford, Oxfordshire
Great Britain
1 0 3065 Grandpa gave it to me 333 Jay K. Jeffries Bottomgun (arroba) mindspring.com AUTEC, Insel Andros
BAHAMAS
2 1 48984
8705
531993 I've wanted a curta since I was a kid and saw it in Edmund's science catalogue. I bought a Type II a while ago which Jack Christensen cleaned up and did minor repairs to. Just bought a Type I with a broken rotator arm going to Jack to check as soon as I receive it. Both will have a permanent place in my collection of scientific instruments. I bought my third Curta through an unusual offer on eBay as the asking price was very low. Using a bid sniping program, I placed a bid in the last few seconds which he won with just a few dollars on my bid. Really surprised that I won with my offer. 334 SOLD
Coventry, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 501254 A friend's father who is an engineer had it laying around asked me to find out more about it and stumbled across your site. 335 Aymerisch linaimeric(at)hotmail.com Montréal, that
YOU HAVE
1 0 59132 I got mine in Belgium when I came back from my first year of apprenticeship at the UN in Congo in 1964! We really like it at home and it's always a great topic of conversation; It is in very good condition as I bought it for its beauty and elegance rather than to use it often. in metal box 336 Richard Weixler weixler(at)prodigy.net Manchester (Cerca de Seattle), Washington
EU 360.769.2258
2 0 45167
53323 Both in excellent condition and with a handcrafted 'curta mug' on the bottom of a tin. Used for rallies from about 1955-1970. Bought in Chicago. 337 Pedro Misch metmagic(at)netconnect.com.au Ballarat victory
AUSTRALIA
1 0 19716 Bought at a scrap and treasure market in Ballarat for $10 about 10 years ago, didn't know what it was. As a watchmaker, I realized that there was an inherent beauty in its design and manufacture. I just did a web search and was pleased to find the details on how it works. According to the serial number probably made in August 1952. 338 Francisco A. Amaral armon(at)terra.com.br Sao Luis Maranhão
BRAZIL 55 021 98 9974 3417 1 0 12023 This piece has been in the family since 1957. It has natural signs of wear. The zero is wrong and the ring is missing. [This piece has been in the family since 1957. It has natural signs of wear. The zero setting does not work and the ring is missing.] 339 Brian Lewis blewis(arroba)ix.netcom.com San Diego, California
EU
2 0 14392-DB 49444
SN 14392 - Demonstration model "trimmed" in green case
2 - Original maintenance manuals. My grandfather and father owned an office equipment dealership in San Diego and sold many Curtas to the US Navy, civil engineers and road vehicle drivers. When electronic calculators came along we couldn't sell the curtas but they were too awesome to get rid of. Many of them were stored in a safe at the dealer for years. I believe some have "disappeared". My dad and I finally decided to bring her home and get her out of the way. I took two and I believe it's a different Type 1. We still have some of the booklets, math examples, math manuals, "CUR-TA-BLE" tables "for the Curta equipped rally driver" and even original packaging and card warranty. . We also have two service manuals issued by Curta, one even has a serial number (they took your safety seriously). The cutaway model has the green padded case and somehow kept all the extra parts. I don't think every dealer has a trimmed model, I just assumed that sold quite a few Curtas. Every time I take out my curtas and 'play' with them it really brings back memories of my school days working for my grandfather before he died. Just touching them is "magic", they are so well made. It's sad to think of the electronic calculators we used to sell as direct replacements, with cheap LED displays and ill-fitting plastic cases. Thank you for this site. 340 Juan Bentley anthony.bentley2(arroba)virgin.net Wolverhampton, West Midlands, Reino Unido 0 1 0 8399 I inherited my curta from a relative who was also my boss. He was the technical manager for a local airline and I was a young stress analyst. He bought the Curta in the early 1960's just before his death so it has seen very little use. It appears to be in perfect condition. and I also have the two instruction booklets. I am intending to sell it and a collector has offered me £250-300 but is that a reasonable offer? Maybe you can tell me the market value. I also have a friend who won a Curta (I think it's a Type 2) in a Curta Company slogan contest. His winning entry was "People Counting on Curtas". He still has it, although it's damaged (his grandkids caught it and dropped it). 341 Mateo Presnal mpresanl(at)twcny.rr.com

0 1 528118 I found your site while looking for instructions for my Curta Type II SN#528118. I was surprised when I first received mine from my father-in-law who received it while he was working for Teleste Corp in Finland. I really want to learn the functions and operation of the part. Great site, lots of great information. 342 James Pesoman JamesMWeightman(at)aol.com Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England
Great Britain
0 1 535535 In plastic box (box and manual missing unfortunately) Supplied by (label attached to box) 'Automatic Business Machines Limited, 15 Cromwell Road, London SW7. Phone: - KENsington 8877" late 60s (?). 343 mario heron hmgarza@msn.com Alice, Texas
EU
1 0 50492 My Curta was gifted to my mother by a woman she worked for about 30 years ago. I've had it in my shoeshine drawer ever since. It's great to discover this website. 344 Doug Boone dboone(at)planocad.com Plano, Texas
EU 072.985.1577 0 1 554758 In the mid-1970s, I traded in my Curta for my Kurt Herzstark, one of Texas Instruments' early portable scientific calculators. I didn't know him personally but I was connected through my father-in-law who was an expert in the field metals who worked with him on a consulting project. 344a

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345 and Hamilton Danh(at)cabo.com Harwich, Massachusetts
EU
1 0 14949 Type I, metal housing, left-hand thread with rubber seal, without instructions. This was my father's Curta, which he may have purchased while he was working on the DEW Line radar system in the Arctic in the 1950's. He worked at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and used a variety of mechanical calculators and early computers. He was also a rally driver, so the Curta was a natural for him. 346 David Rakowwitz racko(at)mo-net.com Shell Button, Montana
EU
1 0 77648 I have a Curta Model 1 that my brother bought from Competition Unlimited in Pinckney, MI in 1977. That was right around the time the electronic units came out. I don't think I've ever used it. It appears to be one of the last units made. I have the original purchase receipt and registration certificate. I also have the original box and with the manual and "examples of computer science". It is in the original plastic box. It's part of my collection of calculators. 347 franz schuler franz.schuler(at)shlink.ch 8200 hut
SWITZERLAND +41797164541 0 1 541172 I found my Curta Type II at the flea market for SFR. 5.- !!! My Curta has no scratches or damage and the paintwork looks like new. But she has no case, manual or service manual. I found it on a great website: www.curta.de I called it "BIG BIG LUCK". 348 Michel Hebrard michel_hebrard(at)videotron.ca Laval, Quebec CANADA
0 1 556074 I bought this new Curta for rallies in the early 70's. I used it once as I was usually the driver and a few months later I fell in love - my rallying days were over! It is in "like new" condition in the original bakelite case with English manual. I never realized these cute machines had a fan club. A few years ago I saw one at the Ottawa Museum of Science and Technology. I think it was type I. Regards. 349 Esteban Rowe racetime(at)racetime.com.au Melbourne, Viktoria
AUSTRALIA
1 0 65250 It was used by my father who gave it to me in the 1960s; Still has manual and sealed plastic tube. Aside from the fact that it is still in good condition, very little is known about when the machine was purchased or received. 350 Chris Andrews chrisa(at)softhome.net Wellington, Neuseeland 21-253-1711 1 0 72353 Recently (February 2003) at the university where I study, a large amount of unwanted equipment and rubbish, which originally belonged to the now defunct Institute of Geophysics, was dumped while allegedly cleaning the rooms where they once resided. Seeing a bunch of unwanted old and interesting gadgets, I immediately went to see what I could dig up before it all went away and ended up in a landfill somewhere. Among other things far less interesting, I picked up a strange black device in a plastic case that looked to me like a cross between a photographic zoom lens and a pepper mill. It wasn't until a few minutes later, when I luckily also found the instructions in another batch, that I realized what I had found. It is in very good condition and works perfectly, the metal retains its attractive finish with no scratches and the mechanism clicks smoothly with the unmistakable feel of a precision instrument. On the downside some scratches on the top of the plastic case and the fact that the last person to put it back in their case before throwing it away forgot to pull back the (metal) cleaning lever before ducking and finally this Outer shattered ring part of the stick. However, there is enough left to turn it easily (it was broken at the ring, not the base by the rivet) and I was able to salvage the outer ring piece so it can be reattached by welding or some other method. While I would like to keep my Curta as a beautiful and functional piece of history, I would also consider selling it. I can provide photos to anyone who is interested. 351 Arden HowellIV MiniMetalShaver(at)aol.com Christiansburg, Virginia
EU
1 0 75586 My CURTA is in excellent condition; It doesn't appear to have been used much, if at all. It came to me from my mother's side. I'm not sure if it belonged to my grandfather who was a pharmacist or if it came from my mother's uncle Bill who was a world traveler. I knew it was some kind of calculator, but I could never figure out how to use it. Today I searched for "CURTA" for fun and voila, I found ALL possible information. What a great piece of machinery! I spoke to my mom (she was the source of my CURTA) and got the REAL deal out of her story: She used to have a home in Winter Park, Florida and frequented flea markets. in the neighborhood. One day she and her neighbor were doing "flea marketing" and came across a table with all sorts of tech "stuff" on it; the CURTA was among them. She didn't know what it was (nor did the owner), but she thought it was interesting, so she paid the princely sum of ONE DOLLAR for it! Here comes my CURTA! Thank you for providing such a great website and valuable information on these remarkable machines. 352 walter j. grau greatek(at)aol.com Dallas, Texas
EU
1 0 60510 My uncle, a timber surveyor from Atlanta, gave me this wonderful machine as a gift. As he walked through the forest, he found it very useful to estimate the amount and value of the wood contained in a variety of trees spread over a large area. I work with computers every day but I'm still amazed by the awesomeness and craftsmanship of this device! 353 Linda linda.blythe(at)btinternet.com St Albans, Nord-London, England
Great Britain
1 0 18832 This curta was gifted to me by an old friend, it works fine except the ring is broken on top, it comes with a black metal case, the curta is also black, any ring repair advice. it would be greatly appreciated. 354 robar waight Robert(at)zap.ndo.co.uk Cheshire, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 29505 I saved my curta from an office cleaner in 1977 after a colleague retired, 5 minutes later and it would have been junk! The case is scratched but the device looks like it has never been used. I think it hung around in a desk drawer for most of its life (made in 1955?). I don't have the original owner's manual for it and would like to get one. 355 Scott Harvey jr. scott(at)teamharco.com Waterford, Michigan
EU
0 1 517987 My curta is a present from my father. He used it (or was used by his navigators) for many years in the early days of road rallying. Most of the rallies he competes in now allow the use of modern computerized equipment. From time to time I participate in road rallies (particularly the Press On Whatever Rally) which have a class for vintage cars and gear. Paired with a Halda odometer, the Curta is perfectly suited to the demands of vintage gear. I can remember when I was about 7 or 8 years old, in the mid 60's, 'playing' with the curta at our kitchen table. This was long before the advent of electronic calculators. I know I was fascinated by this little black device and its crank at the time. The precision and the velvety smooth run are attributes that still impress me to this day. My Curta is still running perfectly and in the hands of my experienced navigators it has given us victory in the Vintage class at POR most times. Visit www.teamharco.com to learn more about the cars and events we participate in 356 richie tomasich siches(at)bigpond.com cairn
AUSTRALIA 0407164029
1 0 67290 I have owned this instrument for about thirty years and it is still in excellent condition and does not appear to have been used much or at all. It is still in its black Bakerlite box and has the original [Ensdale & Sons] Adelaide Australia retail tag. 357 David Spandl sppanddl(arroba)netzero.net Tahuya Washington
EU (360)372-2766 0 1 506711 I'm a garbage man I found it on my route. I had an inkling what it was, but it was too cold to dump it. It is in perfect condition (except the cleaning needle is missing). It has a metal box. I would have had a leather case and instructions. , but not knowing what I had I didn't pull it out of the trash. OOPS 358 Paul Bosselli paulo(at)boselli.com.br Sao Paulo-SP
BRAZIL (55) (19) 3181-3101
(55) (19) 3181-3106 3 2 8748
9140
10148
512304
514002 I have a 1975 Type I Curta [I have a 1975 Type I Curta]. They are in excellent condition and work fairly well. [They are in excellent condition and work perfectly] Meet the Brazilian Calculator Museum: www.boselli.com.br/museu 359 Tuna Pattison pattison(at)net-trends.com Novato, California
EU
1 0 49400 I bought the Curta for rallying in the early 60's. Along with a few other miscellaneous items, like the Thomas Rally Computer, an early electromechanical device that time-translated the car's forward motion (I still have that too). The Curta sits next to my desk next to a Pentium IV - 2.5GHz desktop computer - let's talk old and new! Every now and then I give the little device to someone and ask if they would like to see one of the first handhelds. The problem is that 90% of them can't open the box...end of story! Only a Curta owner would understand this little trick! After a laugh or two, I can show you one of the wonders of early computer science. After all these years, she (he) works perfectly and is no longer affected by bugs, worms, Trojan horses and other shortcomings inherent in modern computer technology today. And as all boaters know, I'm pretty good at operating the machine with one hand. That pup will probably live in my coffin when the time comes... It's amazing how many times this little device has been viewed as superfluous junk and almost thrown away at one move or another. 360 whisper flüster(at)letna.com ...
1 0 28037 I checked your website because a French friend of mine has one of these machines. When he died, his grandfather gave him a Type I No. 28037. You are looking for an instruction manual. Can you help? Thank you for all the information you have published on your website ;o)
Helped us understand what this strange machine was ;o) This Curta was an incredible mechanical genius. 361 Chris Vandevelde stenella-at-yucom.be Antwerp
BELGIUM
1 1 2096
544631 2096 (2ND OLDEST ACKNOWLEDGMENT) I found my Curta on the web after arguing for a long time about the uselessness of owning one. The whole story started when I bought an adder printer at a market for three euros. From there it was a long, steep and slippery descent with another printer adder, a Schubert step drum machine... and well here I am, crossing the Rubicon, Curta in hand :-) It's in near mint condition, with a previous owner and hardly used as it has been sitting in a drawer for the last forty years or more. I'm wondering, since everything else on the machine is so good, is the paint on the wedge rings really worn off? switched off or was delivered from the factory that way. The knurled piece on the handle is completely black with no signs of wear. I'm just wondering After learning about mechanical calculators and discovering the Curta as the latest development in the field (although this can be debatable) I naturally had to have one to add to my collection. I found Type II. Then, a few months later, I was lucky enough to type I no. 2096, which I could also buy. Many of you will be shocked to learn that at some point in your life it was auctioned off without anyone noticing. Both machines are here on the top shelf of the "computer cabinet" between two windmill machines. Type II is particularly useful for keeping track of the scores of three players in a game of Scrabble, although one of the newer pinwheel machines is easier to use in this regard, as they often have a reset lever to the configuration register. 362 Ken Wiedbusch caseyuu(at)comcast.net Royal Oak, Michigan
EU (248) 435-6207 0 1 558025 I bought my Curta from Gene Henderson's Competition Limited in Dearborn, Michigan in the early 1970's. I used it at TSD rallies in the Detroit area in the 70's and then put it away. In 2002 I discovered him as my son and started racing SCCA Touring Rallies. It is in perfect condition and works perfectly. Your site is great! 363 Roger Warling info(arroba)warlingminis.com westhills california
EU (818) 340-9855 0 1 521043 I was a surveyor in California for 40 years. I worked for the same company for 40 years. I started in 1954 and retired in 1994. The company name is VTN Eng. and surveyors. I bought my curta in the late 50's and used it every day until there were electric calculators. It is in a metal box, the paint is a bit worn but it works well. I also have a leather case that I used in the field. I have an instruction manual, 51 pages. The name of the book is Calculation Examples for the Curta Calculator. 364 Otto Frex Mayer gfrex(arroba)cmp.cl the serene one
CHILE
1 0 25832 I bought my city of Curta in La Serena. It is in very good condition and works fairly well. I have other dealer calculators, over 50. 365 ed sharp ecs_sharp(at)attbi.com Olympia, Washington
EU
0 1 543169 My friend from the Washington State Department of Transportation showed me his. Turns out another engineer in the office had one for sale. I'm sorry to admit how much I paid but I love my curta. I had lunch with my friend today and asked him to show me the division but it's been a while since he did. In the meantime, someone saw us and said they had another curta for sale, so I might have another curta next week. at a much better price I hope 366 a sergeant lotus404(at)hotmail.com Ontario, Kanada
0 1 511212 I just bought my Curta today April 3rd 2003. I saw it at a flea market among some of the typical things you would see at such an event. I paid 40.00 Canadian dollars or about 28.00 US dollars for it. I bought it from the first owner. He is a retired engineer from Lever Brothers Co. He bought it in 1954-57 and said he saw an ad in a trade journal and thought it would save him time on some math problems he was working on. This Type II came with its metal case and original computer example book and original care and operating instructions. Appears to be in good condition, a few small scratches on the lower right side of the motherboard. Now I will spend the afternoon solving this unit. 367 Roberto R.Kim trebor(arroba)brooksdata.net Alpen, Texas
EU
0 1 544447 It looks and works like new. I am 78 years old and you have my permission to add my short story to the Curta register.
I've had my Curta II for over 30 years and still use it for fun and demonstrations with natural trigger tables.
Maybe an old surveying friend somewhere can see it and get in touch with me. So few of them are still alive and I don't know where the few are.
Several of the surveyor exams were taken [in Blacksburg] years ago. A VMI grad surnamed Digiulian, the son of a former Springfield surveyor who is a friend of mine, works there for a large engineering firm that designs many state highways, and that's all I know about Blacksburg. Except that the long-dead Benjamin (Ben) Clark, second president of the Virginia Association of Surveyors, was a surveying instructor at VMI. 368 benson mueller benson(en)speakeasy.net Seattle, Washington
EU
1 0 544911 Owned by my grandfather: an airport engineer during the birth of commercial aviation. The fast speech allowed my grandmother to get rid of him by accident. Now it is used as an instrument for rally cars. 369 Peter Johannes p.johns(arroba)blueyonder.co.uk London
Great Britain
0 1 543652 I found my Curta sometime in the 1980's in Lusaka, Zambia at a workshop that was also the local agent for surveying and drawing equipment (Wild, Kern, Rotring, etc.).
It was (presumably) imported into Zambia as a surveying tool for field calculations, as its operation is very similar to the Facit(?) horizontal cart widely used by cadastral and land surveyors.
It was priceless. There was no box or instructions, but otherwise the calculator was in "showroom" condition and the nylon case was almost unmarked.
It stood in the corner of a display case among other obsolete devices. The people who worked there didn't know what it was, so I played dumb too and started haggling so I could add it to my (then) collection of slide rules and mechanical calculators.
I think I paid 100 kwacha, which was about $25 then and about 2.5 cents now (that's how devaluation is in Africa!) 370 Denise Banken bancos.r.d(arroba)att.net Tampa, Florida
EU
1 0 14961 A friend in Seattle gave me the Curta while she was cleaning up her desk (she was retiring). I didn't know what it was then. The calculator had been sitting on a shelf in my home office for a few years and I decided to surf the internet to see if I could find anything about it. That's how I discovered your collector's website and loads of information about it. Boy was I surprised. I don't know how to expect it, but it seems to be in good condition. It is housed in the black metal case which is also in good condition with no scratches. The case has a tag on the outside indicating it's from Calculator Equipment Co. in Seattle. 371 jan brown www.brownmesa(arroba)aol.com Mesa, Arizona
EU
1 1 40198
525329 This and several others belonged to my late husband, Russell K. Brown. The Tipo I is the curtain he used in his 40 year TSD rally. I can still remember all the times we met and the "scrunch scrunch" sound it made as we found our way around a course. This curtain may have won more regional and national SCCA events than any other curtain. 372 Dr.Brian Levy brian.levy.esq(at)rogers.com Toronto, Ontario KANADA
0 1 550092 I had a friend who, like me, had been interested in photography for many years. He loved challenging me to find out how S.E.I. Photometer and other old measuring devices. One day, I think in 1988, he showed up with it and dropped it on my desk. I looked at it and assumed it was some kind of mechanical calculator. The challenge was to see if I could get him to do something. It became a centerpiece on my desk that my clients glanced at from time to time, but no one knew what it was. I learned how to add, subtract and multiply. It has been in its plastic box all these years and apart from a small scratch mark under the release tab it has no marks at all. Until I stumbled across this sight tonight I still had no idea what it was or anything about it. It was collecting dust in my son's rabbit hutch, I guess I'll move it out of curiosity to keep it safe. 373 Matthias M. Weber mmw(arroba)aretaios.of Munich Bavaria
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 13545 I wanted one because I love this precise mechanical device. 374 Eric German eric (arroba) powersoft.ca YOU HAVE
0 1 541599 Hello, I enjoyed your webpages about the Curta. I recently inherited a Model II (metal body and manuals in German and English) in very good condition from my father who probably bought it in Europe. I'm not thinking of selling it, but I was interested in the approximate value, partly out of curiosity, partly for insurance reasons. 375 Robert Adam roadam5(at)web.de Ludwigshafen
DEUTSCHLAND
1 1 11155
507175 As a new Curta collector I am very happy that so many people are still interested in these beautiful machines, especially people like you and Jan Meyer/Germany who have taken so much time to present the Curta story on the internet . Both of my curtas are in excellent condition. The Curta II was the first one I bought for 605 euros, it has been used for many years but is still in very good optical condition. I bought the Curta I a few weeks later for 505 euros. It looks almost new and looks like it hasn't been used much. The cleaning lever was replaced with an outdated but fully functional one. Both are in their original cases, which are in very good condition. 376 HERBERT N. WOLFE, ESQ.
Herzog, Fisher, Grayson and Wolfe hnw(at)hfgwlaw.com 9460 Wilshire Blvd., 5 bis piso
Beverly Hills, Kalifornien
EU (310) 278-4300
0 1 ?????? It's the first time I see this web quote. My father owned the Curta Cal. Company in Van Nuys. And was the exclusive US distributor for many years. He is now 95 years old and I am sure he would be delighted to know that there is still so much interest in the Curta. Of course I have my own, in perfect Type II condition. It is unknown what else might be nearby... 377 Dennis Painter
Registered Appraiser Dennydean(arroba)hotmail.com
DPainter(arroba)ABengineering.net Lantana, Florida
EU (561) 383-7480
0 1 530155 I purchased my Curta Type 2 on July 30, 2003 from Sarah Collins, wife of the late TC Collins who was a respected surveyor in Palm Beach County, Florida. It is truly a remarkable device and works perfectly, complete with original box, black metal case, manual, instructions and warranty card. 378 happy Christopher machineacalculer(arroba)free.fr Gages, Aveyron
FRANCE
1 5 31797
549518
57879
522769
551957
551956 I collect mechanical calculators. The Curta is a very nice machine My website:http://machineacalculer.free.fr 379 Bill Potwin bpotvin(at)buckeye-express.com Maumee, Ohio
EU 419-891-9191
1 0 77908 I bought my new Curta in the late 1960's and mainly used it to calculate stage times as Rally Champion as I competed in the TSD rallies in a class for which the Curta was 'too fancy'. When I first started racing stage rallies the curta wasn't necessary, but I wore it sometimes for good luck. About 10 years ago I started racing with Eric Jones in his 1964 MGB in the Vintage class. The Curta really works now! If anyone reading this would like to sell their Curta please contact me. Eric and I are always trying to get new people interested in old rallies and the necessary gear (Curtas and Halda odometers) is hard to find. We do not pay collectors prices and resell them for no profit, but rest assured they are used as intended. 380 Johannes Birke johnsaxman(at)btinternet.com London, England
Great Britain
1 0 8354 I was surprised by my surfing result for Curta. I had no idea it was such an interesting article, although I was mesmerized by the ingenuity of the device. I have a Curta in the original metal box. I've been using it at work for several years and have never had any problems. Congratulations on a fantastic website 381 gray pool Grayps(arroba)clear-cxn.net Yuba City, Kalifornien
EU
1 0 62675 I bought it for TSD rallies in the early to mid 1960's and found it useful for many other calculations. I've used it a lot and it still purrs without complaining. I'm struck by its universal appeal for its utility and artistic merits. 382 Dr Norbert Freitag viernes(at)ctc-friday.com Maximal
AUSTRIA
1 1 ?????
?????? I have type I and type II. 383 Michel Miklaszewski MichelMik(at)aol.com 1935 NO 124. St
Nord-Miami, Florida
EU (305) 892-8521 0 1 534385 I have a Type II Curta that I bought circa 1965 for $160.00. I've used it for rallies for about 4 years, it's been in a drawer since it came in a plastic box, I still have the instructions and "Calculation examples for Curta". It appears to be in excellent condition, although I've just discovered that the #6 adjustment register doesn't move. 384 Bob grow bobgro(at)aol.com Mesa, Arizona
EU
1 0 18027 My father had several types I and II. (He was a civil engineer and surveyor) I got mine after his death in 1965. It comes complete with box, manual and leather case. I used Curtas from about 1959 until HP introduced the HP 35. (I'm also a civil engineer and surveyor.) It's in excellent condition but doesn't work properly. You must use the new math. 385 Marke Controller mhandler(at)gre.net Durham, North Carolina
EU
1 0 60870 My boyfriend and I raced sports cars (an Austin Healey and an MGA) in college and used the Curta for navigation calculations. This ended (the calculation...not the SCA events) as the HP 35s went into price realization. Originally bought by a Saab driver and has since (unfortunately) been separated from his manual and leather case. It has a two-piece rotating metal case. However, it is in perfect condition, both aesthetically and functionally. 386 Juan S. Perez Diaz jspd(arroba)codetel.net.do Santo Domingo, Nationaldistrikt
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (809) 567-3707
0 1 551183 "Bought to me by a family friend, Mrs. M. Brouwer, at Motta & Swiss Stores, a free port store at one of Jamaica's international airports, dated 4/5/70, invoice #49642, for US$121.00 Dollars were brought in at some rallies ("Caracol" and "Cocodrilo") and then used at the University of Santo Domingo until the first electronic calculators became popular in the country (about 72-73). I was 20 for that great speed, now my kids---now in their twenties---can't explain how dad went to uni on such a slow machine!I keep my CURTA in its protective case like new and original blue box with the manual on, a booklet on the 4 rules of calculation, guarantee and purchase invoice. I still love and admire my CURTA. One day my children will understand her!” 387 Bruce & Mary Ginebra brucemarygin(at)sbcglobal.net

1 0 ????? Hi Rick, my dad just sent me the 'Family Cake' for my birthday. It is in perfect condition and moved me. I found your site and saw the photo of the three different I models. The base of mine is different from the three shown (it's an I model). I just thought you'd be interested. It also has the original instructions and the packaging box. 388 David J. Friedlander dfriedlander(at)law.capital.edu Columbus, Ohio
EU 614-267-0101
0 1 506936 The Curta site is a wonderful resource. My excitement was multiplied by all the information that is out there. Story; I was reading the book Advances in Digital Computing and remembered years ago playing with various Friden electromechanical calculators that a friend had in his basement. After searching the internet for pictures, I kept coming across the Curtas. I immediately realized what a hit the Curta is and I was hooked. Just about 2 weeks after that first day I bought my Curta over the internet in the UK. I probably paid too much but I really love my new machine. The Curta is a very rare combination of brilliant function and beautiful artistry. Mine is in excellent condition and runs like new even though it was made in the mid 1950's. I'm thinking about getting a Type I. The symmetry of having both types seems right to me somehow. 389 alan that ahoare(arroba)mail.rah.sa.gov.au Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide
AUSTRALIA
0 1 503867 I received a Model II from a friend's father who was an architect, serial number 503867. It came with a case and a Model I instruction manual. According to the warranty, it was delivered 10/14/55 to Mr P.W. Seymour. Thanks for a fantastic site. 390 Bill Bowers hoosieradvisor(at)directway.com 1908 Waldwiese
Georgetown, Indiana
EU 812-951-0380
1 0 34712 I have a Curta Type 1 calculator in excellent condition. It came with a metal box and manual, also in perfect condition. I found it at an antique store but wasn't sure what it was. Below it says: System Curt Herzstark Made in Liechtenstein By Contina AG Mauren 391 David Railer db(at)davidbannister.com King's Road 26
Calle 80
Grantham NG31 9DS, United Kingdom [44] [0]1242-514287
2 3 69125
10300
536131
543402
538236 I have the following Curta:
guess I
No: 69125 Metal case - exceptional condition
No: 10300 metal box - used
Type II
Nr: 536131 plastic box - good condition
No.: 543402 plastic case - fair condition
Nr: 538236 Plastic box - good condition and with original Curta cardboard box with printed serial number in a frame on the lid and short description on the bottom. I first saw a Curta at the Museum of the History of Science [many years ago - c.1985] in Oxford and wanted one; He placed a small advertisement in Oxford University News magazine and bought the first one from a professor who had obtained it from English agents. He told me that no textbook was ever made for her. 392 Chris grow cwgrow(arroba)sbcglobal.net Pleasant Hill, California
EU 925-685-1987
0 1 511219 I received the Curta from my father around 1995. Clyde was a mining and aerospace engineer. He was very proud of his Curta and loves to show it to me at every opportunity. I've had it on my office shelf for the past 8 years without realizing it had become a collector's item. My Curta came with three "manuals" or pieces of literature: "Curta, C. Herzstark's Pocket-Sized Universal Calculator System", "Your Curta Calculator" (a 12"x25" binder explaining how it works), and "Calculation Examples for the Curta calculating machine." 393 Joel TEXIER joetex(arroba)free.fr Breton neighbors
Ile de France (Raum Paris)
FRANCE 33 1 30.64.59.48
1 0 7087 I found it with its metal box in a box destined for the trash when we moved our office from Paris to Versailles in 1989. 394 Ray Feldmann rayfel (at) usa.net Palo Alto, California
EU (650) 321-9702
1 0 40437 As a young engineer in the late 1950s, I coveted a CURTA, which I first saw at a colleague's. Being newly married and the father of a new baby, I couldn't afford to buy one that cost about a week's wages. Years later, I finally settled on an HP 35, which also cost about a week's wages, but could also handle trigonometric functions and natural logarithms and base-10 logarithms. Throughout my engineering career, I amassed a drawer full of electronic calculators, each more powerful and more economical than Time and technology have advanced. However, I never lost my fascination with the Curta, which for me was the epitome of beauty and precision. A few years ago, retired and with grown children, I looked and found my Type I for sale at a member of the Oughtred Society. Gulielmus Oughtred was the inventor of the slide rule and the Society is devoted to the study of the history and collection of slide rules. My CURTA is in mint condition and came with the original left-hand threaded metal case. The large O-ring under the threads is still flexible, which is a testament to the quality of the material used in its construction. According to the algorithm provided on their website, it would have been made in 1958, around the time my craving for the device was first piqued. By the way, I still have and can use my K&E Log Duplex Vector that I bought in 1953 as a student. 395 Bob Barns royb1(at)comcast.net Berkeley Heights, Nueva-Jersey
EU
0 1 557889 Around 1965 I saw one at my friend Walter Bond's at Bell Labs, which I finally bought a few years ago (about $400). It is in mint condition and came with 2 copies of the manuals in mint condition. 396 Nelson Solorzano ioscaracas(at)aol.com Dayton, Ohio
EU 937-859-7160
0 0
CURTA: I don't have one, I'm willing to buy one if it's a reasonable price I can afford. History: I was working at Burroughs in my hometown of Caracas, Venezuela in the early 60's and a salesman offered me one, I had it sitting in my desk for several days but I had no money to pay for it and I gave it back without forgiving myself. 397 Richard D. Boltuck rboltuck de SIN SPAM verizon.net Bethesda, Maryland
EU
0 1 507435 I'm a Curta newbie but I bought it from a property sale advertised on the internet. When I started studying the device, I was fascinated by its remarkable history, its pre-semiconductor prophecy, its brilliant ergonomic and functional mechanical design, and its technical sophistication. And then made in exotic Liechtenstein! What more do you want. Mine is in mint condition, has been gently used by a west coast engineer, hardly ever leaves its home and is well maintained with some paint missing on the metal case where a nameplate has been removed. 398 Darin May lohphat(arroba)lohphat.com New York, New York
EU
1 0 49603 Good condition, tin can, without manuals. I'm trying to get more information about the previous owners to put together a lineage. Purchased from Louis Skelton of Long Beach, CA in December 2003. It was right after the Scientific American article so the units were popular. There is an orange label on the inside of the storage jar: FOR EXPRESS SERVICE
KURZ Calculators by Canada, Ltd.
Calle Davenport 1871
Toronto 9, Ontario
Telephone: Roger 6-6184 399 Doug Pinkerton dpinkerton(at)adelphia.net Cleveland, Ohio
EU
1 0 ????? I inherited my Curta from my father. It has a metal case and to the best of our knowledge it works perfectly. It has a # engraved on it (296303529) but it seems too long to be a serial number. Can someone tell me what this number means? 400 Dr. A.S. A.S. AS Stan Fry jr. frydds(arroba)wtrt.net Hereford, Texas
EU
1 0 16956 I found my Curta at a property sale. I was with a bunch of old camera gear and still in the metal bin. Because the canister unscrews counter-clockwise, the people in charge of selling the property hadn't opened it. I didn't really know what it was but figured for $3.00 I couldn't go wrong. I was thrilled when I bought it and the seller gave me the original instructions that came with it. My Curta has been well cared for and has no scratches. I'm assuming the first owner bent the cleaning ring to fit the bowl without pulling it back, but it works beautifully. 401 Jan drowns drown(at)shaw.ca Nanoose Bay, British Columbia
YOU HAVE
1 0 73064 Our Curta was bought or gifted by a friend at a neighborhood flea market at least 10 years ago. After my parents split up I was able to keep it and it has been on a bookshelf in my house ever since. 402 Santiago de Churruca Egoscozabal santi_churruca(at)ya.com Barcelona
SPAIN 34 670778943
1 0 3919 My father (Fco. Javier de Churruca Arellano) bought it in Bilbao (Spain) on September 15, 1955 from a merchant named Juan Brettes while my father was working in Talleres de Erandio near Bilbao. So the family lived in Algorta (my hometown) near Bilbao. I still have the invoice and the original instruction manual written in clear and perfect Spanish. The machine works perfectly and is kept in its original tin can. 402a

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403 Max Matthew matth1(at)tpg.com.au Canberra
AUSTRALIA
1 0 44423 I found your address on Curta's site. Thank you for all the information on Curta's history and how to calculate age. I have a Curta I, #44423, with case and manuals. The machine is like new and runs like new, but the books are a bit worn. This machine was used by the doctor in charge of the Institute of Anatomy (Dr. Hipsley from memory). This institution (long since defunct) was part of the Australian Department of Health where I worked for many years as a technical officer. I "fixed" the Curta for a new electronic calculator in the mid 1970's and then bought it back from the dealer. I have several old calculators that I bought this way and they are all in good condition. I have seen a Curta listed in antique catalogs in Australia and I suspect the current market price is around A$400-500. 404 see the stone ole.steen(de)broadpark.no see the stone
Skjellweg 10
0198 Oslo
NORWAY
0 1 510993 History: A friend gave me this Curta around 1978. He was an electronics engineer, born around 1920 I guess. He was leaving family and formal life. He had just gotten divorced, burned many bridges and gave away most of his possessions. I remember suspecting he was developing paranoid delusions. I also bought a Luger pistol that I had used in World War II. I later returned the pistol but kept the Curta. I later regretted not doing it the other way around because I was afraid he might use the gun to kill himself. I haven't had any contact with him for the past 15 years as he has moved out of town and lived a solitary life. I suspect he is now deceased, no longer in the phone book. The Curta dates back to the early production years of the Type II, with the Art Deco style domed case and simply engraved inscription. The o-ring is missing but the inner foam is perfect. The machine has little wear but has my friend's name engraved on it with a steady hand. I fixed a broken spoke in the star spring under the tip and had to change the rivet on the zero arm. Otherwise the machine is in perfect condition. I don't use it much but keep it as a keepsake and to admire its history and the perfection of a bygone era. 405 Hierba Engstrom engstrom(at)best.com 5974 Mönchstrasse
San Jose, California
EU 408 446 1609
0 1 528872 Comments: I've had this for several years. I inherited it from my father-in-law when he died. He'd been a gadget fanatic, always reaching for the latest fashion item. I think he bought it on a trip through Liechtenstein. I recognized it as a mechanical calculator, but thought nothing of it until the Scientific American article appeared in January 2004. This article was fascinating and got me much more interested in this seemingly new device. 406 Eddie Letzer N / A Cheltenham, Glos
Great Britain
1 0 11348 This calculator was inherited from my father who bought it new to work in the early 1950's. The unit is in excellent condition, complete with its original packaging but no instruction manual. This was probably discarded along with other papers when the house was emptied. The calculation shows that it was made in April 1950. Congratulations on your very interesting website. 407 Jamie Book jami41(at)free.fr Cluses, Haute Savoie
FRANCE
0 1 548379 I bought it in 68-70 (not sure). It helps me to do all the technical calculations for the production of cutouts, as well as administrative calculations: production costs, accounting... It replaced a tabulator from Brunsviga and a very good slide rule from Aristo. It's still in perfect condition and I take it out sometimes to teach my daughters how to use it. Fascinating object... the smallest and most complicated mechanical object ever industrially produced! 408 Sandy Huck SandyHouck(at)aol.com Napa, California
EU
1 0 34400 I inherited this dear Curta from my father. He used it while working and traveling for Kaiser Aluminum. 409 Clifford Brühn bruhnc(at)pacbell.net Eureka, California
EU
0 1 514736 It is in mint condition as I have treated it with great care and only used it indoors. I was always afraid someone else would touch it. I bought it in the late 50's or early 60's for $165. I have the manual, calculation examples and the math manual, all in good condition. 410 William B. "Skip" free sfreely(arroba)juno.com, k6hms(arroba)arrl.net 1807 Port Wheeler Place, Newport Beach, Kalifornien
EU (949) 640-8257
0 1 519306 It is in almost new condition and seems to work perfectly. It came by metal boat; the original sales contract (in German); the original certification document (in German); a brochure "Calculation examples for the Curta calculator" (in German); a booklet "The key to the arithmetic problem!" (in German); a brochure "Calculation examples for the Curta calculator" (in English); and a brochure “Your CURTA calculator; The Four Rules of Arithmetic” (in English). I bought the unit from Willie Allan in Scotland in January 2004. He bought it in 1993 from Captain David Larive, the original owner. Captain Larive bought her new on February 5, 1967 from Dorrbecker & Company, Bremen, Germany. I am a retired electrical engineer specializing in microwave technology. I worked with a vice president of engineering from 1959 to 1963 who used a curta for all his calculations. I've always wanted one but never did until I retired. I have used Fridens, Marchands, the HP-35 (which I still own) and the HP-41CX (which I still own) throughout my career. 411 Bruno Wroblewsky bwroblew(at)msn.com Springfield, Missouri
EU 417-886-2494
1 0 40674 In the late 1950's, while working as an engineer at RCA, I was on a field trip to a radar tracking vessel in the South Atlantic. In a conversation with a fellow engineer, I mentioned how unsatisfactory I found the slide rule and how nice it would be if I had a Curta calculator. He said he had one that he would sell me. We made a deal and I've had it ever since. Years later, when electronic calculators appeared, my Curta was put into storage. Good thing as the storage has kept it like new (carrying case and all). 412 Gary W. Gerfen gerfen(at)altrionet.com Monrovia, California
EU
0 1 512687 I knew the Curta since my youth. My first job was for Marian Weber, who owned a company called MG in the middle of Pasadena, California. They made car covers for sports cars and also sold racing and rally accessories. I remember reading about how to use the Curta for TSD rallies in one of the books for sale there. I was impressed in part because my father ran a precision machine shop and I had an idea of ​​the mechanical complexity of the Curta. I've always appreciated well-made machines, be it cars, motorcycles, sewing machines or calculators, so I was interested in buying a Curta, but they've always been a bit out of my financial reach. For the last 5 years my wife and I have competed in TSD rallies and the idea of ​​using a Curta for arithmetic piqued my interest but again the price of the little machine was out of my reach. Then, in late January 2004, when I returned after taking my children to school, I saw a sign announcing the sale of a property. I went home and picked up my wife and we came back to check. After about 30 min. Leafing through it, I noticed that a classmate was looking at a small booklet entitled "Computer examples for the CURTA calculating machine". My first thought was, great, if I can't get a Curta, I can at least get a small brochure about a Curta and find out a little bit about it. Once she looked at it, she placed it on a shelf she hadn't noticed, right next to a black metal cylinder with the name "CURTA" emblazoned on the side. I picked it up, opened it up and pulled out an absolutely perfect Type II. The only thing that was barely noticeable was a slight darkening of the color on the back of the machine where it rested in the previous user's palm. Otherwise it was flawless. The boat was also in perfect condition including the foam base and foam pad on top. Wondering if my luck would last as I approached the lady in charge of the sale and asked, "How much?" When she replied "fifty dollars," I had to work really hard to keep calm and not yell out as I pulled out my checkbook and paid her. I think the previous owner worked in the field of catenary construction. He had several books and magazines on avionics, as well as several manuals for one of the large aircraft. I am very happy to own this great machine. I will be using it with my wife to gather my two children together and teach them how to use it so they can take turns browsing for me. I hope my luck lasts long enough to find an I-Type at an affordable price so that I can eventually give one of each to my children. Thanks for this great list. I really enjoyed reading other people's experiences and views on their curtas. 413 David ghost new(at)springtimesoftware.com

0 0
Rick, the Your Calculator website is awesome! I remember seeing the ads for the Curta as a kid in the 1950's and really wanting to buy one. But the price of $125, which might be the equivalent of $2,000 today, was prohibitive. Because of my interest in computer technology, I decided to buy a Geniac. I have an RPN Novus 8 significant digit non-programmable calculator manufactured by National Semiconductor Corp, serial number 141220. I think this may have been the first cheap portable calculator to be mass-sold. I still use this calculator a lot and it works perfectly. 414 Dr. David Clave dkey(at)bathbarn.fsnet.co.uk El Granero, Carlingcott, Bad BA2 8AW
Great Britain
1 0 6845 I've been taking care of my Curta for maybe 20 years in hopes that one day I'll find time to figure out how to operate it. He was spurred on by this month's Scientific American. The previous owner, Christopher Bailey, was an English electronics consultant and used his Curta extensively in connection with his work. He died about 20 years ago and seems to have determined that I should duly pass on his Curta and his wife (my aunt Phyllis née Pickard) to me. I have now downloaded the instruction manual and hopefully as a pensioner I will learn how to operate the machine. I hope one of my grandchildren is interested enough to take over one day. I have to thank you for opening the world to me, Curta. 415 Alex Friedmann afdrf_ATSIGN_astound.net Walnut Creek, California
EU
1 0 67557 I've wanted one since I was a teenager... I bought mine from Richard Moor in late December 2003 (I found out about his Curta on the curta.org bulletin board). Cleaned, adjusted and lubricated by Jack Christensen of Timewise in January 2004. Jack fixed that too: he replaced two numeric digits that had clipped ten carry pins and corrected the alignment of the ten carry levers that were causing the damage (he reported that this took 9 ascent/descent cycles!). plastic container. Good machine! 416 Cesar Guevara ceci02(at)avantel.net, jcgb(at)hp.fciencias.unam.mx Mexico City, Mexico
1 0 28382 extra information 417 Steve Harman MSU harmanst(arroba)msu.edu Auburn Hills, Michigan
EU
1 0 58582 Just thought I'd write a line to add it to the CURTA list. I visited my parents' house and looked through some of my old stuff and found the CURTA Type I that my grandfather had given me! I always treasured it as a child and consider it a family heirloom. Now I'm on a mission to learn as much as I can about these wonders of early technology! Thank you very much! 418 David Daley davedaley100(arroba)msn.com Tampa, Florida
EU
1 0 75262 I think my father received it as a present from a friend/business partner on one of several trips to Vaduz in the 1970s. 419 Juan Luis Munoz de Laborde juanluis.munoz(at)mae.es Madrid, Madrid
SPAIN 0034 91 3799931
1 0 12270 My father, Carlos Muñoz de Laborde Rocatallada, a civil engineer, mentally did his field calculations during the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War to build a bridge at night, shelled during the day, which was essential to the maintenance of the university district of Madrid. . . At the end of the 1950s he went to Liechtenstein and saw the CURTA there and bought it, but it was not used for long as the first HP calculators came onto the market soon after. I want our calculator to end up at the Madrid Science Museum so everyone can enjoy this little wonder. 420 Alastair Redpath-Stevens ayrs(at)hotmail.com London, United Kingdom
1 0 5856 I found them at a watch auction in Chester. It's an early Model I with a serial number. #5856 which it appears to date to early September 1948 although the calculation appears to assume a straight line production model which I believe is correct for dating earlier machines but may be a good approximation as production increases. 421 Alan Simon allansimon@hotmail.com Calgary, Alberta
YOU HAVE
1 0 73545 I was rally racing in the late 60's and early 70's and just found my old Curta. I would sell it for the right price. It is fully functional and comes in a black plastic case. Clear signs of wear can be seen on the bottom of the device, where there is a ring-shaped area where the black paint has worn away and the silver metal shows through. This ring goes through the last digits of the serial number, which is still legible as 73545. 422 Hans Rudolf Roshard Roshard (de) bluewin.ch near Zurich
SWITZERLAND
sixteen 27 1048-D
4-Type I under #8000
10-Type I above #8000
2- Type I cutaway model
6 type II black
10-Type II grey
2-Type-II-Plate
1-Gold Type II
1-Type II light blue
Sectional model 7-Type II
500088 A total of 43 Curta serial number(s): Older type II #500088 I bought the first Curta in November 2001 from a German colleague. Two months later I bought a Curta II on an American colleague's website. This machine didn't work at all. I felt betrayed and didn't know what to do at the moment. After a while I surfed the internet and found Rick Furr's website. There I could read how to disassemble your Curta. So I started working on the thing and after a closer look inside I noticed that it was missing four ten-loader springs. I had no idea where to get some. So I started making these springs myself from 0.2mm spring steel. After almost a day of work I had these springs on the Curta and it worked perfectly. After that I was completely in love with this Curta and started buying a few more. I read on Rick Furr's website that Hilti bought the Contina in 1966. In the summer of 2002, Hilti told me that there was a guy named Gerhard Kleinecke who had all the parts and tools to work on Curtas. I contacted him and told him the story of the ten carrying lever springs. He couldn't believe it until I showed him the curta. He was very surprised by my skills and after a while we developed a close friendship. In the spring of 2003 I was able to purchase the entire inventory of Curta, tools and parts. Since then I have become a real CURTA SPECIALIST. 423 Lewis ausrauben stahl(at)whidbey.com Langley, Washington
EU
1 0 13017 I featured my dear wife Curta's article in a recent Scientific American and that was enough to get her searching. He found one for sale online from a guy who (like us) lives on an island in England. It was from his grandfather. He gave it to me on March 2, 2004 for our 20th wedding anniversary. Happiness! 424 Roberto CAILLIAU it's not garbage F-01280 Prevessin-Moëns
FRANCE
0 1 532235 Curtas: A Model II, bought in 1968 when I was in my senior year as an engineer. Story:
So I didn't find it, I bought it at a time when it was still being made and clearly the machine an engineer on the go must have. I used it quite a bit until HP's engineering calculators became affordable. I spent almost 7,000 BEF on it, which was the equivalent of 120 EUR then and would be between 1,000 and 2,000 EUR today. My two reasons for choosing it over bigger, cheaper machines were portability and the number of digits. These days I'm only releasing it to show to young people who think everything should be done with software (they are unaware of the fact that the electricity that powers their high-tech computers is actually almost 100% comes from good old mechanical turbines, powered by with steam). One thing I couldn't find anywhere on the poster other than a detail is the amazing construction of the "commas".

The LIKE collector and registration page (1)
The LIKE collector and registration page (2)


I'm attaching a couple of photos of one of these taken from my Model II. A comma can be removed by removing the small screw on the edge of the comma on the underside of the machine. When I first did this (a few years ago) the comma jumped over the edge because it's on a little spring! Luckily, after a thorough search, I found the very small parts and was able to put it all back together.

The LIKE collector and registration page (3)


The whitish object in one of the photos is a grain of rice.

The LIKE collector and registration page (4)


Another thing that nobody seems to have mentioned: the great choice of materials. With such mechanisms, it is of paramount importance that there is no welding friction anywhere. This means that the parts rubbing against each other should preferably be made of different metals so that their atoms do not weld together. Oil should be kept to a minimum, as dust collects on it. Only a good selection of coordinated materials ensures longevity. This is another engineering wisdom that few understand today. Photos taken with a ProScope. 425 Paul DELMOTE paul_delmote(arroba)yahoo.fr Limoges, Alt-Vienne (87)
FRANCE
0 1 513710 This machine belonged to my father who used it for his work from 1958 to 1970. She is in perfect condition and has her box. Unfortunately I don't have the instructions. This machine, which belonged to my father, worked from 1958 to 1970. It is in perfect condition and has its box. Unfortunately I don't have the user manual. 426 David Ray david(at)ray.co.uk Yardley Hastings, Northamptonshire

Great Britain

+44 (0) 1604 696191
0 1 509791 This Curta belonged to my father, Richard Dennistoun Ray. He was chief chemist at Farleys Infant Foods in Plymouth, UK, from 1950 until his retirement in 1977. I was taught to use Curta at the age of 10 and have never forgotten it! It still works perfectly. At the end of the suitcase is a note that my father probably wrote in the 1970s; A=52, A^8 (with Curta) = 53,459,728,531,456 exactly! A^8 (using electronic calculator) = 5.3459 * 10^13 approximately 427 Pamela Smith PamSmith(arroba)rlss.org.uk Abergavenny, Monmouth, Sturm
Great Britain
1 0 38454 I "bought" mine in 1975 after the financial controller I worked for retired. He gave me this little machine as a parting gift as I recognized it for what it was, a really nice piece of craftsmanship. I love it. Now, as Corporate Director, I have it on my desk and use it as a "calming tool." Most of the people in my office have "played" with it and taken it home for a long time, but one of my co-workers' son had to remember to search the internet for Curta! I never noticed. The only time I heard from Curta was via the BBC when they announced the sale to a single American company of 39 Curtas (1997 I believe) sold at Sotheby's for £400 each. The BBC said 40 were made but the whereabouts of 40 were unknown. My partner at the time was an outside BBC broadcaster and wondered if mine was the missing number 40. Looking at their website, unless they've reported a single batch, it's probably unlikely. I just downloaded the user manual for the Curta Calculator. Over the years I have attempted to write a "How To" procedure but yours is much easier to understand. For interest, the details of my Curta are: Black metal body - counter-clockwise rotation. Cardboard color with signs of wear on the lid. Otherwise machine in perfect condition. Only CURTA is written on the front. The red label reads: Automatic Business Machines Limited, 15 Cromwell Road, London SW7. Phone - KENsington 8877. Bottom of curta reads: No 38454
Made in Liechtenstein
(customs union with Switzerland)
by Contina Ltd Moors
Curt Herzstark system. Since you're the savvy foodie, you could probably tell me when it was made!...That would be January 1958 -Rick- 428 Dennis Heu dennis(at)nmia.com Schere, New Mexico
EU
1 0 40210 I just bought my "John" Curta in Seattle. John bought it new for auto racing use in the 1960s but never used it. This Curta in its metal case has been kept essentially intact in its original packaging over the years. Therefore it is in perfect condition. I've known Curtas for a number of years, but my interest was really fueled by a recent Scientific American article.” I have to admit that the buzz and click of this superb mechanical instrument is just as pleasing as the results it produces. 429 Paul Doesburg pdoesburg1(at)cogeco.ca Hamilton, Ontario
YOU HAVE 905 527-0356
1 0 ????? The neighbor across the street was a civil engineer. When he died in 1982 I bought it at a flea market. 430 Salvador Frank N / A Curitiba, PR
BRAZIL (41) 262 9821
1 0 5687 My father was an engineer and bought this machine in 1948, he died in 1952 and the machine has not been touched since, it has the original metal case. I am interested in selling it at a good price as it is in perfect condition. Regards. 431 Paul Jose Valente papavictor(at)uol.com.br Salvador, Bahia
BRAZIL (71) 249-2265
1 0 9092 Ever since I was 13 I saw this wonderful little [machine] on my father's engineering drawing board. I grew up and learned to make architectural drawings with it. Then came the great FACIT [Calculator] manual. Later the first electronic pocket calculator. The CURTA lay in my father's drawer until his death four years ago, and I chose it [for myself] from among 10 siblings. For the time I spent in the wonderful (to me) atmosphere of my father's office. That's it, it's in perfect condition and in the aluminum case. Now that I have checked out this site I would like to know if you can tell me the year my CURTA was made and how much it can cost on the collectors market. 432 Gian Paolo SANNA gp.sanna(arroba)tin.it Pausanias-Temple
ITALY
0 1 544138 I first discovered the Curta in the Italian version of the SciAM article in February. I am very enthusiastic about this wonderful machine and ended up buying a Curta Model II in London for £565. The price may be high but the Curta is in fantastic condition and is one of a kind. 433 Pierre Alain Zollinger pa.zollinger(arroba)hispeed.ch La Chaux-de-Fonds, Suiza
SWITZERLAND
1 0 51118 This machine was offered to me when I was remodeling a school (higher commercial school), it was probably used by the students of this institution. The calculator is in perfect condition with a black metal case and a manual with example calculations in French. This machine was offered to me during the transformation of the college (business school) and was probably used by the students of this institution. The calculator is in perfect condition with a black metal case and a manual with example calculations in French. 434 Fred Dulce f.w.dulce(arroba)bgc.ac.uk City: Lincoln, United Kingdom
0 1 500084 I found it on the bottom of an old desk about twenty years ago. I didn't know what it was, so I sent a letter to Contina AG in Liectenstein, but got no reply. It looked interesting so I saved it. I recently searched the internet for "Curta" and found this site. Unfortunately the curta didn't work. The handle rotated both clockwise and counterclockwise (which I don't think should be the case) and nothing happened when rotated. I emailed Hans-Rudolf (above) in Switzerland to ask if he could give me some advice. Hans asked me to send it to him to see if I could fix it. He did a fantastic job and I now have a fully working Curta. I can recommend him for any repair work on your Curta. I believe this is a very early Type II, made in January 1954, the first month of production. It may be the oldest in the registration page (Hans has 500088). 435 Tom Murray tojaca(at)tiscali.co.uk Sitting in Bourne, Kent
Great Britain
1 0 60062 I inherited the Curta from my grandfather about 14 years ago. I'm not entirely sure of its history but I believe it was bought to him as a gift in Durban, South Africa in the 1960's. Still in perfect condition in its metal case. Unfortunately I don't have the manual. 436 Gregor Marion gbmarion(at)bellsouth.net Columbia, Tennessee
EU
1 0 15038 My wife's father died and we found it among his belongings. 437 Josef Abel Aguiar jose.aguiar(arroba)hauptstrasse.pt harbor
PORTUGAL
0 1 511642 I read Scientific American and brought one with me. I also have some [sliding rules]. 438 Steve A altschs(at)national.com Columbus, Ohio
EU
1 0 34811 My boss's boss retired (a former actuary) and auctioned off all his old stuff online to our charity department. I saw this curta there and realized that it is worth a lot. It included the owner's manual from The Curta Company of Van Nuys, California. (Although the balance ring is broken.) Only one other person researched it (in a department of 200 people!) and I won it on 04/26/2004 with a last minute auction bid of $212. The other guy would probably have sold it but I think I'll keep it. I have a few other historical calculators: a troncet, a 1970's red LED calculator, an abacus. It will be a nice collection, especially for a mathematician like me. One odd thing about mine: the case is like brushed metal on the outside, a bit dirty. Thick aluminum or something. Anyone else have one like this? The inside of the case is black metal like most cases I've seen online. Can anyone tell me anything about this? PS I wrote earlier about my Curta's "brushed metal" case. As I look at it more and more often, it looks like the paint was intentionally stripped from the entire box at some point, probably with something like a Dremel tool with a sanding attachment. I have no idea why! 439 Jorge N. Hoggatt n0fda(at)ricochet.com

2 1 35688
58308
555231 Type I s/n 58308. Perfect condition except for a small dent on the Curta tag on the metal box and signs of wear on the retailer tag inside the box. Had a Type II many years ago but sold Ir. when the HP35 came out. Since then I have regretted it. 440 Stefan W. hj25(at)dial.pipex.com London
Great Britain
1 0 67452 Type I, plastic box, without papers. When my colleague Leo Burge (ex-RAF war soldier) retired as an industrial engineer, he cleared out his desk drawer and proudly presented his Curta to someone younger who would be delighted. I had used plus adders (0-5 only) elsewhere, but the specialists never allowed us trainees to use their comptometers or marchants (the marchants stood on thick felt pads to make noise when electronic calculators (of the same size) overheated because the felt underneath was already traditional). Curtas were the last ditch effort for seasoned accountants to get their point across in meetings - I beat them all by learning to hand write cobol on a punch card, but eventually I also loved having my own curta, albeit after her calculators were. This one has been used with care, although or perhaps because the metal compensation ring has a clean break near the root but is not severely distorted. Has anyone tried soldering silver? (What is metal?) Epoxy with some kind of reinforcement? It is of course not for sale, it is an heirloom. 441 Steven Burnett skmmburnett(arroba)cableone.net Orange County, California
EU
0 1 511138 I have a Curta that my mother used in the 60's, she died in 1994, and I found it and the instruction manual that came with it. It used to have a foam base but that has deteriorated and fell off a long time ago. Other than that she is in good shape, boat and all. I think he used it to calculate payroll for my dad's machine shop, or it was just a fancy gift at the time. We lived in Orange County, California at the time. 442 Todd Wilk Estroff, MD N / A Atlanta, Georgia
EU 404 816 5815
0 1 534099 I bought it new when I was 16 [years old] in Munich. I used it in school as a premed physics student until the calculators took over the manual purchase receipt from the original box. It is still in perfect condition. 443 Thomas Christoffersen thomas(at)ppdk.com curled
DENMARK
1 0 2897 We found it a few years ago when we were selling my parents house. First, I took the time to find out how bright the machine is. The state is good tired. Only the cleaning lever is slightly deformed. 444 Alejandro Cavazos alexcavazos67(at)yahoo.com Cholula, Publa
MEXICO +52 (222) 247 0487
1 0 3602 My uncle found it in an old safe that belonged to an oil company. The safe was locked and nobody knew the combination so they opened it. The condition my uncle found it in a little over 25 years ago is the same as it is today. Based on the serial number I believe it was made in January 1948. It is in very good condition and works as it should. My uncle gave it to me recently. He found them about 25 years ago when they opened an old safe in Tampico that belonged to an American oil company. The safe was checked but all they found was an old United States flag, some documents and the curta. The serial number is 3602, so it was made around January 1948. It is in very good condition and functions as it did in 1948. 445 Juan Kalir jkallir(at)aol.com New York City, New York
EU
1 0 56790 I read the January 2004 Scientific American article with great interest, having owned a Curta for many years. My father Otto Kallir (born in Vienna like me) had intended to study engineering in the years before the First World War. Discouraged by rampant anti-Semitism at the Technical University, he changed his field of interest and became an art historian. , owner of the Neue Galerie in Vienna and eventually founder of the Galerie St. Etienne in New York City. However, he retained his love of mathematics and “gadgets”, as he called them. On his first visit to Europe after WWII, he stopped in Liechtenstein (he was also an avid stamp collector) and bought a Curta or maybe two. The curta he gave me is in perfect condition: Type I No. 56790. I've used it a lot, along with a Japanese abacus. I decided not to buy an electronic calculator until the price dropped below $100! Then I got my first bulky calculator from Texas Instruments. I lost the Curta user manual so it was helpful to print out the instructions from the website. 446 Stephen Brindel StphnBrind(at)aol.com Wokingham
Great Britain (44) (0)1189 345 391
1 0 59014 My company bought these for all the inventory managers at our head office as much of our work involved endless number crunching. The Curtas were superseded around 1967 when the first cheap electronic calculators came out, but I was so attached to mine that I kept it for almost 40 years. Aside from the o-ring being damaged, it still works as well as it did almost 40 years ago. The only failure I've heard of was from a colleague of mine who was a crazed cookie addict: for a year or more the crumbs she threw into the machine eventually choked her to death. To this day I still marvel at its simplicity, elegance and sophistication, not to mention its incredible reliability. However, the most interesting thing I discovered is that the machine still has a large following. 447 S. Ira Grossmann s.ira(arroba)grossmanfamily.org Los Angeles, California
EU
1 0 77747 Type I SN 77747 with plastic case with reversed screws, manual and study guide. Bought new in the early 1970's at a Chicago stationery store. The finger loop is torn but complete. I was a young architect making minimum wage when I saw the Curta in a Chicago store. Electronic calculators were just coming out, and the company I worked for had struck a deal with TI for employees to buy their first calculator—addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and percent—for $120, a whopping one Sum for someone with my salary. The store was selling the machine for $50 due to the new technology, I figured. $50 was still a lot of money and it took me a week to make up my mind, but I went back and bought it. My friends joked that I had found the zero-energy answer and now I didn't have to carry around a car battery to do my calculations. I used it for a year and then had to decide on a handheld electronic device that calculates dimension conversions. I held on to the curta the whole time. I didn't even think of it until it was mentioned in William Gibson's latest book, Pattern Recognition. 448 Michael S. Neuren mneuren(at)msn.com Atlanta, Georgia
EU
0 1 553929 Type II, Reverse Threaded Plastic Body, Mint Condition Serial Number(s): 553929 This must be a late model as it is still in Mint condition. I got it when I was in high school in the first half of the 1970's. At that time I was very interested in photography. We lived in Columbus, GA near Fort Benning. My dad and I would spend a lot of time at two local pawn shops looking for cheap camera gear, typically purchased by the military overseas or in PX, and then pawn it for cash. One of the owners had this thing in a suitcase and told me I could keep it if I could find out. I taught him some basic math and got myself a CURTA Type II in mint condition for free. My friend Mike Galos, prominent in Lotus automotive circles, now retired from Microsoft, told me it was used in auto racing and showed me an ad in Road & Track magazine selling it for about $350 for the Type I and $450 for the Type II. I finally got a manual a few years ago when I bought some slide rules from Gemmary. I keep it in my office with my fountain pens and slide rules to show people that the latest technology isn't necessarily the most elegant. 449 Paul S. Manson psmm(at)rogers.com Toronto, Ontario
YOU HAVE
0 2 524263
524263 I own two Curtas Type II Type II #524263 [METAL CASE] Type II #543335 [PLASTIC CASE] I also have an aquamarine (green), black and white booklet titled "Your Curta Calculator" and a 4" x 6 " Booklet with a light mustard yellow cover entitled "Calculation exercises for the CURTA calculator". [cover printed in red ink] I bought a Curta Type I in 1963 to use as a time/distance calculator for sailing rallies. Shortly thereafter I bought the first of my Type II Curtas and then the second Type II. Eventually I sold the Type I. With my Curtas I was Rally Canada National Champion (Navigator) and Ontario Regional many times in the mid and late 1960's and early 1970's Rally Champion (navigator). States and even the Republic of South Africa. I also competed in the Shell 4000 Cross Canada Car Rally four times, finishing 8th, 7th, 3rd and 4th in 1964, 1966, 1967 and 1968. Last two years for Nissan Motor Company (Japan) in Datsuns. (As an aside, we were knocked out of second place in 1967 because of a result change by Jim Gunn. When we came out of the last scrutineering in Montreal, we were in second place, only to arrive at the Olympic Stadium to find out it was us punished for a wm stamp frayed alternator that all cashiers agreed was frayed when my driver called the day but to the last and not because the part has been changed from much use but no I will part with them .Every time I look at them they remind me of many many good times and friends. 450 Juan Felipe Brandt jfbrandt(at)bioservices.com.ar Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
1 0 3440 I inherited a Curta from my grandfather almost 40 years ago and the serial number is 3440. I'm guessing from the description it's from the first set of calculators. My grandfather, a civil engineer (concrete man), used it as a replacement for his glide calculator. early 1940?? He was responsible for the construction of the subway in Argentina as well as the construction of the obelisk in Buenos Aires. The company he worked for and was Managing Director was Grun & Bilfinger for Latin America. The machine has a metal body that looks like aluminum and is in top condition. 451 william clark bcclark(arroba)cox.net Talzentrum, Kansas
EU
0 1 507323 I really like your Curta website and I want to add mine to your list. My dad has had his longer than I have and I remember it around the house as I always do. You passed it on to me recently, so I wanted to add it to your file. My father recently gave me this Type II. In the 1950s he was a manager at an electronic components manufacturer (among many other careers). They designed electronic filters and performed many resonance calculations. He bought about half a dozen of these Type IIs and gave them to his engineers, confiscating their slide rules at the same time. He said there were some complaints at first, but then he began to see that the design specs removed many decimal places, which is critical when analyzing curves with sharp peaks. The serial number is close to my birth, so we're about the same age. I only remember that he was always present. Anyone remember the Freeden carriage calculators? My father claims he can defeat one with his trusty Curta. When the electronic calculators took off, I remembered curta welding with my mother balancing the checkbook with her. This unit has been in use for many years and hardly looks used. It never needed cleaning or maintenance. My father attributes much of this to the very secure can it lives in. I'm a project engineer at Raytheon Aircraft (Beechcraft) and wore it to work the other day to show the Sparkies an example from when mechanical engineers ruled the earth. ! Few knew her and were amazed. I like reading these stories. The places these wonderful machines have been and the work they have done!! 452 angus davison angusgdav(arroba)telkomsa.net Puerto Elisabeth
SOUTH AFRICA
1 0 61170
453 Johan van Veenendaal vanveenendaaljc(arroba)quarry.kzntl.gov.za Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal
SOUTH AFRICA +27333431397 0 1 509244 Your story of how you found your Curta and all related information you know about the Curta. Complete in its carry case. The zero ring was broken or removed for some reason. 454 Diego Fernandez dferna(at)cable.net.co Bogota, Cundinamarca
COLOMBIA
1 0 13149 It was my grandfather Curta, I bought it on a trip to Europe in 1960 or 1950, I really don't know. This curta was the only one in my town. he was a civil engineer 455 Ron Benke Machinist(at)charter.net
ronbenke53(arroba)charter.net sparks, snowfall
EU
1 0 62363 I found my Curta Type 1 in an old chest of drawers with some WWII newspaper articles about the LAST TRAIN TO BERLIN of January 11, 1942. I've owned the Curta for 35 years without really knowing what it was. A friend of my son's found it in a book by William Gibson. So we were able to find it on the internet. I don't have a manual for the Curta. The black box is in good condition, only missing the emblem at the top center of the lid. The Curta itself is in mint condition. I found it in a storage shed in an old dresser. Not sure what it was, just a nifty little tool with no wear or scratches. As I'm an aircraft mechanic and love good machine work, I'm keeping it. That was in 1984. I was moving to a new house and found it in my box. So I searched the internet and found that it is a manual calculator, type 1 NO 62363. I'm sure I'll be happy to keep it. 456 Hans Jorg Bauer jettech56(arroba)netzero.net Hialeah, Florida
EU
1 0 4811 This curta was passed on to me by my father, which his father passed on to him. My grandfather was a chemical engineer sometime during and after World War II. According to a well-known formula, the serial number marks the date of this item: April 1948. 457 alter Jazz kthunt(at)vers5d.com Modesto, California
EU
0 1 532956 I bought this shade from a guy in Unley Park, South Australia on 6/2001 for $470. I only came with the hard case which only showed signs of a tag but was otherwise intact. When I received the curtain I was sad that it didn't work properly. I got a copy of the German repair manual (which I don't read, but the diagrams were all I needed). As a home mechanic, I was able to completely repair the unit with all the original parts remaining intact. So now it's fully functional.
Even repairing a machine like this makes you really appreciate what Curt has done. 458 Christopher Ely chris(arroba)ballybog.com Flemington, New Jersey
EU
1 0 56904 I bought it with my father in 1964 while visiting Liechtenstein; He could never figure it out, so I used it for years. I spoiled it and it is in perfect condition to this day. 459 Bob locky boblockey(at)optusnet.com.au Sydney, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA
0 1 528397 metal container. It is in very good condition and works well. I worked for a very large scientific research center for many years and when one of the former scientists retired I helped him organize his things. She wanted to throw the CURTA away, but when she saw that I was intrigued by it, she asked me if I liked it. It has been in my possession ever since. (Over 20 years) I've never had a manual for this and just signed up on this site yesterday. magical things! 460 Andi Birko aab38(at)daimlerchrysler.com

1 0 6722 I currently have a Type One SN 6722 (1948!) in very good condition. It would be excellent but for an imperfection where there appears to be something glued to the side. My dad gave it to me and I'm not sure where he got it from. 461 Roberto Tredwell RFTredwell(at)CS.com Brooksville, Maine
EU
0 1 513105 This calculator is owned by John Udell of Santa Fe, NM. It is in very good condition and was recently (04/10) serviced by Jack Christensen who replaced a bushing that was preventing the driveshaft from lifting into the removal position. The machine is currently on long-term loan to Bob Tredwell 462 Leigh leer leigh(at)luxgud.com 6 portchester drive,
Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Great Britain
0 1 505068 I have in my possession a Curta Mrk 11 (15 digits) model no. 505068 in mint condition complete with waterproof case (left hand thread), original manual (as shown on your site), 1 basic example leaflet and an original computer example booklet Curta calculating machine. One day I discovered my Curta at my boss's junk raffle at work. I asked him what that was and he just said, "Oh, just an old calculus thing from a long time ago." I asked if I could borrow it as I was amazed by the precision of its manufacture (I'm an engineer myself). A few weeks later I asked him what he would do with it. He just said "keep it if you want, it's no use to me". Yarn Can Left, Cortina Manual, Simple Example Foldout Sheet, and In-Depth Example Manual in Buff Color. I was amazed at the calculations a mechanical device could do. I never realized I had a following until I discovered this site. 463 Freddy Hagen f.haeghens(arroba)skynet.be Caballero
BELGIUM
1 1 10442
553780 Type I: nr 10442: a lucky purchase at a flea market in France (10 years ago; $15) Type II: nr 553780: after a wanted ad (15 years ago; $50) 464 Lutz Daeumig LDBO(at)planet-intercom.de Bochum
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 33098 In 1973 I worked for my company in Frankfurt/Germany. One day an employee came through the open door of my office with a black top hat in hand. I stopped him and as an interested engineer in a company I asked him about this black cigar. He opened it and I saw the incredible CURTA for the first time in my life, not knowing that this calculator had been part of the standard equipment of our accountants since the early 1950's, but was now obsolete due to electronic advances. I asked him what he planned to do with the calculator. "I will dispose of it as I was told. Everyone has electronic calculators now," was his reply. "I have a junkyard here in my office," I replied absolutely gorgeous. He understood, went into my office, closed the door and put the black top hat on my desk. I opened a drawer and the CURTA was "garbage". 465 daily Philip pdailly(arroba)wanadoo.fr Bordeaux
FRANCE 00 5 56 92 10 01 1 0 31562 When I first saw this strange machine at my brother's house I asked him to give it to me because I like nice old craft. He kindly offered me this calculator that we didn't know about. So I searched the internet for information and found Rick Furr's fantastic website. I have discovered the Curta universe! And I've seen many Curta collectors and fans chatting around the world. And I liked it... I loved it... Unfortunately my Curta needed repairs. Thanks to Jack Christensen I got in touch with Hans-Rudolf Roshard (curtaservice.ch), a charming Swiss guy who managed to fix my Curta perfectly. Honestly, Hans is a credit to Swiss quality; My Curta is now like new, 100% ready to use! I would wholeheartedly recommend Hans to anyone from Europe who needs their Curta repaired. The quality of his interpretation is justified (before him I asked other watch specialists from my country who quickly gave up). So now I have a complete rundown of calculus using an old wooden slide rule, a very nice Japanese abacus and... a mechanical calculator! It is wonderful to explain to students who only know computers and electronic machines what is the ingenious basis of what seems easy to them. 466 Daniel Klöz c.klotz(arroba)ac-nancy-metz.fr Maizieres-les-Metz (57)
FRANCE
0 1 556751 My Curta Type II calculator is in mint condition in a black plastic case. It works perfectly. I got it from a friend. I don't have the user manual. 467 Leland P. (Pat) Scott LPScott62(at)aol.com Insel Merritt, Florida
EU 321-452-5511 0 1 534942 I bought my new Curta in April 1963 to race in TSD rallies. He has used it to run many SCCA and local events. He then competed in several pro rallies including the Big Bend Bash in Texas and the Press On Independent in Michigan. a 3 day straight event on our 11 inch clearance MGB from Huntsville, AL! Boy those were the fun days! I recently purchased Rick's Curta Type I poster and have now framed it and hung it in my studio. Great picture of this wonderful calculator. And yes I am looking for a Type I so in good shape to be a partner of my Type II. Anyone out there interested? Please contact me at the attached email. Thanks again Rick for a great site for us retired but grateful Curta owners. 468 John J. Hinkamp john.hinkamp.ctr(at)autec.navy.mil Andros Island
BAHAMAS
0 1 524175 It's in perfect condition, but it didn't work well. I had Jack Christensen clean and fix it and now it's like rain. 469 Goatee (Kevin Kane) aruncus2(at)msn.com E. Wenatchee Washington
EU
0 1 557211 My father worked as a civil engineer and bought it when I was about 12 years old in 1966. I used to watch him sitting in his chair making values ​​while I watched TV. He recently passed away and I found the calculator in the basement of his house. I also had one of the early Hewlett Packard engineering calculators, I should have picked it up when I had the chance, not sure where it is. If you want this curta and can make a reasonable offer, it could be yours. Thank you very much 470 Esteban Winn stephen(arroba)winn84.freeserve.co.uk Durham, England
Great Britain
0 1 518400 Thank you for creating such an informative website. Until a few minutes ago I wasn't sure what a curta really is. Mine (Type II #518400) was passed on to me by my father who I believe brought it over from Germany shortly after WWII. 471 Roman Bacalao Romer codrbr(at)cantv.net

1 0 17516 I have a CURTA Type I series 17516 with a left-handed metal case. Complete manual and proof of purchase dated 12/12/1952 in the original packaging. I didn't know about this website. Roman Bacalao Roman 471a

2005

2005

2005

2005




******** 2005 ********

472 Philip Rollon pjr(arroba)alaska.net Fairbanks, Alaska
EU
1 0 42737 Grandfather was a statistician at Harvard and loved mechanical calculators. He also had some Marchants and a Mercedes Cockshead. I used the Curta daily in the late fifties. He left it to my father, who left it to me. 473 Thomas McCann mccannta@hotmail.com Fairbanks, Alaska
EU 907-452-3709 1 0 40201 Owned by my father, purchased in the early 1960's, in metal box and in excellent condition. 474 Benjamin I. Levine benivel(at)free.fr Bonito
FRANCE
0 1 553449 This model was first sold by the French exclusive dealer "INNOVA", I recently bought it on the internet for a considerable sum, to my great satisfaction! 475 Jörg Molt georgemoult(at)aol.com Great Britain
1 0 61897 I got these about 7 years ago from a boat architect's widow who had two of these along with her slide rules. The extensive experience I have with these machines I have gathered from the internet. Mine is boxed but has no manual. It is in excellent condition and is not marked in any way. 476 Alex (Sandy) Mackay ammackay(at)sympatico.ca Owen Sound, Ontario CANADA (519) 376-8442
(519) 376-0552 (F) 1 0 33142 I used my Curta when prospecting claims in the Blind River, Ontario (uranium) and north of Kapuskasing, Ontario (iron) area in the 1950's. When we first started investigating these claims, we had to calculate the angles using logarithms (very funny in the mosquito-ridden bush). When we got the curtas we thought we were in heaven. We have assessed many hundreds of claims in extremely difficult conditions, we had to fly most places with crews of 10 and live in tents summer and winter, and the little Curtas were lifesavers. My Curta is in mint condition with no marks or signs of wear other than light wear on the case ribs. I'm a retired surveyor (and civil engineer) from Ontario. My brother, who is not an O.L.S. back then, but later it became one, it has a Curta Type II, although I don't know the condition or SN. We had a third (Type 1} but it was lost sometime in the last 50 years. Thanks for giving us all this information. Alex (Sandy) Mackay P.Eng., O.L.S. (retired) 477 Peter page algernon.mouse(at)ntlworld.com Midlands, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 501471 I recently inherited a curta, and not knowing anything about her, I searched the internet until I found your site (not difficult ;-)). I tried to calculate the manufacturer date but it didn't work. It's a Curta 1 (according to the owner's manual) and its serial number is 501471. I don't have much idea where it came from, other than that it came from my grandfather who was a toolmaker for an engineering company and it was a gift from Continue for some jobs , which they did. 478 Sean Barry sjbarry(arroba)thegrid.net Sacramento California
EU
1 0 74263 It was owned by my stepfather, Richard Karbo, a Chicago native who was an industrial designer educated at the LA Art Center and later employed by Ford, GM, Ben Pearson (archery equipment), Hydro-Rain (irrigation valves), and several others. everyone did everything to prevent him from walking; He was always looking for new experiences and new challenges. His career spanned 45 years, in addition to his wartime involvement (he died in 2000). Richard bought the new Curta in the 1960s; He needed a compact unit because he spent a lot of studio time on the production line. Richard gifted me the machine circa 1988 and it remains one of my most prized possessions. It is in pristine condition, with case, owner's manual and sample troubles guide equally immaculate. I had no idea such an enthusiastic organization existed (although I should have guessed based on the machine's genius) until I checked it out on the internet last week. Thank you very much 479 Roberto B. Irwin rbirwin(arroba)cox.net Tucson, Arizona
EU 520-743-9983 1 0 72523 I bought my Curta online in January 2005 from a seller in Pennsylvania. I bought it for $456.00. As announced, the compensating ring (plastic) is broken. (I plan to contact Jack Christensen to discuss replacing the ring and cleaning the device.) Otherwise the device is in very good condition. I find the design, construction and history of the Curta very fascinating and I enjoy learning how to use it and demonstrating it to some of my fellow engineers. Last but not least, I enjoy the wealth of information your website offers. Keep it up! I also bought the Curta poster and I am also fully satisfied with this wonderful "art work and technical presentation". Many Thanks. 480 Rich Scholl rich(at)richandbrenda.com Kihei, Hawaii
EU
1 1 67619
536759 I bought the first one (Type II) after reading the Scientific American article. Later I bought my Type I from a German antique dealer; It is absolutely pristine, in mint condition and sits under a bell jar in my office. 481 Mariano Carmona sydbarrett87(at)hotmail.com Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
1 0 31322 I bought it in 1996, EXCELLENT condition, with black metal case and instructions. 482 Doug Philips dgou(at)mac.com Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
EU
0 1 523289 He got to know CURTAs through his involvement with the Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Car Club. This CURTA belonged to member Jack Chidester who sold it to me in 2004. 483 rocking geomusee(at)geo-anse.com Lyon
FRANCE
1 1 10949
520344 SHORT: Type I
Serial number: 10949
Story :
(French): Donation to the Museum of Paul COMBIER, former expert in AMERIEU-EN-BUGEY (Ain) France (English): Donation to the Museum of Paul COMBIER, former expert in AMBERIEU-EN-BUGEY (France)
SHORT Type II
Serial number: 520344
Story :
(French): Gift to the Museum of Pierre FADY, former surveyor in LA-TOUR-DU-PIN (Isere) France, sold by exclusive distributor INNOVA 10, rue des Ours PARIS France. (Spanish) : Donation to the Museum of Pierre FADY, ex-expert in LA-TOUR-DU-PIN (Isère) France, sold by exclusive dealer INNOVA 10, rue des Ours PARIS France
This calculator was widely used by surveyors in France in the 1950-60's.
Michel Chino
President of GEOMUSEE The Friends of the Museum of Experts of the Rhône-Alpes Region (France)http://www.geo-anse.com 484 Norman Kyle njkyle(at)attglobal.net Playa de Huntington, Kalifornien
EU
1 1 18661
551747 Nothing special really. I'm an avid slide ruler and my "dealer" suggested me a pair of Curtas in the early 1990's. I did and have been hooked ever since. 485 YAMAMOTO Yoshihisa kumomaru01(at)hotmail.com Misaki-cho, Osaka
JAPAN +81-724-94-1461
0 1 526111 I have been collecting mechanical calculators for many years. I saw an oddly shaped calculator in Hokkaido, Japan about 25 years ago, so I didn't know anything about Curta. Unfortunately I missed it. After learning more about Cult, I became fascinated with it and decided to own it somewhere one day. In 2000 I was visiting Tucson, AZ on business and finally found a masterpiece I had been looking for. It was quite expensive but I didn't hesitate to get it. It is in perfect mechanical condition in a black plastic case and also fits perfectly in my hand. I often count on it. I also enjoy the smooth, even comfortable sound and movement of the Culta when in operation. I also love this site. It's excellent. 486 David the hunter litleng(at)aol.com Fallbrook, California
EU (760) 728-3016
0 1 554228 Thank you Rick for your service to all Curta owners and collectors. I bought mine on April 7, 1970. As a surveyor's apprentice, doing topographical calculations by hand in the field and in the classroom became useless. About six months later, the surveying classroom got really quiet as the electronic pocket calculator became popular. I have the brochures and the box and the receipt. The leather case looks almost new. Unlike electronic calculators, the Curta will never suffer the fate of dead batteries, leakage and internal corrosion. It's nice to open a container and find it just as it was left. As if you'll never forget how to ride a bike, the Curta simply falls into your left hand and your index finger and thumb prepare to lift the bezel while your right hand spins the numbers. You will hardly find a better quality mechanical device at any price. 487 Ian Battey battey(at)tiscali.co.uk Sheffield, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 7269 My son Adam received our Curta calculator from my father around 2001. He worked as an office services manager for British Steel in Sheffield from the mid-1950s and had it when he retired in 1979. The calculator has an instruction manual and is complete with tank trim ring and rubber bumpers on top and bottom. It has a left screw cap and is labeled with the manufacturer. Automatic Business Machines (abm) Limited 15 Cromwell Road London. 488 marca kimmey mlkimmey@hotmail.com New York, New York
EU
0 1 529447 The device was one of many gifts from my uncle, who was a civil engineer for the US Bureau of Reclamation (US Department of the Interior). According to the formula, this calculator was manufactured at the end of February 1961. Assuming he bought it shortly thereafter, he would have used it to travel from place to place across the American Southwest inspecting power lines, as far away as Afghanistan in the late 1960s when he was helping design an irrigation project, and into the mid 1970s after Zaire (now Congo again) when he was working on the Inga Shaba project (hydroelectric power stations and power lines). The calculator has seen some wear - the operating handle appears to be bent but some of the pictures of other Curtas also show it so what I thought was damage may not be damage. The ring on the cleaning lever is also broken, but that doesn't seem to affect function. You must have taken very good care of it: the mechanism is still smooth and, dare I say it, extremely satisfactory. 489 Pedro Dodson peterdodson123(at)aol.com Cheshunt Inglaterra
1 0 76175 Many years ago I worked as a production engineer for a large electronics company. One of my colleagues had a curta. I didn't seem to use it, but since we had adjacent desks and my supervisor (regarding age and attitude) in a quiet moment handed me the curta and said, "Do it right." He didn't give me any hints other than that you have to play with things and it became an ongoing project in your free moments at home! I was finally able to do basic calculations and that was the last thing I saw in many years. Tragically, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness around normal retirement age, and as he was about to retire, he walked up to me, reached into his pocket, pulled out the curta and said, "I wish you had this." My Curta is in absolutely perfect condition, as is the plastic box. All that's missing is the box and the instructions. I wouldn't be surprised if he threw away the instructions if he was tempted to cheat! If I remember correctly, we had a couple of dumpster fires. Just today I thought I'd search the internet for information about this old mechanical craft. The only thing I had heard of before was in a magazine "El ingeniero" and it was the prize of a competition. I now intend to master this piece of technique with the help of your website. Every time I see my Curta I think of my colleague as a friend we sadly miss. A very interesting article, on note 15a. I think the English translation is known as KNURLING. It is performed on a lathe with hard steel wheels pressed onto the workpiece and is very quick, taking perhaps only 5-10 seconds. It can be diamond or straight depending on the wheel used, xxxxxx,--------------------, often found on bolt heads that are hand tightened only. PS I have a Curta Type 1 Ser No 76175 and it looks like it has never been out of its case. 490 Cristobal Wade cwade(at)mediacrown.co.uk Winchester Hampshire United Kingdom
1 0 76646 I inherited it from my father who had it for many years. I knew it was a calculator but had no idea how to use it. In the days before the internet, getting information was difficult. The device is in excellent condition and is housed in a metal case with a left-hand thread (I think to make it easier to open it with your left hand only). The case shows signs of age and wear, but did an excellent job of protecting the CURTA. 491 Steve Fogoros sfogoros(arroba)att.net Fort Worth, Texas
EU
1 0 34813 I found it around 1982 at a thrift store specializing in unsold real estate near McCart St. and Seminary Dr. in South Fort Worth. I didn't know what it was and neither did she, but it looked very good. I convinced her to sell it for $20. At the same time I also bought a 'Last All Earth Catalogue'. Imagine my surprise when I found a listing of Curta calculators on page 320. So now I knew what it was, but had no instructions for it. Addition, multiplication and subtraction were easy to understand. I only discovered division the day I was teaching my little brother how division works. After explaining it on paper, I took out my curta and showed him how to do it on the curta. We both studied that day. I also used my Curta during a presentation on Tool Makers and Tool Users. La Curta is very effective when it comes to how toolmakers have empowered our society since the 1900s. The machine is in good condition and the metal case seems to have taken all the abuse. Many dents and scratches. I think whoever had it before me used it regularly. The only problem I had with it was that the anti-kickback pawl on the bottom was stuck. I noticed the snap was missing and before any damage was done I cleaned it up. 492 Derrick caine derrick.caine(arroba)blueyonder.co.uk Inglaterra West Midlands Pelsall, Walsall WS3 4LD, Inglaterra
Great Britain 01922 684553
0 1 501149 The company I worked for bought the earlier Curta in the 1950's and I used it myself regularly until the first electronic calculator 'SUMLOCK COMPTOMETER' came out in the 1970's for £475.00. The CURTA became refurbished every six months by Automatic Business Machines Ltd of London from whom it was purchased and as such the quality of the calculator has been maintained and it is now in excellent condition.It is presented in its original black steel box with screw cap on the left Page of the original "Instructions for Use" kept My current interest stems from an article my wife recently read in a women's magazine about vintage calculators, about someone who was "about to throw away their CURTA calculator , until being told at an antiques fair it could be worth around £600 “I've always been fascinated by its design and complexity ity, which led me to preserve it in its original state. 493 Leo F. Marron lfbraun(at)attglobal.net Saint Paul
BRAZIL
1 0 13316 I must have bought my Curta in the late fifties or early sixties, I can't remember exactly when. I used it long before the advent of electronic calculators. It is still in perfect condition !!! 494 Robert Rosenwald robert(at)perfectniche.com Scottsdale, Arizona
EU
1 0 3748 My grandfather gave me his serial number 3748 complete with instruction manual. I have proudly kept it for many years, it works perfectly and I plan to pass it on to my grandson. Just a beautiful piece of machinery. 495 Jan-Eric Nyström animated (and) sci.fi Helsinki
FINLAND
1 0 30174 I have a Curta I, series 30174. That would be an early 1956 unit based on your formula. The calculator is in perfect condition, it was given to me by my father a decade or more ago. The housing opens clockwise, so it has a left-hand thread. The brown foam padding at the bottom of the box is damaged and broken into several pieces that crumble into dust when handled. Otherwise the case is perfect. I also have an instruction manual in German. Page 2 reads "To CURTA No." and then written in blue ink: "Type I; 29.26/=" This is probably not a serial number, maybe it means this manual covers a range of serial numbers? Also, the Finnish importer Oy Konema Ab (stamped on the back) wrote in black ink on the same page: Oy Konema Ab 21700 21420 There is a small "footnote" 55 56 02d on the last page, which probably means that the manual printed or distributed in 1955-56? I love the sound of fine mechanics when I crank the Curta. I remember being allowed to play with him as a child, but only when he was sick and in bed. A little comfort and a respite from the boredom of the flu! 496 Morton Newmann benjerman(at)aol.com Hopkins, Minnesota
EU
1 0 53434 I was in the chemical industry in the 1960's. We had a chemist who had a Type 11 that he used in his job. I saw the machine and had to have one. I bought mine new and have used it very little so it's like new. My metal case is average as the black finish is worn in places. I still enjoy trying to solve math problems in my room. I want to find a metal box in mint condition and finish. 497 Pottery Rum rpotter(at)tlcllc.com Ann Arbor, Michigan
EU
0 1 539482 I bought my Curta II in 1967 as an engineering student in surveying class. We had to be accurate to four digits, and the slide rule didn't do it. It saved me tons of time and I was the envy of the class. I think I paid about $160 for the II. Tuition for one semester was $163! 498 Charles W. Cullen chef(at)geezergourmet.com McLean, Virginia
EU
1 0 46439 Curta gained recognition among sports car enthusiasts in the US in the early 1960's. I researched and purchased my Curta in 1963 in Breman, Germany during a US Navy port visit. 499 Bill Weiler Weilerb(at)earthlink.net Insel Merritt, Florida
EU 913-488-5392 1 0 46222 My father bought this Curta in Switzerland in 1959 or 1960 when he was returning from a trip to transport an airplane to the Shah of Iran. He was an early fan of the devices, having seen them in auto races, and thought it would be great to replace his E6B circular slide rule for flight planning and accounting. I took it to school to show and tell in elementary school math class. . Later in the 1960's when I started racing road rallies he loaned it to me several times and used it until the mid 1970's. I found it again in 2001 when my mother died and had kept it in a box with someone from my father's "toys" as he called them, and I've had it in my office ever since. My interest in learning more about Curta was piqued when my neighbor (the space shuttle technician) read Cliff Stoll's article in Readers Digest and started telling me about Curta until I stopped him and brought him to my office, to look at mine. 500 Nicholas Matter nicolas. materia(at)wama.ch Ginebra
SWITZERLAND
1 1 59823
554027 First of all thank you Rick for opening my eyes to the world of CURTA and for your service to all CURTA owners and collectors. I became acquainted with this wonderful device when I first started collecting vintage cars and since then I have been fortunate to find one of each type in very good condition at a reasonable price. I now intend to master this piece of technique with the help of your website. PS: The poster arrived yesterday, it's wonderful. 501 and painter kap622(at)msn.com Rockland, Massachusetts
EU 781-878-8247 1 0 79098 I was working for Hilti USA when the parent company Hilti in Liechtenstein (Vaduz) bought Contina. Hilti offered its employees the opportunity to purchase the remaining shares. (Note on serial number, this was done in August 1969. At the time it was said that Hilti bought Contina for its workers, as labor was scarce in Liechtenstein at the time. 502 Mike Allmendinger mea2(at)postoffice8.mail.cornell.edu Cornell University, 1201 N. Tioga St., Ithaca, New York
EU
0 1 502818 I love the CURTA calculator website! I found it after a discussion with some fellow engineers after they got really excited to find out I have one. I have a fully functional CUTRA 2 (serial number 502818). From what I can see on the website, was it made in September 1954? It shows some wear from use but is otherwise in very good condition. It has a container with a rounded dome, not like the slanted versions I've seen on the website. And the pod sits comfortably in its own leather sheath, which has slots for attaching to a person's belt. My father left me the CURTA, which I used for outdoor topographical calculations in the 1960s and 1970s. He was a civil engineer who loved this little computer marvel, despite working extensively with 1960s computer technology (remember IBM's punch cards?). He died and left me the CURTA in 1977. I was 17 at the time and while I knew how to operate it, I had little understanding of what a unique machine it really is! I'm not interested in selling it, but I had no idea there was a "CURTA lovers society". The website was a real eye opener. 503 Claire Koch cooks(at)cook147.wanadoo.co.uk London, England
Great Britain
1 0 4744 I found your amazing website and wanted to add my CURTA to the registry. Here is my data below. Thank you very much. My curta has serial number = 4744 which suggests a date of 1949 or maybe 1950. She belonged to my grandfather. I don't know how many times he used it, but it seems to me that it has been used very little. It is in excellent condition and works perfectly. It has a black metal case but there are no instructions. I've had it for years and have always found it a nice device. I had no idea until I recently scoured the internet and found this site that there were so many Curta enthusiasts out there. 504 Jim Larue Jim(at)lesaudio.com Glendale, Arizona
EU
0 1 507358
532649 I only found your website today after a friend told me about the article in Reader's Digest, July 2005 and we were surfing the web. I have two Curtas left of the eight I bought at an auction at the Arizona Department of Transportation in 1978 for $20.00. I figured out what they were very quickly because I had used a Monroe mechanical calculator in a previous job and knew the theory behind the multi-column calculator. I sold 4 of these for more than I paid for all 8 and gave 2 to my family as gifts. In all the years I've owned it I've only found one person who knew what it was. He was a civil engineer a lot older than me and had started out as a surveyor. One has the serial number 507358 and is in very good condition with the left-hand thread metal case and leather case with shoulder strap. Both the metal and leather cases are in mint condition with very few scratches. Is this type I or type II? It doesn't say type II below but it does have the 6 digit serial number. It's all black. The second has serial number 532649 and clearly says Type II at the bottom. This is the gray body with the red sliders for every third digit and the red ring when the crank is pulled up. I also have the left-threaded metal case. This is also in very good condition but the metal case has a lot more wear and a brass ARIZ HWY tag riveted to the top and sticker on the side of the case. 505 Susie Apolant Q(at)rochester.rr.com Rochester, NewYork
EU
1 0 34951 This Curta belonged to my father (Richard "dick" Apolant 1922 - 1999). He and Mom (Georgianna) were an internationally ranked road rally team in the 1950s and '60s. Mom drove a hot Mercedes Benz with racing seat belts, a radio with weather signals, tire temperature gauges, and special odometers. Armed with half a dozen chronometers/stops/master clocks/Swiss multifunction watches, a Stevens' Dual, a Thomas computer, a personalized clipboard, and a lucky mechanical pencil, Dad cranked the Curta into overdrive. Ah, my childhood. That's why I inherited my mother's driving skills and not my father's math magic skills... the "Curta in a Can" lives in its original labeled corrugated cardboard box with its owner's manuals among crates of trophies and badges. I'm sure my niece and nephew (21st century kids) will never appreciate the "funny looking pepper mill" but to me it's a reminder that change is inevitable. When I was in sixth grade, my grandfather Julian Apolant sent me a very expensive gift: a Hewlett Packard calculator, it was about the size of a cassette player and couldn't even do square roots. But it was what would prove to be the Curta's downfall. Thanks for letting me share - Susie Apolant 506 Enrico Philippetti henry9(arroba)tin.it via albino 14
40012 Casalecchio di Reno
ITALY
1 0 ????? I also have a CURTA... bye 507 andres barnes andrew-barnes(arroba)tiscali.co.uk Nord-Lincolnshire, England
Great Britain
1 0 11408 It was bequeathed to me by my grandfather in 1983. Taken out of the case for the first time in about 10 years and it still works perfectly. 508 Jason Colina learned.advice(at)gmail.com Abogados und Bank House, 3 Hartshead, Sheffield S1 2EL
Great Britain
0 1 545184 Bought in August 2005 from a seller in Argentina. 509 Jeffrey Wiggins jd.wiggins(at)sympatico.ca Streetsville, Ontario CANADA
1 0 12230 "My dad gave me this gem many years ago...he still has a Type I and a Type II. Mine is in 'used' condition: the case has some dents, the anodizing is a bit worn on the knurls and the front Crank pin .the pin is broken. I like the fact that it shows its age, about 55 I think because someone has used it! Speaking of the crank pin, does anyone sell parts? I could make a new hair clip but I'd rather that have real ones. 510 Karen Chowske karchow(arroba)verizon.net Wantagh, New York
EU
1 0 64004 I received my Curta today! My grandfather, a surveyor, bought it on October 10, 1966, 7 months after I was born. He gave it to my dad a few years ago and my dad passed it on to me today. I happened to read a letter to the editor in Readers Digest about Curta just last week (they should have published an article about it recently) and I didn't know what Curta was. Now I do! I'm a CPA and I'm looking at my calculator 511 David Jones JDAVID346(at)aol.com London
Great Britain (+44) 07932 760633
0 1 513025 I have had this Curta Type II since about 1958 and used it cautiously in an office until electronic calculators took over. Since then I have carefully maintained the Curta, as it gives me great pleasure to be associated with my early professional career. I'm amazed at the interest in collecting them, but not really surprised considering the overall quality of the instrument! 512 Mike Kana w00hoo(at)yahoo.com Maidstone, Kent United Kingdom
1 0 77309 I first learned of Curta's existence through William Gibson's book Pattern Recognition, and an internet search gave me a glimpse of the story and interest surrounding her. And how much would it cost to buy one. Since then I've had a copy of the MK1 poster as my Windows background and spent idle minutes waiting for things to load and marveling at the complexity of the devices. Very often I've browsed the internet to see what's out there. I saw an MK1 for sale for less than normal a week ago and decided to make a speculative offer, both to help the seller get a decent amount and to win (advice don't do this, unless you can!) Afford not to lose the auction!) Two days later I explained to my wife that I had bought a Curta and while I was happy with the price it wasn't cheap... Luckily she was reasonable. above Arrived in the mail this morning, a pristine example of a late MK1 (plastic case and crank) running the serial number through the system. It looks like it was built in early February 1970, so we're about my age. I was mid January 1970. It was a terrific thrill to drive, it is a truly marvelous piece of engineering to feel the smooth clicking of the mechanism while anticipating it, you just can't help but imagine the complex mechanism, spinning in it. Oh, and I finally feel like I qualify to be here. Keep it up. mike 513 Jeffrey C. Thomason jeffreythomason(arroba)yahoo.com Oakland, California
EU
0 1 521082 “When my father died in August 1999, we had to clean up his apartment. I found this device in the back of a filing cabinet but had no idea what it was. , so I knew it was something my dad used as a surveyor. I remember all of his HP calculators as a kid, but I had never seen this before. I went online and was shocked by what I learned. It is in "great condition" but the case has some wear from field use. Also, my father's name is engraved on the top of the case. That makes it very special to me. I don't know where he got it from but he does worked in the San Fernando Valley for VTN (survey team) and his name was Clyde Thomason. Maybe someone knows him and how he got here. He is very precious to me and I will never part with him. I love it to demonstrate him to other engineers." 514 Jose Luis Gimenez joseluiszenemig(arroba)hotmail.com Caracas Venezuela +58 416 625 20 72
1 0 38258 CURTA belonged to my father, who died in June 2000. He was a mathematician and full professor at the Technical University of Caracas. I don't know how he got this wonderful machine. The computer is in top condition. My students (I'm also a teacher) are always amazed when I show them this machine. 515 Rodolfo E. Szelest rodolfo.szeles(at)fibertel.com.ar Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA 54-11-4786-4788
0 1 501944
520922 I bought my first Curta in the early 80's in Buenos Aires, Argentina from a racer who was around the age of 70. He told me he uses it a lot but it's still in excellent condition with a metal case, an instruction manual in Spanish and an outer box with a label bearing the serial number 501944. I've always been fascinated by the engineering excellence that led to the Curta, but didn't know the full story until a cousin gave me a copy of the article that was in the Published in Scientific American January 2004. I found the second device at a flea market [Bio Bio] in Santiago de Santiago Chile in October 2005, here the metal case has some dents. Both units are in perfect calculation condition. 516 jerry braun bearcreek(at)gobrainstorm.net Durango, Colorado
EU
0 1 554876 My first encounter with a Curta was in 1967 as a surveyor's assistant on a surveying job in the wilderness. The Curta was used to perform azimuth calculations from star observations. I received my Curta in the late 1970's as part of a tool swap with another surveyor. I used it for survey calculations for a while until I started using a TI 59 programmable calculator. It is in mint condition with two copies of the instruction manual. It is in a display case next to a WILD T-0 theodolite, another forgotten instrument from that era. 517 Joseph Cleric barcane(at)teleline.es Ferrol, Galicia
SPAIN
1 0 26258 Background: I'm a collector of old calculators, but I didn't know about this one. Three years ago I saw a model in a store with a lot of vintage stuff and the buyer didn't know what it was. I searched the internet and discovered the historical and economic value of Curta. I bought it immediately. Now, with a Thomas de Colmar arithmometer, it is one of the queens of my collection. 518 Mike Cabin mkboothy(at)tiscali.co.uk Preston, Lancashire, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 12980 Padres curta without manual but in very good condition. In original metal box. 519 David Cook scruff2(arroba)blueyonder.co.uk Bath, UK 07966307254
1 0 35879 It was gifted to my wife about 25 years ago and I still use it sometimes. 520 Susanne Malinowski malinsue(arroba)nycap.rr.com Watervliet, New York
EU
1 0 49456 I majored in math and never heard of a Curta calculator until I met my husband in 1976. He had a trucking business in Watervliet, New York. His secretary rarely had time to take vacations until we were going out, when I told her I would be helping with the bills in the summer. Since I was in college, I had the summers off to do that. I asked for a calculator and they gave me the curta... and I said "what do I do with it now". He gave me some quick lessons and I thought it would be for the best. We all continued to use it until he went out of business in 1990. He has since passed away, but I still have the curta and the memorabilia that went with it. 521 Johann Hasase haase(arroba)lillsjon.net Östersund
SWEDEN
1 0 33331
522 Richard Kuhwarth, CPA and R. Simi Lyss, MD kuhwarth(at)aol.com Gras Valley, Kalifornien
EU 530 273-8560
1 0 21547 I bought my Curta in 1956 or 1957 through an ad in Road and Track magazine and used it to race in sports car rallies. I then used it in college and in various accounting jobs. I continued to use it for field work in my accounting practice until I bought an HP 12C. After graduating from 12C I gifted the Curta to a good friend for his collection of cool gadgets. He used it for several years to "surpass" his doctor friends, who also collected gadgets. About four years ago he sent the Curta back with a folder full of information about the computer, the company and its history. Therefore ownership of this Curta is a joint venture as stated above. 523 Jim-Crews jhcrews(at)sbcglobal.net Durham, California
EU (530) 899-7535
1 1 57915
516042 I bought the Type I new in the 1960s. The Type II belonged to the civil engineering company I worked for as a surveyor. I can't remember how I got the Type II, I hadn't thought much about it until I happened to see what they were selling on e-bay. The engineering company closed years ago and I switched to another surveying job. The Type I was the perfect size for surveyors. I could never understand why other surveyors bought the Type II. They wanted it for the extra 4 digits they didn't need in the field. Both metal cases show some signs of wear but the instruments themselves are in excellent condition. I doubt you can find anything as sturdy and well made as the curtain today. I once saw another surveyor drop his curtain and we saw him roll 200 feet down a steep hill and crash, over a 50 foot embankment and into the middle of a road just as a grader went by. Luckily she was pushed off the side of the road by the motor grader's dozer blade and the operator never saw her. I will never forget the look on this poor man's face as he watched what he believed to be the end of his prized possession. When we reached the bottom of the hill and dug its curtain into the earth, we were surprised to find no visible damage other than a few small nicks. As it turned out, all he needed was a cleaning. 524 and Sandberg dsandberg(at)berry.edu Rome, Georgia
EU
1 1 58255
557415 A friend sent me the link to the CURTA calculator page and I was immediately amazed and captivated. A few months later I was able to find an affordable Type I in excellent condition. The previous owner told me the story briefly and in detail. Bought new in late 1965 for a bouncer on a survey team. It was to be carried as a backup in case the party leader's CURTA should fail. He said he couldn't remember ever taking it out of his briefcase, but he did remember the party leader spending hours working on his own CURTA. I've since bought a Type II. I'm almost 50 years old and I don't feel the need to explain this madness. I simply admire ingenious mechanical works and works of art; the CURTA is one of the best examples. 525 Jacky Trotiñon IMPACT-2000(arroba)wanadoo.fr Near REIMS (The land of Champagne)
FRANCE
0 2 515316
515907 I own two examples, both Curta Type II, both with the typical black metal case. SN #515316 - This one is in pretty good condition and works great. I would be happy to find a part or sell the machine in this condition to someone who has the parts. I am 63 years old and during my studies to become a surveyor, initially (let's say 1963 and 1964 years) we made calculations with "tables of logarithms", let's say "by hand", with the help of a kind of calculator Mechanics of Pascal. Pocket calculator (Remington) for adding and interpolating logarithms. In 1964 we got this amazing all black Curta Type I, smaller than the Type II and easier to use with one hand in my opinion. These machines were the property of the high school and we weren't allowed to take them with us, which I regret, of course. The ones I have were bought at a French Army "auction" in 1985. I bought both pieces for $75. Happy New Year to all of you eminent Curtaddicted! 526 Juan Otero Roman jc_otero(at)uma.es badajoz
SPAIN
1 0 38175 The curtain was auctioned. 526a

2006

2006

2006

2006




******** 2006 ********

527 Sydney V. Stern sydneyvstern(arroba)yahoo.com Punta Gorda, Florida
EU
1 0 36577 I bought my Curta in 1959 when I was a graduate student at Georgia Tech when I had a professor who was dividing up tasks that required greater precision than the slide rule. The Curta allowed me to get the job done without logarithms. When I started working as a process engineer in 1962, I needed it less. I've kept it all these years as a memento from my school days and as an example of a properly made machine. 528 vic knight Vic.Knight(at)btinternet.com

1 0 ????? I worked for London Office Machines Ltd from 1956 to 1989, then following a hostile takeover by Automatic Business Machines Ltd, the UK importer of Curta. Initially I was more concerned with the checkout side of the business but I can add a few details. We had three war-displaced technicians, all trained watchmakers. First Ukrainian, Polish and Italian, then the Italian was replaced by a Russian. show models. We had three games for our main offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester. There were at least 3 service manuals for the model 1 and 2 for the model 2. I believe the 1 had brown covers and the 2 had green covers or vice versa. Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tensing took a curta with them when they climbed Everest. We had in our London showroom an enlarged copy of a letter from Hilary thanking the company for the loan. BOAC had a large amount for their flight crews, most of the machines came to our workshops. Occasionally a technician would go to Heathrow for a day and fix machines with minor faults, making it difficult to return to the service department. On one side there is a photo of Curta tools. The Paxoline block is missing to hold the grip while the taper pin is removed. The Science Museum in London has a Curta in its collection. It was on display a few years ago, not sure now. A model from memory 1. I asked my former Sales Manager (LOM) and later General Manager (ABM), who was with Curta in the UK from start to finish, to tell me the final story of Curta from his perspective. After visiting the factory and meeting the people, including the prince, involved in Lichtenstein. I can't say if it will or not. People may not know that "Hilti" makes hammers for driving nails into solid walls and that the Curta factory, when it closed, made "Hilti Guns". That being said, LOM and ABM were two successful companies run by the same man. LOM introduced the SWEDA cash register alongside Curta, which successfully competed with the national cash register with good service. At ABM we introduced Casio calculators to the UK in 1968 and for most of that time we sold more Casio machines than all other imported Japanese calculators combined. We also import the PDQ stamping machines from the USA, which are used to issue award stamps in shops and garages. While I'm still selling the Curta. The block I was referring to was made of Tufnol, not Paxoline, about 3" wide x 2" deep x 1.5"/1.75" high. The 3" side was machined to accommodate the slide and there was a 2mm piece of steel embedded in the block which I believe the grip rested on. I don't know how it took models 1 and 2, I'm trying to remember about 20 years. I know where one of our technicians lived and am trying to find out if he still lives there or if he died. I don't think there is a boxed model 2. Because of the extra diameter of the body would have meant a different closet, why bother when a Model 1 will do the job neatly? 529 Donald E Wright travelair(arroba)comcast.net Hafenkonzert, Washington
EU
0 1 512132 I purchased this new one from Riverside Blueprint of Riverside, California circa 1956-7. I first bought a TYPE I and then sold it for the newer and larger Type II which was used for field surveys and office work for many years. He also used it to complete United Airlines' flight engineering course in 1964. He received a 100% grade when using it on the math portion of the FAA soil school tests. AWESOME MACHINE! I love it ! 531 Pablo Nannini paoloenn(arroba)libero.it Castiglione della Pescaia
ITALY
2 0 20122
38600 Finally my two CURTA come home! CURTA Type I SN 20122 (for use) and SN 38600 (perfect condition for display) The latter is interesting because it has the case without the CURTA inscription, but: CONGRATULATIONS GAYNOR & CO As a UK Curta it was probably bought a lot by Gaynor&Co ( sporting goods store ) for the best compliments from customers! 532 Judah Marton yehuda.marton(at)intel.com Haifa
ISRAEL Work:+972-4-8655750 Home:+972-4-8345126 Mobile:+972-52-3355975
1 0 16866 I bought my first Curta on the internet (from a very nice American, Harry Oman), its case is in very good condition and works very well. No scratches or signs of wear, except for a small sign of wear on the top edge of the case. No damage or repairs. Wonderful condition. From the estate of an MSU professor. I bought it for two reasons, firstly because my father (Jacob) was also in the same Buchenwald concentration camp as Curt Herzstark when he was young and I am proud that the Jews invented this wonderful and amazing machine, secondly because I have been a computer engineer for many years years (30 years at Intel) and I adore this early "computer" engineer: Curt Herzstark. 533 Ole Holmskow oleholmskov(arroba)stofanet.dk Bulevar Marselis 39
DK-8000 Aarhus
DENMARK
1 0 29926 I have the Type I No. 29926 with the original black metal box. I found it in a junk shop in my hometown in the early sixties (196x). The shopkeeper expected it to be some kind of calculator, but he didn't think it worked. At least he couldn't use it. I bought it for - as far as I remember - 10 or 20 DKR ($1.50 or $3.00). It has no flaws. The man just didn't know how to use it. I disassembled it 20 years ago to clean and grease it. Really very interesting and filigree work. 534 Kumpel Pfarrer Matt_Parsons(of)ADP.com Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
EU
0 1 523400 I found this CURTA in my grandfather's belongings after he passed away (Harlan Greenwalt). The technique of this article and the combination of complexity and simplicity in one device have fascinated me for many years. I had never seen or heard of this "calculator" before discovering your website. My CURTA is in perfect condition with its original black case. There are no scratches or marks on either the Type II or the case. 535 Eugene F. Day efhari(at)earthlink.net Cerritos, California
EU 562-924-3593 0 1 553673 I bought this machine brand new in Torrance, California in 1964. I still have the receipt, the box it came in, the plastic box, the owner's manual, and its brown leather case with a shoulder strap that you can convert into a wrist strap. I used this CURTA to do stress calculations on the crew storage cabinets built into the SKYLAB spacecraft, to do trajectory analysis calculations on an experimental ejection seat when we were building our house, and now our engineering office takes pride of place (inside a special made glass box together with my slide rule Hemmi No. 10). It's fun to pop it out every now and then and show it off to the younger generation (PC). The CURTA is truly my most valuable engineering tool. 536 Roberto Willihganz rwillihn(at)uvic.ca 1148 St.-Patrick-Victoria-Strasse
British Columbia
YOU HAVE 250-592-7798
1 0 71667 I bought my Curta online in Idaho a few weeks ago. I've wanted one since 1969 when I was working on my PhD at the University of Texas and had to settle for an old Freidan mechanical calculator that didn't always work. A dream comes true after only 37 years! It's a Type I, serial number 71667 537 Warwick Carter wjcarter(at)ozemail.com.au Brisbane
AUSTRALIA
1 0 61676 I bought my Curta Type One SN 61676 online from a seller in Thailand. Perfect condition but without case. I had never heard of it until one was mentioned in a Readers Digest that a patient had left in my waiting room. I love fascinating mechanical parts and this has to be the most complex and intricate fully mechanical device ever conceived. 538 Lauren Lapointe LLAPOINTE(at)TFS.TEXTRON.COM Gaines, Michigan
EU
1 0 59297 No scratches on the computer or case. mint 539 Guillermo Jesse jesse0611(at)aol.com Prairie View, Illinois
EU
1 0 18113 From the formulas early May 1952. Bequest of my father. He got it in the early 1950s for a number of reasons. He was a toolmaker by trade and used it a bit in the workshop. He was also inspecting and building some houses for the family when a meadow could be seen here. I was a hoarder (not a collector) of gadgets of all kinds and also had a lot of weird tools and tiny cameras. He let me use the Curta at university in the late 1960s to study chemistry and physics and it helped me. It also captivated the teachers, who had never seen anything like it. And yes, I've used it in a few car rallies. In good condition, looks almost new. In the mid 70's he complained to my mother that he could use one of those new electronic calculators in the store. We bought him a Texas Instruments SR10 for about $170 which he used until his death in 1980. I still use this TI as my desktop calculator every day and it's priceless as on the other side of the word priceless it's far. The Curta with tin, certificate and instruction manual is left in the treasure chest along with the Minox and some unidentifiable items. I hope it's part of the curmudgeon bag I'm leaving to my daughter.
540 Fernando Aveledo faveledo1961(at)cantv.net

1 0 10414 First of all, thank you for this rare opportunity to find out what a wonderful device this calculator is. I said "weird" while surfing the internet today (April 15, 2006) and came across a Curta deal (I was looking for something else). A click or two later I was in awe reading your page. My Curta belonged to my father who was a civil engineer and died in Venezuela in 1963. The family moved to Spain (Almería) where I lived for twenty years. One day my mother gave me the curta. I remember two things: i. the funny sale (oil) and ii. The case doesn't open clockwise (I have to say it took me a while to figure that out!). He could easily add and multiply. It took me a while to do the subtractions and... well; I couldn't figure out how to divide! I lost interest and left the Curta on a shelf until I returned to Venezuela (1985). I've only opened the case 4 or 5 times at most. La Curta was still in a shell (different country) and I took it today and tried to work out the examples on their web. It works pretty well except when I was trying to do a subtraction as it doesn't rotate easily so I didn't force it! Otherwise the Curta is almost like new. I thought about lubricating the device, but I didn't dare because I don't know what kind of lubricant is recommended.
541 John Hamilton jhamil3(arroba)msn.com South, Texas
EU 817-421-7486
0 1 529612 Two weeks ago, while cleaning out my mother's attic, we found a box of things that were given to our family when our grandfather died in 1980. Inside was the Curta II which I used when my grandfather and I went to the auto races in the USA in the 1960s. ! It is still in mint condition in its tin, with all instruction manuals intact. It brought back great memories of our TSD trip back then. 542 Jacques B. Gros jbgros(at)terra.com.br Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul
BRAZIL 55 51 3246-7838
0 1 514128 This was bought by my father-in-law, Joao Carlos Rolim Morganti, an almost 80 year old mechanical engineer, probably in Europe in the late 60's and is brand new as I was more in the administrative field at the time. I probably removed it from its cardboard "brick" and metal box when it. 543 Jens Aperdannier jens(at)aperdanier.com Colony
DEUTSCHLAND +49 221 2977458
0 1 542423 I have been collecting wind turbine calculators since the days of my studies at the University of Aachen, Germany. I bought these calculators at the markets for very little money; Most of the sellers there had no idea about these mechanical masterpieces. In 2005, I read an article about Curt Herzstark and the Curta in the German edition of Scientific American, "Spektrum der Wissenschaft". That's when I started to get interested in the curta. I've been watching the auctions on E-Bay for a few months. In February 2006 I was finally able to purchase one at a moderate price. My Curta II is in good condition, the plastic tube has some scratches. The attached documents are missing. Thanks for the nice Curta page - I'll link to it from my HP. 544 Pastor Doug desalem(at)aol.com Plymouth, Michigan
EU 734-453-6134 0 1 521960 My dad and I bought Gene Henderson's new CURTA in the early '70's ​​to use in TSD rallies. I now use it with my daughter and son when introducing them to rallying. 545 Chieh Hung Tsai urocissacaerulea(at)msn.com Taipei
TAIWAN
0 1 535279 Bought new in 1967 546 Don falize disable ( arrow ) network .nl Heerlen
NETHERLANDS
0 1 544086 I started collecting mechanical calculators in 2000. For such a collection you need at least 1 CURTA. I bought mine online. 547 Ariel Blumstein arielb(king)farq.edu.uy

1 0 2044 I am pleased to contact you to let you know that I own Curta Tipo I #002044 which means it may be the oldest currently known specimen. I also live in Montevideo-Uruguay (as the previous owner of 2185) and I received the Curta calculator when my grandfather died and I remember using it since I was 5 or 6 years old (I'm now 42) and have always treated it like a jewel. The good thing is that the calculator is in perfect condition and works like never before. I'm preparing a series of photos to send to you and I'll be in touch if you need more information. It's in the original metal box, but I don't have the original instruction manual.
548 Roberto Tiffany w1gwu(at)worldpath.net 102 Lockes Corner Street
Alton, NewHampshire
EU 603-776-0086
1 0 507656 I went to a flea market/yard sale in Maine about 20 years ago. I saw this black metal box and it took me a while to realize it had been opened the wrong way. When I opened it I fell in love! I had no idea what the heck it was, but fascinated by mechanical devices, I knew it had to go home with me. I took it home and found that it had some sort of mechanical slide rule. Trial and error eventually yielded some reasonable results. It's a Model II - serial number 507656. There is only one small scratch on the unit (which I did) and one small scuff under the lever. In all my 72 years, this was possibly the best $2 I've ever spent!
549 French good heart francamsterdam(at)gmail.com barn
NETHERLANDS
1 0 ????? A few weeks ago I bought my first Curta, it is a Type I SN 4379 in very good condition but not in perfect condition. It's used and that's what it's made for, but it looks like it's only been used for two or three months. Everything works perfectly, smells unique. It was bought in the Netherlands, the owner's father was a radio technician and died some time ago. The guy who sold me the Curta, his son, had no idea how it worked but he knew the price very well. It is a very early model, almost clockwise. I'm proud and happy with him! fransamsterdam.web-log.nl 550 Ross Peterson ross(at)petersontechservices.com San Mateo, California
EU
0 1 540663 It was a gift from my father when I entered university in 1967. My Curta was a gift from my father when I was studying mechanical engineering at university (1969), a little more accurate than a slide rule! 551 George C (Chappy) Young, Jr., professional surveyor ChappyY(at)gcyinc.com Palm City, Florida
EU
1 0 71597 In 1965, while working as a laborer with a survey team in the swamps of the Florida Everglades, I became close friends with a Cuban immigrant and an engineering degree from Georgia Tech (of Tx), for which the engineering firm we work for owns a ranch rough drainage of the Everglades. I've watched Jorge work wonders in the field with his CURTA calculator. I bought it when I went to school in Ga. tech Over the years (I'm in my 30's now) I've started my own surveying business and worked all over Florida. One day Jorge called me and wanted/needed a survey of his house. We stopped surveying residential lots a while ago (we now survey over 100,000 acres across FL) but no problem for him. Jorge would not take my survey for free no matter how we argued back and forth. Jorge was proud but also retired and on a steady income. Finally I suggested that he should pay me back by giving me the old curta he had. Jorge jumped at the suggestion because he hadn't consumed it in ten years and had no one to leave it to. Closed deal, I helped a friend and he made my day too. Jorge has since passed away. I salute this proud man by remembering him. 552 Albert Clee alee(at)enpriva.com New York, New York
EU
0 1 539434 I am the "new" owner of SN 539434 (Curta Type II). I bought it on 06/16/2006. The device is still in very good condition with no significant signs of wear. The device was purchased with the original plastic box (in very good condition) and documentation (user manual and example calculation manual in good condition). The sale of the item included the original owner's customs receipt from 1970 when the device was brought into the USA. Based on the ownership history it appears that I am the third owner of this fine instrument. 553 Juan TenEyck jmt(arroba)xyos.net Phoenix, Arizona
EU 602 288 7299
1 0 34722 I got my Curta from my grandmother in 2000. She sent them to me right after my grandfather died. I remember seeing him in that house before, but I didn't know what it was until he started letting me drive rallies with him. Hendrix TenEyck, my grandfather, I think organized street rallies mostly in the Syracuse area of ​​New York. He used the curtain during races. I am currently looking for more information on my specific Curta that I have the holster for and I believe there is a full set of manuals. 554 beautiful boy guybe38(arroba)yahoo.fr Erbisoeul, Henao
BELGIUM
1 0 59233 "I'm 68 years old and I bought my Curta around 1965 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I worked. Unfortunately, I don't remember where I put the "instruction manual". Very good to find your place on the internet " 555 John Bangers anita.jan(arroba)wolmail.nl Jan.Bongers(arroba)hager.nl Almkirche
NETHERLANDS
1 0 21579 I got it from my father and he got it from his father, my grandfather. I also have the original description of this model. It's a good job! 556 Horacio Varez Jr. hi8ha(at)mac.com Santo Domingo
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 809-532-3446
0 1 531373 I think I bought my Curta right out of high school in 1948 when I started working at my father's soft drink bottling plant. From the day of purchase it accompanied me on every business trip until the electronics arrived. It looks as good today as it did the day I bought it. 557 Glen price glen.price(at)bbklaw.com Pasadena, California
EU 951-826-8314
1 0 12366 I made the Curta at Scientific American and wanted to own one. I bought it on the Internet, but I did not get any information about its history. 558 David Beckett davebbecett(at)msn.com Lake Oswego, Oregon
EU (503) 636-4140 1 0 12743 I inherited the calculator from my grandfather, the original owner, who was a chemist. I used it for a couple of college years to get a physics degree. From 1963 to 1965 I worked at Jet Propulsion Labs testing an instrument for the first unmanned space flight to Mars. So it had some use. I later used it during my MBA studies. After that, I just savored the pleasure of such an incredibly accurate handheld device. About 20 years ago the cleaning ring broke while one of my sons was using it. Since then it has been kept as a collector's item. It works smoothly for the encore. It's a bit difficult to delete results and even more difficult for negative operations. It has the original packaging and is externally in perfect condition except for the balancing ring. S/N 12743 manufactured estimated July/August 1950 559 Gary Steinbaugh, PE gsteinbaugh(arroba)hotmail.com Loveland (a northern suburb of Cincinnati), Ohio
EU
1 0 43241 In 1967, the year I joined Case Institute of Technology (now CWRU), I saw an advertisement for Curta in Scientific American. They were expensive compared to slide rules (which I recently learned how to use) and didn't directly multiply, so I decided not to buy one. For the next forty years I never saw one. Well I recently bought one from a gentleman who found half a dozen in an old tool shed and it works perfectly. What a brain Herr Herzstark had! Well, Curt is a very good guy! 560 Kathrin Hansen kathrynh(at)co.san-juan.wa.us Friday Harbor, Washington
EU 360-739-7459 0 1 512225 I first used a Curta in my first BC "Brisk Winter TSD", Thunderbird. I signed up to run with a driver whose name seemed vaguely familiar, even though we had never met. The driver informed me that he would expect a curta. I was fascinated! She remembered seeing the one-offs at rallies many years ago, but had never known much about them. I quickly found my feet after expert help from other rallies and was excited to develop the rhythm of correct timing with the Curta. I decided then that I had to have one. It's almost 2 years later now and I just bought mine. I was pleased that the machine was sent to me with a very nice letter from the previous owner. He had used the Curta for rallies back in the 1970's when he and his wife drove a 2002 BMW. I'm looking forward to my first event with this wonderful machine. 561 Joao Maximo joaomaximo@gmail.com Porto Alegre, Brazil
Moving to Dubai, United Arab Emirates shortly
1 0 12016 What a surprise it was for me to discover other people who love Curta! I thought I was a little weird because I love this! Well I have a Curta Type I, serial number is 12016, older model. It was a legacy from my late father who was an engineer and loved his curta. It's like new because he took good care of it. 562 Denny forces denny(at)lyonscomputerguy.com Lyon, Colorado
EU
1 0 44170 This Curta belonged to my father who used it in the astronomy department at Northwestern University in the 1960's. I still have the original box and the Examples of Computation book. 563 A.J.M. Van der Vaart vaart050(at)planet.nl rows
NETHERLANDS +31(0)161 220878 1 0 24535 My father used it daily for about 15 years. it is in perfect condition 564 Fabio Caruso fcaruso.eng(at)gmail.com Naples, Italy
(currently lives in Antofagasta - CHILE)
0 1 511622 I first read about Curta in Scientific American in 1994. On November 30th, 1996, during a holiday in Buenos Aires, I saw "my" Curta Type II in an antique shop in San Telmo (Elias, very nice person!): gray bodywork, all metal, in good condition but with traces of use (which reminds me personally liked) together with its own metal box. From the serial number, made around 1955-1956. 564 u

2007

2007

2007

2007




******** 2007 ********

565 Larry Bialecki Lawrence_Bialecki(at)sbcglobal.com Canyon Country, Kalifornien
EU
1 0 77272 Evicted a guy from an apartment in the San Fernando Valley in 1984. He must have been a CURTA mechanic as he had several closets full of parts and sub-assemblies. I didn't know anything about the CURTA at the time and scrapped everything except the ones I have. 566 David Mustard Senk4(at)aol.com Cleveland, Ohio
EU 216-406-4246 3 2 77621
35243
60609
522727
529464 "77621 (major number) I read about the Curta in the Reader's Digest article and was immediately intrigued. I also have an old Friden electric calculator and thought the Curta would be a nice addition. The Curta is in like-new condition and I have bought it from a first owner who apparently never used it." "I liked the Curta so much I bought 4 more. These calculators are really great!" 567 Jean-Yves Hangouet jean-yves.hangouet(arroba)wanadoo.fr Strasbourg, Bas Rhin
FRANCE 33607428218 0 1 500813 extra information 568 Barry Scheier dycon(at)decongestion.com Waukegan, Illinois
EU
1 0 53115 Type I with metal box. Bought from an engineer I worked with as a curiosity about 10 years ago. 569 Garry Thompson ga.thompson(arroba)sasktel.net Regina, Saskatchewan
YOU HAVE 306-543-7127 1 0 77155 I sold Curta calculators in the 1960's while running a drafting and engineering supply business. The Curta I currently own is brand new and has never been used in the field. I took it off my store shelf and kept it for myself. It comes complete with instruction manuals and the box it came in. It has been kept in the original packaging and has actually only been taken out of the packaging a few times. Now I have it and I'm going to frame it for people to see. These were sold to engineers and surveyors. Surveyors in particular loved the Curta for its efficiency in the field and the time savings it would save them. 570 Dale Creekmur creekmur(at)soltec.net Urbana, Il.
EU 217 384-5541 0 1 557243 Bought new in the early 70's (plastic box included). He used it at the Champaign County Sports Car Club (CCSCC) and the SCCA National Car Meetings. Working with a series of time-speed charts (to correct the rally car odometer error used for the 3 decimal entry numbers for the Curta) and three split/action timers and a resettable odometer reading of 100, many became many Rallies won. A Curta crank provides a forward reading of the odometer and elapsed time to compare with clocks, every tenth of a mile. Today's cars have electronic computer rally gear, which puts the Curta in a class with the slide rule, but I'll never part with it myself. 571 JULIO GARC'RODRUEZ jugar11@gmail.com CORDOBA-SLEEPING
SPAIN 666 09 33 12
1 0 28205 A few years ago, my father gave me the CURTA. It is unused, I have the original instructions and the box it came in, a screwed metal case. I have it to decorate the furniture in the living room of my house. My father gave me a Curta a few years ago. It is unused, I have the original manual and the box it came in, a metal spiral wrap. I have it to decorate the furniture of the hall of my house. 572 Beverly und Gordon Cameron beegee36(at)tiscali.co.uk Scotland, UK
Great Britain
0 1 525208 Hello, my husband got a Curta type II from my uncle about 20 years ago. It had been locked up for the last 20 years and only my son played with it as a kid; I think he thought it was a darlek. These machines were recently covered in a newspaper article which led to the closet being opened up and all of us trying to unravel their mysteries. All I can say is thank god for the internet, where did we find out how to use it, how old is it and how many other people own these wonderful machines. 573 David A. Bier idbeery(at)earthlink.net Bloomington, Indiana
EU
1 0 7794 In 1966 I was given the measuring instruments, drawing tools, slide rule, curta, Breitling chronograph, etc. that belonged to my late father-in-law. A few days ago, my jeweler and I looked into the Breitling and marveled at the complexity of the movements. We discussed what else my father-in-law had left behind and I was reminded of the Curta. The jeweler found their website, which took me to the Curta user manual and registration. I found the oral history of Curt Hertzstark of the Charles Babbage Institute really fascinating. 574 Rod Johnson WE7X(at)aol.com Issaquah, Washington
EU
0 1 529914 I used borrowed ones many years ago (1970-1980) when I was racing. I always wanted one. I finally found one in good condition with manuals. 575 Richard Bentley AREC richard(arroba)pathwaysdirect.com Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Gran Bretana
Great Britain +44 (0) 1924 371999
0 1 504659 I have searched your website but cannot find the age of my Curta Type 1 model NO 504659. Any help would be appreciated.(Manufactured circa February 1955 - Rick) 576 Sadi Ridah sadidah (arroba) bluewin.ch Ginebra
SWITZERLAND
0 1 501645 My curta is like new, still in the original storage box, bought about 3 years ago. It was advertised on our university's website. 577 Bill Lee billlee(at)interbaun.com Edmonton, Alberta
YOU HAVE
0 1 539499 I read the article about the CURTA in Scientific American in January 2004, and with little intention of buying it, I decided to look it up on the internet. To my surprise, there were quite a few for sale. 539499 from seller Julie Marchand in Austin, TX, USA, stood out: in addition to the plastic box, it came complete with the original box, instructional poster, and sample booklet (English). I couldn't resist offering; Luckily I won in the last 24 seconds! Thanks very much! ..Invoice.. 578 Ken Spink Spink Unterstrich k (at) onebox dot com Torii-Station, Okinawa
JAPAN
1 0 67799 In 1999, I was working for the US Army in Germany when I read an article in WIRED magazine about the collections of wealthy computer company CEOs. I was fascinated by the description of a curta. A few months later, a gentleman in Utah listed on the internet a Curta he had bought at a US Forest Service surplus auction. It was my first internet purchase and had the Forest Service property number, FS 159086, engraved below under the Curta serial number . 579 Guilherme Bueno Fraguas fraguas51@hotmail.com Campinas, Sao Paulo
BRAZIL
1 0 53476 My curta belonged to my grandfather Cecilio Fraguas. I used to be a bank manager in the country in our state. Apparently he received his Curta calculator as a gift from his superiors in the early 1960s. The machine is in excellent condition, with no scratches and runs smoothly. I learned from him how to operate the machine from a young age and after his death my family decided that I should keep it running to preserve his memory. I love my Curta and am very happy to have one in such perfect condition. Thanks grandfather! 580 miguel peiluck mp.ontario[AT]googlemail[DOT]com Toronto, Ontario KANADA
0 1 517812 Bought a computer online 581 Paco Asensi pasensio(at)arrakis.es Pontevedra
SPAIN +34986883585 1 0 26020 I've had [a Curta] since 1975 when my parents gave it to me. To the great surprise of my teachers, I did my mining engineering exam with her 582 David a young Wark dawyoung (at) sbcglobal.net Newport Beach, California
EU
0 1 503425 I live in Newport Beach, California, USA and my aunt in England gave me a CURTA calculator a few years ago. I believe it's a model [II] with a domed metal case. The motherboard is different from some websites I checked, but its number is 503425. There is no logo like on others. I have a one-page English brochure, the original warranty, an illustrated quick-fold guide and the CURTA computer sample brochure. My aunt bought it on August 24, 1971 for her husband who was an engineer. The sales agency was Automatic Business Machines Ltd, 15, Cromwell Road, London, S.W.7. I've never used it, but I was familiar with the principles involved from my days as a chartered accountant in London when we used desktop "coffee grinder" machines that performed the same four functions. I seem to remember that Monroe released a mechanized version of a desktop calculator that was much larger. There may be others in the field, but electronics quickly put them out of business. 583 Bob Smith bobsmith(arroba)dircon.co.uk Newark, Nottingham, Inglaterra
Great Britain +44 1777 872819
1 0 63431 The CURTA sat in a closet in the office I took over when I was appointed head of a technical department in the manufacturing industry. It was used as a precision calculator for departmental work. It was no longer in the inventory of departmental property and I was allowed to keep it when I left the company. 584 Joe Graubard jmg493(arroba)verizon.net Murrieta, California
EU
1 0 34417 I bought my CURTA in the late 1950's when it was doing local rallies with Bickingham Sports Car Club in Bucks County, PA and SCCA National rallies. It still sits in its metal box on my desk and reminds me of the good old days. 585 Bertil Hagnell bertil.hagnell(arroba)bredband.net Arhusgatan 25, 16545 Kista
SWEDEN
1 0 30073 I have a Curta Tipo 1 s/n 30073 complete with original German instructions. Excellent condition. My grandfather bought it in the 1950s I believe. I got it as a gift in 1967 because I "played" with it as a child. 586 John Low-Shang johnvlow(at)optusnet.com.au Melbourne, Viktoria
AUSTRALIA
0 1 545430 “I bought my new Curta (around) 1967 in Cape Town, South Africa. By that time I had started rallying at club level and everyone else was using very large office machines. I found the Curta by accident in a shop and only recognized it from pictures I had seen in US rally magazines. I bought it and have never taken it out of my possession since. I show it to 'young' work colleagues from time to time, who never leave it, to be surprised with it Original packaging with instructions." 587 Jean Michel Legrand jeanmichellegrand(at)free.fr Vincennes
FRANCE
0 1 550216 I learned to use what we called the "moulin a cafe" ("coffee grinder") at university (Lycee International de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in France) in the 70's, where several of these machines, probably around 40 , used regularly by students. If I remember correctly 2 types were used, one in a nice wooden box and the other in a black plastic box. The Curta I I have today was found in the basement of the Paris office by an employee who had no idea what it was. It sat on a desk for many years before I saw it. Everyone in the office was impressed that someone knew what it was and could use it! I manage to convince her to let me have this beautiful object. 588 Mark Davis mdavis(at)sonitrol.com Lake Oswego, Oregon
EU
1 0 56481 I have collected slide rules for many years. In the early 90's I showed my collection to a colleague and he told me what an interesting mechanical calculator he had. I ended up trading him a modem for this Curta. It was recently restored by Timewise's Jack Christensen and works like new. What a beautiful piece of machinery! 589 Corey Manley Corey.Manley(arroba)gmail.com Santa Clara, California
EU
0 1 528628 I remember my father describing them to me as a child. He always wanted one. I saw one on the internet and had to have it. It is in good condition, still working and came in the metal box. The can smells a bit musty from the outside. 590 Harvey Stafford-Evans barneyfischer@telkomsa.net Vanderbijlpark, Johannesburg
SOUTH AFRICA +27 82 763 0464
0 1 552919 I inherited this wonderful calculator from my father. I remember playing with him when I was much younger. It's in very good condition and I'm surprised to see there are so many out there. 591 Gordon Batemann Gordon.Bateman(en)KFMJV.COM View of Oak, California
EU
0 1 539310 Gordon Bateman ..Oak View California.. Curta Type 2 serial number 539310 bought in New Zealand in 1972 when I was working there for a surveyor...it was before the age of portable electronic calculators so everyone in the surveying business really smart if they had one Curta would have. Some time ago, unknown to me, the o-ring fell out of the case and when I closed it the winding handle was compressed to the point that the shaft broke in the pin hole and the handle fell out rendering the machine completely unusable. it had suffered in a drawer and from time to time I would take it out and consider throwing it away, but I never dared. One day a colleague asked me about it so we googled Curta just to find him Curta's story and that led us to his page and Jack Christensen. Jack has just returned my Curta, spotlessly clean and in as good working condition as when I bought it all those years ago. It turned out he had the right parts on hand and could get the job done (replacing the entire center drum assembly). I can't tell you how excited I am to get it back and I'm busy surprising everyone at work with it. Great place by the way... The Rock of Curta! ! 592 Johnny Nestor jnnestor(at)pioneernet.net Isla Whidbey, Washington
EU
1 0 27767 With no idea, no appreciation for the Type I or II designation, no idea what a Curta was, years ago I had read about this son of a scion of this most advanced mechanical and electrical calculating machine company in Germany who spent the war in Buchenwald and designed this penultimate portable mechanical computing device ever built. Occasionally over the years I had overlooked an internet search for one of these wonderful machines. Finally, late at night, on a whim, I throw fate to the wind and take a vow. I win. My prize for what I consider to be an extravagant amount of money was a perfect Curta I, serial number 27767. I've since realized how lucky this fantastic draw was. As I now tend to follow Curta I listings around the web, I have found that I came to this beautiful piece with a divine fortune, one I never would have believed myself capable of. A recent listing featured a Curta I 32312 with a broken clear ring, four days left with offers already topping my purchase. I felt compelled to send this to the seller as I knew it would be shipped with the item and was hoping it would read "To clean properly the magazine slide ring needs to be relaxed to avoid that." excessive pressure is being applied to the offset ring.” An Ignorant Subterfuge This simple procedure is arguably the Curta I's greatest abuse pulled back, and without even reading a line. The instructions are: Try a clear... ring won't move, and then, with a little more pressure, start jumping around the cart ring. Owners who question the hard jump give up immediately and read the owner's manual and realize a cold sweat that they just dodged a bullet that couldn't be recovered A cheap plastic spare. Those who bothered to read the instructions before touching this beautiful machine never had to deal with it.” I was on the verge of using this abuse when I first saw this Curta I with its upper and lower removed sponges from its shell. Stiffens. Luckily , surprisingly an alarm went off and I stopped. I read the manual. 27767 works fine. I now have Rick Furr's brilliantly composed circuit diagram framed on a wall in my studio, and not a week goes by without having Curt's gem with me. Hand, I breathe into his mid-fifties face and do the math. Not just because it's there. But because a problem has arisen that requires a solution. At that moment, I step away from my cluttered desk, drop the keyboard onto my required computer, and walk away. 593 Lukas Goldreyer snaphouse(at)yahoo.com Los Angeles, California
EU
0 1 527898 my name is luke I came across a Curta Type II the other day while cleaning up an old accounting office in Commerce Ca. At first I had no idea what it was, then I was shocked to find out what it could do. I'm 25 years old and I never really knew a mechanical calculator existed, I've never seen or heard of anything except the digital calculators I've been using since I was a child. Such an amazing example of precision engineering. It has the serial number 527898. To the untrained eye it appears to be in good condition with no discoloration or scratches and works well mechanically (although I haven't delved into very advanced math). I'm interested in the history and advanced workings of these calculators. And what is the best way to determine the current market value? 594 And brilliant nevada099(at)msn.com Dayton, Nevada
EU
1 0 55735 I have known CURTA Mint Absolute Type 1, in a metal can and seal "La Curta" since the 1960s through a waiter friend of mine. I've wanted one ever since. I took this from the original owner's son (Alfred Lachterman MD. in Scarsdale NY). I didn't know what it was or its use. He gave it to me for a job I did for him. I don't have any papers but thanks to sites like this I make good use of them. 595 Bruce McKay willowdog(arroba)hotmail.com Novato, California
EU
1 0 65090 I bought it because I plan to do some rallies where electronic calculators are not allowed. Good luck teaching daughter to drive, I just did it. 596 grant paton senbrea(arroba)yahoo.co.uk Eynsham, Oxon, England
Great Britain
0 1 526406 It is in perfect condition and fully functional. It comes complete with metal case and manuals in the original box. I also have a private production manual on advanced calculation techniques. I bought the Curta in Glasgow in 1964. 597 Perry K. Gerhart US294(at)aol.com Brainsville, Pennsylvanien
EU
1 0 42934 My father (Perry K. Gerhart (1930-2007)) owned this CURTA and I believe he was the original owner. He was an electrical engineer at Western Electric and a surveyor. He collected and restored vintage British motorcycles. My parents raced road rallies in the 1950's and 1960's Please register this CURTA on my father who died on May 26, 2007 interested to know its origin. 598 Hans Georg Wendler hg.wendler(arroba)datazug.ch CH 6023 Rothenburg / LU, Lucerne
SWITZERLAND
0 1 524737 When I was studying textile technology in Germany in the 1960s, I had to do a study that involved calculating a lot of statistics. The slide rule that was common at the time was too imprecise for this. So I asked in a shop for a used calculator. There was only one, big and heavy like a typewriter and with one defect: it couldn't be divided. I was very disappointed and left the store. But the dealer called me back and offered me the CURTA II which was the first time I saw it. A few months ago an architect bought this CURTA II. He brought it back to the store a few days later. He couldn't adjust the sliders precisely because his fingers were too fat... So I bought the CURTA at a special price, which was a lot to me as a student. For years, CURTA was undeniable for me - even if I had to listen to a lot of teasing from those around me: "The guy with the coffee grinder"! Today no one makes fun of it anymore, I'm jealous, because the CURTA is like new and calculates as well as on the first day. 599 Franz Marco mork(arroba)ork.it Milan
ITALY
1 0 48863 "I discovered Curta while searching the internet for info on slide rules and other vintage calculators. I fell in love with the device. It took me a few years to buy mine online but it was worth the wait. " 600 James A. Johnson FRICS James(at)lewisdoyle.com Knightsbridge Londres SW3 2ND, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 22143 Perfect condition, it was left to me by my father who bought it new. 601 R. N. Labas rnlabas(at)e2ipi.net Santiago
CHILE
1 1 45160
514112 My email address should tell you enough why I still appreciate the Curta... 602 Chris Osburn kd7dvd(at)gmail.com Seattle, Washington
EU
0 1 513196 A lucky find on the internet. Contina_Curta_Typ_II 603 CARLOS MUCINO Jesus(at)pisoswooden.com or
mucino(at)pisoswooden.com Mexico City
MEXICO (55) 52597915
0 1 501697 extra information 604 Thomas Schmidt gdearle(at)earthlink.net Los Altos, California
EU
1 0 53295 Bought new in 1962 for car rally use. I bought it from the Curta dealer in Van Nuys, California. The curta replaced my slide rule (except for transcendental calculations) in my college science. It was no longer used when I bought an HP-35 in 1970. The HP-35 replaced both the Curta and a trigonometric book and charts of records. I took the curta apart. The assembly took weeks. The Curta dealer kindly supplied replacements for several small parts that were lost in the process. I believe these parts are made of an alloy called "disappearing steel". Put one on a table, exit the room and it will disappear. If you don't have unlimited free time, don't disassemble one. 605 Ted Richardson tedrich(de)zoomtown.com Cincinnati, Ohio
EU
1 0 21296 Gary Steinbaugh (Curta SN 43241) introduced me to the mechanical marvel of the Curta calculator. I bought mine through an online auction and plan to become a pest by showing it off as often as possible. 606 jeffrey dennis jeffreybdennis(at)msn.com Portland, Oregon
EU
0 1 520032 I received my CURTA from my father, still in like new condition! He was a mortgage banker and used it to calculate interest and payments. He tried to teach me how to use it in the 60's, but then the electronic calculator came out and I lost interest. I still have the original computer example book that came with it and the metal hard case that screws on with left-hand threads! 607 Steve McKelvie shanna12(at)comcast(dot)net Franklin, Massachusetts
EU
0 1 546803 I bought this CURTA in the summer of 2007 to have a calculator to use in classic car rallies that didn't allow the use of electronic calculators. I purchased the device from a person in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada who received the device from a local appraiser. The name "Ted Carter" appears on the plastic storage case and the initials "JGF" are scratched into the bottom of the device. A label on the inside of the plastic case indicates that the device was originally sold by "CURTA Calculators of Canada, Ltd., 3286 Dundas Street West, Toronto 9, Ontario". I bought this device to wear and the few scratches on the bottom of the CURTA don't bother me. 608 Bruno Perrone bruno(at)telconet.net Guayaquil
ECUADOR
1 0 25356 My father had a Curta Type I, #25356. He died in 1994 and I have owned this little marvel ever since. I read the Reader's Digest article written by Mr. Cliff Stoll a few months ago and it interested me and I've just checked The List of Curta page so I'm asking if you can add mine. 609 Chris Warmann regal(at)quietfarm.com Surry, Nuevo-Hampshire
EU
1 0 39353 Born in Nebraska in 1954, he was a science nerd in high school and drooled over Curta ads in Scientific American. Flash forward to my work in a bookstore in New Hampshire in the 1990's A colleague's husband dies unexpectedly and she brings along some of his "gadgets" that she thought she might have. Below is a type I curta mint. He liked road rallies and had several for them, but he was also an architect and this was his office. No scratch, dent or dent. Not even signs of use. I've been in her debt ever since. I wish I had aged as gracefully as Mr (or Mrs?) 39353. (ps I'm an HP fanatic too. Love my old HP41CX and 12C, they both still work hard) 610 colleen brent cbrent(at)lmi.net

1 0 20226 I just dug up my dad's curta (I remember how irritated my mom was at the "junk"). 611 Randall Hoeppner randallg1957.1119(arroba)yahoo.com

1 0 60736 I found the Curta record and thought I'd join. I am 49 years old and was a computer programmer in the punch card days. Now I work in healthcare. I read about the Curta in the Smithsonian a few years ago and decided to give it a try and get one. Finally I bought a Type I in the original metal box with the rubber cover in very good condition. It works great and passed all tests mentioned on the website. The serial number is 60736. I believe it is a 1965 model made in March I believe. It has the metal ring and the knurled crank. No dents, scratches or other defects. I am now looking for a type 2 for my new hobby. Thanks for the good info and the link to all of us who enjoy cool gadgets! Best regards Randy 612 Mamoru UMEMURA umemura-mi(arroba) fiberbit.net City of Fuchu, Tokyo
JAPAN +81-42-334-5646
1 0 64008 My father, who died in 1995, bought the CURTA in the late 1960s, it is still in new condition in the plastic box. I use it as teaching material on the first day of my computer architecture course. 613 Lyle Cunningham lylec(arroba)hd-architects.com tempe, arizona
EU
0 1 510849 I bought my CURTA from an old colleague and friend to use for time and distance rallies. After using it for five years or more, Howard Roth (deceased) gave it to me and I've kept it ever since. 614 jacqueline jambor jambor_family(at)yahoo.com Parker, Colorado
EU
1 0 545611 My father-in-law, dr. Jambor bought this Curta in 1968. I still have the maintenance contract and papers. He never actually used the machine. He gave it to me when I finished my engineering degree and I've kept it on my desk ever since. The machine is in perfect condition. I am attaching two photos. 615 Robert (Bob) K. Ottnes buttons(at)pacbell.net 2160 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto, Kalifornien
EU 650-324-1821 1 0 5028 I bought it from a dealer (Rick Blankenhorn, The Gemmary) who in turn bought it from someone in South America. It works well but is a bit worn. That means a small amount of paint has come off the edges, particularly the bottom edge. It came with what appeared to be the original metal case. This has paint abrasion in places. There is a small hole (can't go through) in the top of the lid that looks like it once had a small screw in it. I still have two or three different models including a new one in the box that I bought from a retailer. The latter, however, has problems: misalignment at the top right. I collect adders and calculators, mostly American ones from the 19th century. Also slide rules, of course. 616 Skip Hudspeth skip(at)perigee.net Huntersville, North Carolina
EU
0 1 507475 I first heard about Curtas this year (2007) and was quickly drawn to these wonderful little machines. After several months of searching, I bought my first Curta (a Type II blackbody) over the internet. I am now looking for a Curta Type I. I enjoy chatting with other Curta enthusiasts and learning more about the history of these devices. I also learned about the Curta's connection to road rallying and feel pushed in that direction as well. I stumbled upon Curtas about 6 months ago and loved the little gimmicks. I bought a Type II black body first and then a Type II gray body. I am now awaiting delivery of a later Type I model. I enjoyed reading all the great Curta information that you and others have provided around the web. 617 Christmas njouenne(arroba)orange.fr San Etienne
FRANCE
0 2 508041
549468 (English) The first belonged to my wife's grandfather, Professor Jean Chevreau, Professor of Medicine at the University Hospital of Créteil. He bought it new in 1956. Since I collect mathematical instruments (slide rules, mechanical and electronic calculators), it was "natural" that I was entrusted with it. I bought the second one in 2006 thanks to the generosity of an internet user, an airplane collector, who offered it to me for 150 euros. He definitely likes me. It was a gift from a friend of his in the 1970s, he didn't want to leave this object in someone's care. I hope I don't disappoint you. In France, it is the house INNOVA, 10 rue des Ours in Paris that sells the Curta. I have an advert on my website from the 1950's showing the Curta I in action! (English) The first belonged to my wife's grandfather, Professor Jean Chevreau, Professor of Medicine at the University Hospital of Créteil. Bought new in 1956. When I collected the arithmetic instruments (slide rule, mechanical and electronic calculators), they were "naturally" entrusted to me. I bought the second one in 2006 thanks to the generosity of an internet user, an airplane collector, who suggested me for 150 euros. He definitely liked me. It was a gift given to him by one of his friends in the 1970s, he just wanted to pass this object on to someone who cared. I hope not to disappoint. In France, INNOVA, 10 rue des Ours in Paris, which sold the Curta. I have an advert from 1950 on my website showing the Curta I in action!http://pagesperso-orange.fr/noel.jouenne/curta.html 618 Franco Davies frankdavies(at)sympatico.ca

1 0 12991 I found your name on one of the most official Curta websites. My father gave me a Curta calculator many years ago which was given to him: Type 1 - #12991 (November 1950). 618a

2008

2008

2008

2008




******** 2008 ********

619 federico tomas fthomas(morning)hour.upc.edu Barcelona
SPAIN
1 0 15539 I really like old mechanical instruments. I bought my Curta at an internet auction from a French seller. It is in perfect condition, with almost no signs of wear. It was originally purchased from the Curta sales agent in Paris, as stated on a tag just above the serial number: INNOVA exclusive dealer.
Bärenstrasse 10 - Paris
9th round of victories - Paris
Phone 887 46 80 620 Scott Copeland scott1956(at)aol.com Derry, Nuevo-Hampshire
EU 603-437-5821 1 0 8462 My dad was a mechanical engineer at Corning Glass Works and he got it from a friend. He was very proud of it, but still preferred to use a slide rule. 621 Steve this one stevedenne(at)btinternet.com

1 0 11373 I have a Curta Type 1 No.11373. I believe it was bought for my mother in the mid-1960s by her boss at the time. He treasured it throughout his professional life and still used it after everyone else had switched to calculators. Despite daily use it shows no signs of wear, I believe it has been regularly serviced by "Automatic Business Machines Limited" London SW6. Unfortunately my mother passed away four years ago so I have it. It is in its original metal box and comes with the supplier ID. I've never seen another Curta and just because I forgot how to use it I searched the internet and I'm quite surprised to see what an icon it is. 622 SOLD SOLD Bonn (near Cologne)
DEUTSCHLAND
2 2 40030
50504
506551
512407 These Curtas have been sold but that's a great story: I live in Bonn, Germany and here are my details and my story of how and why I am a happy Curta owner. Please forgive my bad knowledge of English, it's not my mother tongue. In my story below you will find a link that I hope will interest you because it takes you to the world's largest collection of historical mechanical calculators. The collection is on display in its own museum called the Arithmeum here in Bonn. Information can be found at www.arithmeum.de. I would appreciate if you could add my Curta details and story to your Curta registration page. As a collector of mechanical calculators, I naturally had to add a Curta to my collection. Then one more. Then one more. Then one more thing... Unfortunately, I didn't have the privilege of being a first-hand Curta user, so I never bought one during its production period. Instead, I later bought my four Curtas as a collector. A Curta Type I is in almost new condition with the notorious exception that the previous owner forgot to retract the trim lever and it broke as a result. Although I have a new lever, I have never replaced it for authenticity reasons. The other type of Curta I have was used by an engineer for years. I like this fact because this is the main intention of every curta hence it is my favorite curta in my collection. The machine has been completely cleaned inside and out and still runs as good as new. A Type II Curta is in mint condition. The first Curta Type II is in very good condition, it was also used in a small engineering office. The office was founded in 1952 and had a few Curtas in service. The Type II machine was acquired by the Bureau in 1955 but appears to have been seldom used by engineers. After receiving the machine from the engineer's daughter, I learned that it has a prime serial number 506551. Production number 6551 is also a prime number, the highest pair of a pair of twin primes. This first model has the characteristics of the first Curta Type II machines, such as B.: black case, old-fashioned round metal protective case, metal cleaning lever and metal crank. I am a collector of calculators and have built up a small collection of machines from many different brands such as Curta, Brunsviga, Odhner, Hannovera, Lipsia, Walther, Rema, Hamann-Manus, Triumphator, Comptator, Comptometer, Addiator, Resulta, Facit , Addi , Argenta, Schubert, Summira, Rheinmetall etc. Most of my collection is on display in a semi-public exhibition in a German government IT office and is intended to provide an overview of the history of mechanical computing, so the message of the exhibition fits its location . . I live in Bonn, the former capital of Germany, an old and small town in western Germany, on the Rhine, near Cologne. Bonn has a university with an institute for discrete mathematics, which has a famous collection of historical mechanical calculators, which is probably the largest collection in the world with over 1200 pieces. The collection is on display in its own museum called the Arithmeum. Information can be found at www.arithmeum.de, but the museum's website does not do justice to the fascination of museum life, as the site does not present its excellent collection online. So if you ever need to be in Germany and have the opportunity, you need to come to Bonn and visit the Arithmeum Museum right in the center of the city. I promise you will like it. If you are also interested in classical music and still have some time, you can also visit the museum and birthplace of the composer Beethoven, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the Arithmeum. 623 John Fountain janputte(arroba)gmail.com KwaZulu Natal
SOUTH AFRICA +27 83 350-5487 1 0 11259 My father-in-law was Professor LGR van Dongen, a retired Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was an avid classic car and vintage car enthusiast and no doubt bought his Curta for rallying in the mid 1950s. Interestingly, he and his wife Elizabeth (Betty) Gaudie were instrumental in introducing the first ultrasound machines to South Africa. Leon died two years ago at the age of 86, Betty followed a year later. The calculator in mint condition in its black steel case with inverted screw is reminiscent of a truly excellent couple. 624 duncan braun duncanjbrown(arroba)yahoo.co.uk Seaside resort of Leamington, UK
0 1 500814 I just checked out the website and thought I'd join the "long" list of Curta collectors. The fourth came from my father, who collected all kinds of calculating devices from the abacus to the first electronic pocket calculators. Unfortunately, this is the only remaining piece from his collection. As far as I can tell this is an early Curta Type II machine. Learn how to use it using the online manual. An amazing device. 625 Jorge GARCIA SANCHEZ arromanches2020(arroba)yahoo.com Madrid
SPAIN
0 1 512435
514406-D "The SN 514406 is a Curta DEMO Gold" 626 Patrick Moser moser_patrick(at)hotmail.com Winterthur, Zurich
SWITZERLAND
1 0 2921 It's a CURTA Type I, I think it must be from 1949, it still has its original case (also a bit scratched) with the "normal" thread on the right. The machine itself is in very good condition, the inside of the lower main plate has 6.4.71 (April 6th 1971) scratched on it, I'm guessing it's the date of the last service that was done on it. My dad had this "thing" in his office but he didn't know what it was exactly, he just told me it was some kind of calculator but he had no idea how it worked, he had my grandfather's CURTA get, he was an accountant. One day I had the CURTA in my hands and decided to find out exactly what it is and how it works and thanks to the internet I found this site here. Kind of a funny coincidence, I'm studying mechanical engineering at the moment and this big mechanical device happened to fall into my hands. I think it will also be of great help to me in exams as the rule is usually stated as "no electronic device" so I would actually have a good advantage with my CURTA. 627 M Tugrul Tosun tugrul(arroba)ttmail.com Istanbul
TURKEY +90 555 3560 555 1 0 36969 "When I was a student, I always wanted one but couldn't afford it. I even forgot the name. I remembered it recently and bought it on e-bay; very satisfied." 628 Kent Shiner kschiner(at)finsvcs.com

0 1 63505 Many years ago when I was in Switzerland I bought a Curta Tipo 1 No. 63505. It is in excellent condition. I lost the black button on the twist grip. My question is how do I get a manuel and black button since I lost my manuel years ago? Any information would be welcome. My friend in the office next door saw the Curta on my desk and found this website. I am completely amazed that there is so much interest in this amazing calculator that I have forgotten how to use it. I need your help as I would like to learn how to operate this again. 629 antonio wolfenden awolfend(at)gmail.com Runaway Bay, Queensland
AUSTRALIA +61-416-444-444 1 1 49541
531417 My father, an accountant, showed me the device in 1974 or 1975, but unfortunately he passed away that year. My mother kept it along with a number of items my father treasured for several years. Sometime in the early 1990's, the family accountant who had worked with my father showed me how to use the four arithmetic unit. It has been in my possession ever since and was taken out of its case to show to curious visitors. I have the Curta in the original metal case with the left screw and a thin paper manual. The unit appears to be in very good condition, although the offset ring sometimes "misses" the first column of results. I would like it to be maintained at some point. 630 Harrison desharrison@hotmail.com

1 0 3103 A friend of mine gave me a curta that belonged to his father-in-law who was an accountant. This computer is in perfect condition. The serial number is 3103. A rough estimate from the vcalc website would be around mid 1949? I have no idea how it works. Where can I get an operating manual? I really want to use it. 631 what an island saatanss(at)welho.com It boasts
FINLAND +358505600123 1 0 61275 my father gave it to me 632 Yorman Alberto Collado Orta colladoy@hotmail.com Caracas, DF Venezuela
1 0 44766 I bought this calculator in 1962 or 1963 from HELMUND STORE, "closed today", on Av. Urdaneta, Caracas, Venezuela. It is in perfect condition. like new. For real 633 Peter Degree greyhaven07(arroba)yahoo.co.uk Sydney, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA 061 2 46 208 646 2 0 17253
14387-DB Bought yesterday as the last product we saw on our 2 week New Zealand holiday. I saw these in a display case and thought I knew what it was, but the cuts on the box jumped out at me! Three owners didn't know what it was and thought it might be drills! I was willing to bet what he thought and we started talking. When he talked about the price, he said it was a precision instrument and I said, but you don't know what it does, so we all agreed... whatever it is, it does it very, very well. I bought them both for NZ$40. I understand from reading your info page that the demo model is rare. That would be the 4th acquaintance? The numbers are type 1 - 17253. Used - Excellent case interior and some wear on the case exterior. Boxed demo, type 1 -14387 is almost new, everything intact, all spaces filled and clean throughout. The failures worried us, we didn't know why parts were missing until we read their blurb. Very useful, thanks. If as you say there is only 1 per country then that would be New Zealand which we are assuming. Can we say that for sure? Either way I thought you might be interested and if you could give me an indication of the value that would help as well. 634 Another Amanda amanda.haste(at)btinternet.com Sidmouth, Inglaterra
Great Britain
0 1 510400 My father passed away last month and I found his curta among his papers. I've always been fascinated by it since I was a kid, although I never really understood how it works. But now that I have the machine, used but in good condition (in its metal box, with foam), and also pristine copies of the instructions and computer examples, I'll try to find out! This is a Curta II that Dad bought in December 1956, just before I was born, although the date 1953 is also in the computer examples. Can you tell me if a 1953 model year is likely to appear? The serial number is 510400, manufactured by Contina Ltd Mauren in Liechtenstein and purchased from ABM Automatic Business Machines Ltd, 11, Wyfold Rd, London SW6. I'm so glad I found your site and so many Curta enthusiasts as I was able to fill in many blanks about this awesome little machine. 635 paolo lorenz paolol_67(arroba)yahoo.it Bergamo
ITALY
2 2 50315
56382
501471
544078 As a lover and collector of old mechanical calculators, the Curta cannot be missing from my collection, along with Mr. Curta's book ("No gifts for the Furer") and articles about these fabulous mechanical jewels. Congratulations on the fabulous web on Curta's mechanical jewels. I loved it. 636 J.Carlos A.M. cacoaer(at)yahoo.com.br Rio de Janeiro
BRAZIL
0 1 53520 Perfect condition, left by my uncle in the 80's. My Curta is like new, still in the original storage. 637 Arturo S. Cohen xe1ll(arroba)prodigy.net.mx Ibsen 72
Mexico City
MEXICO
0 1 540996 When I was in Liechtenstein around 1966 I bought a new Curta calculator which I had never used. Just today I found your website which shows signs that I can and want to buy. My problem is that I don't understand which sign applies to my curta. Its serial number is 540996. From the photos I downloaded it is a Type II-2. I have the following questions: Are there new Curta calculators and at what prices? My Curta is in its original outer box, in its original protective plastic case, with its various instructions and other papers. Is it a collectible? If so, what approximate value could it be? Where is the market for this calculator? 638 Marcelo Araujo marceloacastro@hotmail.com Belo Horizonte (MG)
BRAZIL 55 31 9967-4292
1 0 5102 I have a Curta, SN 5102, in perfect condition, with the original packaging (see attached photos). I would like to know if you can tell me if it was made in 1949 and how much it can cost on the collectors market. 639 pedro g smith peter(at)mwups.com 6, Hillfield-Villen
Haverstock Hill, London NW3, UK 44 7710 251311 1 0 36495 I bought this new Curta in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1958. Unfortunately I don't remember how much I paid for it. It is engraved: Unique Agents SA
COMPETITION
PO Box 6490
Johannesburg
I bought it as a tool for car rallies where a "knob turn" for every tenth of a mile traveled could reveal the exact scheduled run time. Along with a variety of Halda devices, equally mechanical and remarkable, this has brought me moderate success and great satisfaction. The Curta, which unfortunately has lost the "see through" lever finger hole, proudly features in my small collection of early mechanical and electronic equipment. Calculator greetings and keep it up. 640 and Johnson djohnson(arroba)patchservices.com Vacaville, California
EU
0 1 515981 My brother found this in a friend's garage and said, "Dan would love this." So he sent it to me with no instructions about a week before the finals. What a dirty trick! I sat there for hours trying to figure this out. I was in my third year of mechanical engineering. I never knew how to subtract until I saw one at a drawing shop. Now I know how to raise the crank. My little kids always asked if they could play with "Gadget". I wonder what its worth is. Not that I would ever sell it. 641 SERGIO BETON esbetton(arroba)orange.fr Guillestre (In the Hautes Alpes, France)
0 1 556895 Hello, my English is very bad! I'm French, I have a Curta Type II No. 556895
Made in Liechtenstein In French: retired mathematics teacher (not active...; 62 years old) I used these machines to teach in Lyon around 1974 642 James Walpole JJHWalpole(at)aol.com Alford, Lincolnshire
Great Britain
0 1 500025 I bought it from someone in Portsmouth, England. I was very lucky as he didn't know what he had and only one other serious collector saw the advert so I got it relatively cheap. Of course it's just the older Type 2 until someone finds an even older one. Still, the 25 that was made isn't bad. 643 Dr. Tom Mott pytom(at)satx.rr.com San Antonio, Texas
EU 210 736 5786
1 0 71866 I'm a retired astronomy professor who attends the Texas Star Party every year. About a dozen years ago another wizard had a CURTA which, like a Questar, had piqued my lust for many years. He was a better "changer" than me and he stripped me of every free dollar I had plus several expensive, expensive Nagler eyepieces. My CURTA was and still is in perfect condition and I suspect it didn't do so badly when it was replaced after all. I would be interested to know what the current price for the I CURTA model is today. Note: I was finally able to purchase the long-awaited QUESTAR telescope from another store, and while it was a fine example of optical and mechanical work, I quickly found that the wait wasn't worth it. I changed it in a relatively short time. <G> 644 Alfredo Monteiro von Castro Neto alfredomcn(at)hotmail.com Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo
BRAZIL 55-16-9136-8597
1 0 8556 The curta was used by my father, Joao Nilton Ramos de Castro, and I used it in college in 1971 as well. 645 David Ferster verster(arroba)ameritech.net Wilmette, Illinois
EU
1 0 16925 The case is badly scratched, but the machine itself is in near mint condition. Bought online from an antique dealer. I had never heard of them before, but a few weeks ago I was made aware of an article on the internet. There was also one for sale online, so I bought it. It turns out to be quite early (January 1952 if I understand correctly) and is in amazing condition (except for the case). What an amazingly beautiful piece of machinery. I am impressed. 646 Elaine Largo lang (at) micro.co.bw Gaborone, Botswana AFRICA
0 1 555279 I inherited my beautiful Curta Tipo 11 - serial number 555279 - from my father who bought it new. It has a black leather case with a strap. I was wondering if this is an option for the Curta or if my dad had them custom made the case. I have had the Curta for 25 years and have never used it. The manual wasn't with the Curta when I inherited it and now I'm trying to figure out how to use the Curta on the web. I'd love to buy a guide if anyone out there has one. Please register me on your site. I have to admit I wasn't aware there was so much information out there on the Curta and your website is absolutely amazing. I was amazed how many people like this calculator. Thanks for a very informative site. 647 Andi Stocker ajstocker(at)sbcglobal.net Calle Bluff 8772
Fair Oaks, California
EU
1 0 62534 I bought my 1967 Curta from a rally buddy for $100. That same year we opened a rally car club: California United Rallying and Touring Association (CURTA) in Davis CA. The Curta still runs smooth after all these years and has that common faded stain from all the hours spent hopping down the back roads of Northern California. 648 Daniel Oberlerchner doberlec[*at*]gmail[dod]com Munich Bavaria
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 11307 I was introduced to the Curta about half a year ago and being a bit of a geek I really wanted one. Not just because they are rare, but because I admire the fine detail in which these machines are built. I mean, today we marvel at our current technologies that haven't (apparently) reached their peak yet, but the Curta was undoubtedly one of the most complicated and elegant machines built by humans in the past just for crushing numbers. days. After looking at various online auctions I was lucky enough to snag a Curta Type I (metal offset ring and handle - silver subtraction ring) with a relatively low serial number (11307). He is in very good shape and purrs his numbers very well. It has an ABM of London red label and comes without manuals. The pads in the metal case are still in place, as is the white O-ring to make the entire case airtight. The man who sold it to me is a collector of all things mechanical and antique and said he bought it at a collectors fair in London. The trace of the machine ends there for me, but if anyone knows more about the origin of this machine, please don't hesitate to contact me. Their website was one of the best places to get an overview of this beautiful machine that was made some 50 years ago. Thank you in advance for your work and keep the Hertzstark spirit alive. 649 Frank Rufini Fruffini49(at)gmail.com Delaware, Ohio
EU 614-747-3013 0 2 544983
542195 544983: I purchased my Curta II while attending a conservation conference in Bloomington, Indiana in October 2008. Driving out of town, I stopped at an antique mall and saw the Curta in a display case filled with various collectibles. An attached card showed that the curta belonged to a single person. I contacted the seller through the antique shop and found out that Raglind Binkley had bought the Curta in Germany for her father, Walter Herrel, an electrical engineer who was working in South America when she bought the calculator from him. . He returned to Frankfurt, where he worked for AEG until his retirement. After his death a few years ago, the Curta passed into the possession of Mrs Binkley, who later decided to sell it from her antiques mall stall in the hope that it would end up with someone who would appreciate it . Did. 542195: I purchased this Curta at the estate sale of David B. Selby, who was involved in media production at Ohio State University and was an avid tool collector. PS: Great site. 650 John Byrne John.Byrne(arroba)cs.tcd.ie Dublin
IRELAND
1 0 68295 I bought my Curta from Desmond Squire, Portobello Road, London for around £400 I think and it is in excellent condition. I had bought one before but it was stolen from my house. I first came across the Curta when I met Professor Cornelius Lanczos in 1962. He was (among other things) a very respected numerical analyst and used them extensively. Since then I've always wanted one. He was then working at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Study. 651 Peter W. Allen pwallen(at)optonline.net Long Beach, NuevaYork
EU 516-889-1551
1 0 24149 I bought my Curta online a few years ago after reading the fascinating article that appeared in Reader's Digest in July 2005. 652 Nico Heemskerk nico.heemskerk(at)gmail.com Named Holanda
NETHERLANDS
1 1 61501
513077 My Curta I is in excellent condition but I'm missing the top half of its storage tin. My Curta II has some glitches but it works. I'm an avid collector of slide rules and early mechanical calculators. So I knew the Curta existed, I searched all over the Netherlands and advertised many times, but it seems that there is no Curta in the Netherlands or people don't want to sell it. And of course... money was an issue. I finally bought the Curta online. Not so romantic, but now I have them. 562a

2009

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653 Mark Nobody no patent Gothenburg
SWEDEN
1 0 45725 Received as a present from my father-in-law. He received it in the early 1960s as a graduation gift from technical college. The calculator is in new condition. There is not the slightest scratch on the metal case. Unfortunately, the papers (purchase note and original instructions) have been lost. 654 Nick A. Yinger nayinger(arroba)comcast.net Redmond, Washington
EU 425-869-6101 0 1 552368 I bought my CURTA new in 1968 or 1969 for about $150. I'm a professional surveyor licensed in four western states. I used my CURTA every workday to do trigonometric calculations in the range using 8 digit trigonometric functions from printed spreadsheets. In 1972 I bought an HP-35 (for about $400, a tidy sum), mainly because it contained the trigonometric functions and I no longer needed to carry the spreadsheet. It has never been so satisfying to use. When I took my first 16-hour driver's license test in 1968, electronic pocket calculators hadn't yet been invented, office calculators weren't allowed because they were too loud, and slide rules weren't accurate enough, so almost all applicants were using CURTA. Some veterans used log trig tables. Imagine a room full of 50-100 surveyors working like crazy; It sounded like "Attack of the Killer Bees". I often show my CURTA to young surveyors who are not yet born in 1972, and sometimes even let them hold it and do a simple calculation. I really enjoy your site. I think Olaf Veenstra's animation is great. 655 Mike Van Klo loopdeloo02(arroba)aol.com from Brighton, Michigan
EU
0 1 557457 In the late 1960's I became interested in high performance rallies and was fortunate to be in Michigan where the hotbed of America's finest rallies belonged to the Rallyigators. Bill Braund taught me how to use his Curta and then I acquired my first one around 1970. I lost that Curta and then stumbled across the current Curta in the mid 70's from a mathematician/astronomer who was using it to calculate the positions of the stars. He retired until 1985, when I got on One Lap of America with Gene Henderson and Su Kemper. The rally rules did not allow any electronic computers. It was like visiting an old friend. I also worked with a real German craftsman, Walter Dahm, who was professionally interested in this machine. By "craftsman" I mean that his final project after graduating from technical school was to make a pocket watch, which he still owned many decades later. He meticulously cleaned and oiled my curta and explained why the cases have left-hand threads... so that delicate measuring and optical instruments are stored in a way that requires extra care when opening the cases to avoid damaging them. That said, it took a conscious effort to get your attention lest the device fall and break. It's not just my love of mechanical ingenuity that will keep me clinging to my gems from our past, which include a Halda Speedpilot and my abstract and always capable Curta, it's the fact that I have a "war wound" on the chin of the Impact of my curta cutting me during a M O N Y series event !! 656 David R. Greer dnagreer(arroba)charter.net Spring Lake, Michigan
EU 616 846 1722
0 1 537077 I am now a retired surveyor after 36 years of professional experience. My career as a surveyor began after graduating from Wayne State University in 1960. Over the years I have been licensed as a surveyor in the states of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Florida. I was appointed to the Michigan State Surveyor Licensing Board, where I served for eight years; four years as CEO. When I started measuring in 1960, all trigonometric calculations required the use of a book, Natural Sines, Cosines, and Tangent Numbers to Eight Decimal Places, a pencil, and lined paper; hence all calculations were "long-handed". This process was tedious, but it taught attention to detail, a must to be a good surveyor! I'm not sure of the year but I think it was 1963 or 1964 when the Curta Type II came out and I bought one! It was revolutionary, I could finally get rid of those lined sheets of paper and not have to add up those endless columns of numbers. This change surprised me as much as HP's electronic calculator did when it came out in 1970! Today my Type II is in its original numbered packaging with paperwork sent from The Curta Company, Van Nuys, California. I couldn't have passed the Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Florida license exams without my Type II Curta! 657 Byron Johnson b2j2(at)earthlink.net Edgecomb, Maine
EU
0 1 551424 I am semi-retired as a civil engineer and still work in California where my license includes surveying. My first paid survey (1954) was of a construction crew in Alaska, and I remember the crew chief doing his calculations in pencil on wooden slats using logarithms (probably to five digits, we were making rough layouts). Our field office had electromechanical calculators and books on trigonometric functions. I later opened my own office in Southern California and purchased (circa 1964) a Type II for my field crew. Unfortunately it fell in sand and was badly damaged. In 1975 I found a workshop in Van Nuys that repaired and shipped Curtas. The mechanic (John Hariton) found the damaged unit to be good for parts only and sold me a remanufactured Type II for $55.00 with a $15.00 exchange premium. It now sits on a shelf with 2 slide rules (c. 1928 and 1948), a Leroy letter set (c. 1946), road curves (c. 1962) and a planimeter (c. 1962). The Leroy and planimeter are still occasionally used. 658 James Nichols jim(at)patinatools.com Monterrey, Kalifornien
EU
0 1 541715? My father was an antique dealer in St. Louis, MO, USA and he gifted it to me. 659 Leo Vertenten lpvcomp(at)gmail.com Bloemfontein
SOUTH AFRICA
0 1 512615 : I have a Curta Type II 512615 series calculator with a round steel case, and the original sales booklet, instruction manual and calculator booklet that came with the calculator. It is in excellent condition, in fact in the same condition as at the time of purchase. From time to time I take them out of the packaging and lightly smear them with sewing machine oil. It's a fantastically built portable mechanical instrument and I would never sell it. I bought the Curta Type II when I was an engineering student at university, before buying I used a slide rule, now I'm retired and this is how my Curta is. I am sending you this email after reading many interesting articles about the Curta on various internet sites and thought I would share this interesting information with you. The calculator was purchased and used during my undergraduate studies at the engineering institution, augmented with the use of a slide rule. The CURTA is in excellent condition and I still use it from time to time for sentimental reasons. Computers are now used for engineering calculations. 660 Chris Kantarjiev cak(at)dimebank.com Palo Alto, California
EU
1 0 16949 I knew vaguely about the curta, but it was too precious an object to consider. Sometime in the early 90's I decided to find one. That was before the web, so I ran ads on Usenet. I found one about an hour south of me and went looking. The owner lived in a classic "squatter house" in the mountains of Santa Cruz, spacious and comfortably furnished. He pulled out a flawless Type I in his can and we quickly agreed. (No docs, sorry.) He told me "It's a bit sticky" and it actually was. I actually had no idea what I was doing, but I did a partial disassembly and applied solvent to the correct spots on the adjuster shafts to get them reinstalled properly. A little Kano Microil and I haven't had to re-grease it in 15 years. The can is in good condition, the white O-ring is intact. The lower pad was missing; I didn't know it was supposed to be there, but it seemed highly unlikely that the original design was metal on metal, so I installed a closed-cell black foam pad. I use it very occasionally for classic car rallies... and I wish I had looked for a Type II before everyone realized what it was worth! 661 Bob Lincoln pine3(at)comcast.net Hartford, Connecticut
EU 860 953 3807
1 0 45986 Received: In 1959 I bought my CURTA Type I, S/N 45986 for $125 in an aluminum case. Back then I used it for time, speed, distance and Sports Car Club (TSD) rallies. I took him to the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Gaspe Canada Rally [le Rallye Gaspesian] in 1960. This was an international rally that ran approximately 1000 miles from Caribou, Maine through the Gaspe Peninsula to Perce, Canada, ending in Quebec City. I have also used it for general calculation purposes (since that was before electronic calculators) and is much lighter and more convenient than Marchand and other heavy desktop electric calculators and far more accurate than the widely used slide rule. I also used a CURTA Type II for the same purposes. I did a lot of research about these calculators before I bought them at the time, about the product and the developer, Curt Herzstark, an Austrian who got the idea for his calculators while he was a prisoner in the German concentration camp Buchenwald, during the World War. II. A most interesting story!!! Mine is still in mint condition and hardly ever used due to the availability of today's electronic calculators and personal computers. I take it out from time to time and refresh my memory of its features and proper use... and the fun we had of being able to do instant rally calculations and/or fixes with a simple twist of the crank. 662 jay leukart jleukart(arroba)charter.net Monroe, Connecticut
EU
1 0 20005 I have a Curta Type 1 SN: 20005 in perfect condition with the original [metal] container box (also in perfect condition) that I am looking to sell to a good house. That was my dad's and I know someone would enjoy it more than me. If you know someone who might be interested in this, please feel free to forward my email. 663 David J. Davis Daraamanthas(arroba)yahoo.com Victorville, Kalifornien
EU
0 1 504533 I got a CURTA calculator in late 2006 while stationed in Iraq. While I was working in Intelligence, a source brought it to us, thinking it was some sort of charger for IEDs. I was the only person who had ever heard of or even seen a mechanical calculator, and I quickly identified it for what it is. To this day nobody believes me unless I show them your website. 664 R.Brian Andrews r.brian.andrews(arroba)gmail.com Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
EU
0 1 556023 This Curta was purchased by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for use by the Department of Photogrammetry and Surveying (P&S) sometime in the late 1960's. It is a Type Two in very good condition with only minor wear. I have his case but no documentation. Luckily the calculator must have been in his suitcase during the Agnes Flood of 1972 when the Susquehanna River flooded the P&S building and destroyed many of the mechanical photogrammetric potters as it now works perfectly. During my time at P&S this Curta sat on the survey officer's desk for a few days to learn how to operate it as no one in the office knew how to do it and when I left P&S in 2007 they gave me the Curta. as a parting gift to myself and is now one of my fondest memories and is used from time to time. 665 Felipe Niemegers philippe.niemegeers(arroba)skynet.be

1 0 63359 I found your website full of explanations about CURTA calculators and their history. I think it's a very good website full of explanations about history and technical components and elements. After my father died I inherited such a calculator which I consider to be a very beautiful object and I have known all my life, but I think it's time for me to get rid of all these things from my past and move on . , so I want to sell this CURTA machine. Here is the necessary information: Type I No. 63359, according to the information on your site it seems to be a newer Type I... I don't know the year of manufacture! Can you tell me if you would like to buy my CURTA or know someone who might be interested? 666 Lloyd Rubin lloyd.rubin(at)gmail.com

1 0 12785 I have what looks like a Curta I that has sat in an unopened moving box for the last 30 years. The serial number is 12785. Aside from wear and tear to the cork-like circle at the bottom edge of the inside of the metal case, it appears to be in near mint condition. I would like to sell it, but I don't agree with the price. Can you tell me something about the price and where I can offer it for sale? 667 Pedro Hansen peder.hansen(arroba)northstarwindtowers.com Omaha, Nebraska
EU
1 0 32285 This curta belonged to my grandfather and my father has kept it for the last 20 years. I am trying to get more information and will post more as I find more. 668 bill principle gormanwpjr@gmail.com 11.111 West Bellfort, Houston, Texas
EU 281-879-0515
713-401-4599 1 1 50483
551421 Manufactured circa May 1966. Perfect condition except for some very small scratches to the anodizing on the lower outer ring of the plastic case and from sitting on objects. HISTORY:
I discovered the Curta calculator while looking for a large electromechanical calculator that I used at the Alcoa plant in Point Comfort, Texas, circa 1973 when I was in college and working there over the summers. I remember how cool it was to see him do a multiplication. Electronic calculators already existed at that time, so it was strange that they were still in use. Before that time I had never seen any mechanical calculator other than the standard addition and subtraction type (10 keys). When I was in elementary school and high school in the 1950s and 1960s, I didn't know about the Curta calculator. So a few years ago (circa 2001) I was looking for electromechanical calculators and found that the one I had been using at Alcoa was a "Friden". As soon as I saw a picture of him, I remembered him. Well I finally bought one on the internet. However, it is not fully functional. Then I found out that Friden was making an electromechanical square root calculator. Haven't bought any of these yet but would love to. When I searched the internet for mechanical calculators, I came across Curta calculators. Wow, was I blown away! Then I searched the internet for information about these machines. Of course I had to have one! I bought mine online from a guy here in Houston, TX (so I've seen one in person) who bought it new and (rarely) used it for road rallies. His name was W. Peter Romfh and he worked for Continental Airlines. I think I paid about $850 for it. Not steal, but about a normal price at the time. I've since bought a stepped cylinder just for fun. And yes, like everyone, I would like a demo model. The big bucks required for this purchase has slowed that down, at least for now. I love showing the Curta to my friends. Young people are always surprised that calculations can be made by machines. It never ceases to amaze me that they can be done electronically. The mechanical way is more mathematical and much more interesting. Therefore these machines have an intrinsic value and the old electronic calculators are junk. I just bought a Curta I to add to my Curta II and an extra stage cylinder. I've been thinking about getting a Curta I for a long time, the size difference between I and II is very clear when you put them side by side or hold them in your hand. Both have a very contemporary look. Serial number: 50483
Assembled around 1962
Metal balancing ring
beveled crank
Metal box with adhesive label
The machine is practically unused. It's absolutely flawless. 669 accounting room bhall52(arroba)cox.net Phoenix, Arizona
EU 480-459-8251
1 0 10253 Appreciate the CURTA calculator website, it was very helpful in establishing that I have a Type 1 CURTA calculator from early September 1950, number 10253. The picture attached below is not the best photo but it shows the metal box. The box has a slight blemish, small chips of paint. The calculator itself looks useless and to be honest I'm afraid to use it because I don't know what I'm doing. This was gifted to me by my grandfather who was a civil engineer in the 50's and 60's. I would have thought he would have used this, but it doesn't seem to be. The reason for my email is that I want to sell the computer. While I found the story and background fascinating, I think they would be more appreciated by an avid collector. I'm not sure how to find out if it's ok, rate it and inevitably sell it. If any of you could give me some advice I would be very grateful. 670 Philip of Anfray Philippe.d-Anfray(arroba)orange.fr Verrieres le Buisson (bei Paris)
FRANCE
1 0 5476 This CURTA belonged to my grandfather, I remember being fascinated by this fantastic machine when I was (about) 10-12 years old. It's in good condition (except for the crank but I hope I can fix it). I have the original metal box and manual. 671 Carlos A. Johnson njnear(arroba)hughes.net Goldhill, Oregon
EU 541-855-8676
1 1 40301
511330 I bought the new Type I from L.A. Scientific in 1961 for $125.00. It was lighter than the wooden tables he used for measuring. It has the original metal box. I bought the Type II from an engineering company I worked for in exchange for items they knew how to use. It has a leather sheath. 672 Sheldon Dockswell, PE. SDOCKSWE(arroba)arinc.com 5410 Fountain Street, Yorba Linda, California
EU 714-779-7541
1 0 7762 I have had my Curta for over 50 years. It is a Type I S/N 7762. As far as I can tell it was made in the 1950's My son broke my misplaced ring a long time ago. If you know someone who might have this part I would be happy to reach out to them. 673 David Andersen blkcat(at)gmail.com Santa Rosa, California
EU
1 0 51842
674 Bernhard Nowara B.Nowara(arroba)t-online.de Louisburg
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 522128 I came across the Curta for the first time in the May 2004 issue of the magazine “Spektrum der Wissenschaft”. Mechanics fascinated him. It is surprising to see such a complex mechanism in such a small volume. I later bought the Curta II as a birthday present and I still love it. 675 Joan Mollison info(arroba)mte.co.za Johannesburg, Gauteng
SOUTH AFRICA +27 11 787-6121
1 0 6499 It belonged to my father, William Bradley. I'm not sure when or where he bought the calculator, but he used it in his engineering shop. The device is still in its original metal packaging and is in excellent condition. Unfortunately I don't have the manuals. 676 Esteban B. Hatt Camphatt(arroba)hotmail.com Indian River, Michigan
EU 231 238 2017
0 1 549692 After 37 years in the classroom, most of which taught geometry and honoring algebra to 8th, 7th and even 6th graders, and an enthusiastic proponent of using calculators (with results displayed in good algebraic form), was he is very familiar with the development of electronic pocket calculators. I also had experience using and breaking comptometers and various other electrically powered simple mechanical and mechanical calculators. I met Curtas while reading about rally events. Given all of this and the habit of searching the web for the unusual machine, it was only a matter of time. A few weeks ago I was looking for Curta. I fell in love, bought my Type II, am thinking of collecting a few others and have been mining your site daily. Well done! 677 Rubens Jugni junior rubinho111@hotmail.com BRAZIL
1 0 5974 My name is Rubens Jugni Junior and I live in Brazil. Sorry to invade your email address but I have a CURTA calculator so I think it must be weird. The serial number is 5974 and it is in mint condition. I send you some photos. If you can help me or give someone else who can. I wonder if it's a valuable piece and it's rare. Thank you very much. Sorry for the Spanish fault Google. 678 Joseph Heide kd6kml(at)sbcglobal.net Napa, California
EU
0 1 513830 I've always wanted a Curta since I first saw one in college. This was listed by a new user with no comment on the web. I took a chance and got it for a low price and it turned out to be a very good machine. I always look for mechanical calculators (and special vintage tools to work on my old cars) when I go to antique stores. I'm glad to finally own Curta! 679 Carlos A. Fischer fisher34(arroba)llnl.gov Livermore, California
EU
1 0 48260 The computer originally belonged to my father. He used it at home and at work (he was a commercial chemist at Los Alamos National Laboratoy). I remember my father using it for various calculations in his workshop. Have tried several times to teach myself how to use it to no avail. In 1973 he then bought an HP-45 and the CURTA was practically never used again. This one is in excellent shape and remarkable piece of equipment. 680 Christoph Perri ncperry1969(at)hotmail.com Manchester, NewHampshire
EU
0 1 529438
681 Jesper Andersen jesper82(arroba)gmail.com DENMARK
1 0 50632 I have a Curta type 1 inherited from my deceased uncle. Complete with case, box with no. 50632 and manual in Danish. It has been under my bed for the last 10 years and now I want to sell it. 682 Alfredo F. Logioia alfredologiia(at)yahoo.com.ar Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA (54)223-156-80-7757
4 3 4312
45327
59504
78223
501934
531501
558449 I'm a systems engineer and I made a complete collection of curtas in a year. Now I have 7 examples of different models and manufacturing periods. All Curtas were bought in different countries and are in very good condition. A brief description of each machine: Type I #4312: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Marino H. of Aix en Provence, France who overhauled it prior to sale. This machine is very old, with rounded dials instead of the rectangular ones of the later design, and the metal case opens anti-clockwise. Type I #45327: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Bernard R. of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. This is my favorite example to use and learn about the curta and show it to people. Type I #59504: (Condition: 9.5/10) Purchased from Francisco L. of Lima, Peru, originally purchased in France. This machine has had minimal use (nearly zero) and is in excellent condition with no scratches on the case or metal case. It has been stored without use for more than 20 years. Type I #78223: (Condition: 10/10) Purchased from Tony B. of Derby, UK. See description of Curta #558449 below. Type II #501934: (Condition: 6/10) Purchased from Gabriel O. of Chascomus, Argentina, this is a very old Type II specimen. As with #45327, I am using this machine to learn about Curta's algorithms to learn. Type II #531501: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Jerome G. of Les Sables d'Olonne, France, originally purchased in the USA. It is in new condition with very little signs of wear. Type II No. 558449: (Condition: 10/10) This machine and No. 78223, also purchased from Tony B. of Derby, UK, were originally purchased from a London collector who bought them for display purposes in 1972 if no one wanted them, he preferred electronic calculators. Both machines have NEVER been used and have the original box and manuals in mint condition. Possibly both machines are among the best preserved Curtas in the world! I am now building my own website www.curta.com.ar dedicated to my collection of Curtas and other vintage calculators and computers I own. I think it might be an early version available in October 2010. 683 Malc Hewlett malchewlett(arroba)yahoo.co.uk Solihull, West Midlands, United Kingdom
1 0 9278 The first owner was H.V. Shaw of Hunington in the UK Midlands. He bought it in November 1951 for £35-10s-0d from London Office Machines Ltd., 130 Terminal House, Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1 (tel 1626 Sloane). I knew nothing about CURTAs until I came across #9278 at a flea market in Birmingham, UK in the early 1980s; I do know a bargain when I see one though, so I paid the seller his £10 and walked away delighted (and have since, if you've never owned a CURTA you've never lived!). No. 9278 was supplied with a black metal jar with left-hand thread domed lid (no seal), in its original serialized corrugated box, all in perfect condition and working. The box contained the bill of sale, plus a 6" x 4" 16 page instruction manual which says a lot about the CURTA but only has 1 working example (one multiplication - you'll have to figure out the other 3 operations yourself). . This brochure has a mustard colored cover with a large hand holding a small CURTA and has the part number '37 51 5 e'. On the back someone handwritten "Douglas Brown Tel. HIG 3649" (perhaps the original seller, or perhaps the service technician). Also in the box was a pre-printed letter from London Office Machines, now a division of Sweda Limited, whose registered office is at Sweda House, Lower Belgrave Street, London SW1 (tel Sloane 0407). It's dated July 3, 1963 (almost 12 years after sale; how's that for customer service). He says: Given the considerable expansion of our Sweda activities over the past two years, it was deemed desirable in the interest of our Curta users to transfer this part of the business to one company, Automatic Business Machines. (A.B.M), which will specialize in calculators. All Curta sales and service staff have now joined A.B.M. and are fully equipped to assist you with your needs. We hereby officially notify customers who have a service contract with us of our intention to terminate these contracts at the end of the current service year and A.B.M. will send you a new agreement for approval on or before that date. Regarding the customers whose machines are still under warranty, A.B.M. has agreed to take this responsibility for these machines. The address of A.B.M. is 15 Cromwell Road, London SW7, telephone number Kensington 8877, to which all future Curta inquiries should be directed. We thank all our customers for their support over the years and know they will have the full attention of the new company's staff. 684 Bob Rostohar bob19(at)me.com Austin, Texas
EU
1 1 50354
512331 About 2-3 years ago a new friend told me about Curta. He thought he would find her impressive... if only he knew! I was immediately mesmerized by the brilliant design, incredible craftsmanship, beauty and of course the genius that went into its invention. I've been in the software business for 20 years, and since we can never "see" what we create, I love being able to touch a masterpiece like Curta. I have 2 and hope to keep buying them! I even taught math at my son's school and let all the kids work with Curta and the online simulator. It's way more "sexy" than grouping buttons! 685 Hernando Correa hcorrea5(at)comcast.net Cupertino, Kalifornien
EU 408-476-9718 1 0 24846 In 1954, I was a young science student at Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia. I read an article in Popular Mechanics praising the precision and small size of this amazing mechanical calculator. I was very impressed and bought my Curta Tipo I for $125.00. Time passed and my Curta Tipo accompanied me during my college years and later as a student at New York University where I received my Masters in Physics. I couldn't have done it without him! My Curta Type I also accompanied me during my almost thirty years of work in the aerospace industry. It's been a long time since I first used my Curta and I still enjoy playing with it and showing it to my friends. It has never been dropped and has no scratches or dents. It has never been oiled or serviced and runs like the first day I bought it. This morning I was trying to remember how to calculate square roots on my curta but my memory failed me and I decided to look up the procedure on the internet. Not only did I find the exact instructions on how to use the calculator, I also found Rick Furr's page. I would be happy to register my computer with the information given above. Proud owner of an immaculate Curta I. 685a

2010

2010

2010

2010




******** 2010 ********

686 Bob Wolfson bobwolfson(at)gmail.com Marietta (Atlanta), Georgia
EU
1 0 70315 Acquired from the collector Richard Fisch, 12/2009 687 russ cordero tr2bulls(at)msn.com Bellevue, Idaho
EU 208-720-6981 1 0 4873 I don't know if it's a type 1 or 2 mint shape and in a metal container with a little guide. It was given to me by a dear old friend in 1970 and I found it in a box of old fishing tackle... 40 years later I'd appreciate anything you could tell me about this cool little calculator. I want to sell it! We hope to hear from you. I understand how busy you must be. Greetings Russ 688 Granville knox gsk(at)his.com Newington, Nuevo-Hampshire
EU
1 1 31732
513431 513431 - prime number CURTA! My first CURTA during college in the late 50's and I wanted one but it was out of my price range. In 1962 I visited Vaduz and the factory but still couldn't afford to buy one. I lost interest with the advent of electronic calculators, but got back to the subject in the late 1990s. 689 R. Van Espen revanes(at)skynet.be Beringen
BELGIUM
1 0 504959 I'm a retired mining engineer. I started my career in the Campine area coal mines of N.E. part of Belgium. The last mine was finally closed in 1992. This Curta did his job with the pit masters. I found this while cleaning the trays. It is the only "methane safe" (due to the purely mechanical system) calculator I have seen in my career. It is in good condition and has a left-hand thread waterproof case. It needs a little revision. When I removed the bottom plate I saw an inscription from January 1959 as: "xx.01.59 M". I assume this is a repair appointment. I also saw that a small feather came out of its "hole". I think and hope that with a minimum of rework it can be functional. Greetings, Rene 690 Christian PEZZINI cpezzini(arroba)aliceadsl.fr on west
FRANCE
1 0 25143
554322 COURT 1: SN: 25,143 (1954 or 1955) bought on eBay. In perfect condition because it was locked up and nobody used it... and I restarted it with no problems - just needed a little oil, what a beautiful machine! Repaired itself "slightly" (lower ball of centerline was blocked) and now fully functional. COURT 2: SN: 55.4322 (1969) purchased on eBay in 2012 691 José R. Pulliam joep(at)shsmithco.com Cottonwood Bluff, Misuri
EU 573-785-9621 1 0 12075 The founder of my company bought this from a man many years ago. He knew I collect vintage surveying equipment and gave it to me for my collection. The case has 4 scratches and the bottom pad is missing. The computer itself is clean, functional and in good condition. Any idea what it's worth? I'm not trying to sell, just asking. 692 Brian Norwood brian.norwood(arroba)gmail.com Austin, Texas
EU
1 0 44101 My great-uncle was a captain in the Luftwaffe during World War II. His B-29 was shot down over the English Channel and he was held prisoner until the end of the war. When he died 20 years ago, I found a pristine Curta calculator in the metal box among his belongings. It's an amazing device and an even better conversation piece. 693 big fred freddelgrande@gmail.com Saint Paul
BRAZIL
0 1 505480 I have a calculator Curta Type II (11 x 8 x 15 digits), serial number 505480, made in Liechtenstein (Swiss Customs Union) by Contina Ltd Mauren (System Curt Herzstark). It was purchased by my father, a former civil engineer, here in Brazil on April 8, 1959. It works perfectly and has the original steel case, warranty certificate and the manual was a Type I for some reason but I was lucky enough to download a Type II in English. 694 Norah Newton-Roadman norahh(at)verizon.net Bandon, Oregon
EU
1 0 16917 This Curta belonged to my grandfather and he gave it to my father who was a USAF pilot during WWII... It became mine when I went to college in 1965. Collector in case anyone is interested. It is in excellent condition, just a little rust on the bottom of the metal tin it came in. The tin has an opposite open top and I have a Computerbeispiele für den Curta book, an instruction manual (both from Liechtenstein where the device was manufactured) and a sales brochure from the Curta dealer in Van Nuys, California (which has the seal of a company in Seattle, WA)... 695 Joao's voices joao(at)desmobilia.com.br BRAZIL
1 0 6321 Hi Rick, congratulations on your website. I live in Brazil and found and bought a Curta I with serial number 6321. 696 Lord Canesch mr.canesh(at)gmail.com Spokane, Washington
EU
1 0 38580 I was given this beautiful antique as a gift when I was 8-10 years old. I am currently 21. It was said that the donor did not know how to use it. it's so complicated that even I'm confused. I love that thing and hope I never lose it. 697 Joel P. Kollin jkollin(arroba)gmail.com Atlanta, Georgia
EU
1 0 60612 I used to drool over adverts for these machines as a kid, but never saw one. In the 80's I was talking to a friend and that's when the topic came up. He said he had one on his desk and I wanted to see it. He didn't want to sell it, so I asked him to lend it to me. I did. When I was ready to return it, it had been deployed in Japan for 2 years. When it came back I offered to buy it. He hesitated, said yes and said he would sell it for $20. SOLD OUT. It is in very good condition with case. 698 erich francisco squirrelhenge(at)gmail.com Little Rock del Norte, Arkansas
EU
0 1 521119 Regards! My name is Eric Francis and I am a recent owner of a Curta Type II. My father who passed away last month had one in his estate. I don't know the circumstances under which he acquired it; His infantry unit served in Europe at the end of WWII and remained a civilian crew member until about 1950, but I believe his Curta was made a few years later. However, he was a lifelong admirer of Germanic ingenuity, and I suspect he bought one in America when he found it. As far as I can tell the Curta is in excellent condition except for one thing: the sled ring does not rotate past number 8 although it is numbered to 15 on your Curta calculator and came up with the correct totals/products/etc. I also have the Calculation Examples for the Curta Calculator booklet, although I haven't looked at it yet. I also have the black spherical case. The Curta serial number is 521119 and it was made in Liechtenstein by Contina Ltd. Moors made. I love this little machine and hope to get used to working better with it. It's all very steampunk! 699 Jessica Julian jessicaj(at)alleytheatre.org
713-315-5450 0 0
I saw your name and address on Curta's collectors page. My name is Jessica and I work in the real estate department at the Alley Theater in Houston. We're doing a new play called Intelligence Slave by Kenneth Lin about the invention of the first curta in the concentration camp. We need to build several prototypes of Curtas for the game and while the online research has been very helpful, it's difficult to find any information about the history behind these calculators. Any information you have, either historical or just from owning one of these calculators that you think would help us build something accurate, we would greatly appreciate it. If you know of any resources or people in Houston, TX that might be helpful to get in touch, I'd appreciate it. I've already emailed the three people on the collectors page who put Houston in their address and hope to hear from one of them. Thanks for your time. 700 Richard Vincent Vinehouserv(at)aol.com Bridgewater, Somerset, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 9241 I found it in a bunch of old military hardware about 40 years ago. I thought it was some sort of timed (teenage) hand grenade. I don't think it's ever been used other than to see if it worked, it's still in its corrugation. cardboard box. PS great site. 701 Valery Monnier valery.monnier(arroba)wanadoo.fr FRANCE
1 0 2938 I'm not a Curta specialist, but I have an old one (series 2938) in very good condition. www.arithmometer.org 702 Roberto Pablo Bergmann r.bergsman(arroba)verizon.net Philadelphia, Pennsylvanien
EU 610-924-5812 0 1 546004 I found this "pepper grinder" on the internet. The auction ended at around 11:00 am on a weekday. Not many serious bidders can take part in a lunchtime auction. So, I got a very good offer. My Curta is in mint condition. No signs of wear on the body or case. It came in the original packaging. The case is also stamped with the same serial number as the calculator base. When I was in high school, in my late 50's and early 60's, I read Scientific American every month. I didn't understand any of the articles. But I could understand and enjoy Martin Gardner's monthly column; Games and mathematical derivations?. In almost every issue there was an advertisement for the Curta calculator. I have one now. It's a piece of history, a work of art and a mechanical marvel. Martin Gardner passed away a few weeks ago. All of us who enjoyed his column mourn his passing. 703 faiz shahab faiz_shahab (@arroba)hotmail.com Jakarta
INDONESIA +62217542387 1 0 30353 I am very surprised to learn today that there is a Curta website! As I own one (1) Curta Type I it would be good to ask you to list me just for the record that a Curta was also landed in Indonesia about 37 years ago. I was gifted this amazing machine by my uncle in early 1973. I personally used this beautiful calculator during my freshman year in 1973, but then replaced it sometimes in 1974 with an HP-35 electronic calculator. I have no idea when and where my uncle bought it. Also, I have no idea about such a machine before I got it and after I got it I used it with pride since all my classmates used slide rules at that time. Operating Curta during an exam or lab work had always caused a bit of embarrassment and "joy" as the sound the machine made as it made the calculations when it was on spread throughout the room. My Curta has been “retired” since 1974 but I still have it in my warehouse today. Unfortunately the instructions are missing. The machine is still in its round aluminum case but due to the high humidity the bottom pad has become brittle and is now gone and the two screws on the underside of the machine are already corroded (see attached scanned image). 704 Doug Middleton dougm(arroba)wi-five.net elusive, texas
EU 817 845 4256 0 1 525151 Hello Rick! Great website. I have a Type II SN 525151 which is like new in a metal can. The can has a left-hand thread and is very nice with a small dent and signs of wear. I received the Curta from the widow of a geophysicist who, like me, was a well-rounded bunch. He also had an old Triumph in stock, so maybe he was thinking about rallying as well. I too am surrounded by Boy Scouts and now Girl Scouts too so I know what you mean! Thank you for your effort on the website. 705 miguel werner mgwerner(at)gmail.com Carretilla, Alaska
EU
1 1 38566
535166 After years of reading about it, I finally bought one online. An amazing piece of machinery and art. 38566 is my second Curta. I wanted a smaller one for everyday use. This one needs a bit of work, so it'll probably be coming to the store soon. 706 William T. Schrader, Ph.D. schrader(arroba)niehs.nih.gov Research Triangle Park, Carolina del Norte
EU
1 0 43859 This unit was purchased by my father in the 1950's or early 60's when he was in international sales for a defense contractor. To create accurate prices that are accurate to decimal places and provide volume discounts etc? I needed something like the Curta. He bought it sometime on a trip to Europe. He gave it to me after he retired. I've had it ever since and I like to show it off to some of my colleagues here in IT from time to time. It really is a wonderful mechanical device! 707 Vicente Merlen vmerlen(arroba)gmail.com Montreal, Quebec
YOU HAVE
1 1 10024
503487 I have two curtas, one for each type. I first discovered these wonders in 2007 when I was looking for information about the first HP calculator. I quickly felt the need to have one and since it showed up in most searches on Google I decided to try my luck. I bought two online but quickly resold them and made a decent profit both times. As soon as I did that, I knew I had made a mistake! Time passed and I forgot about Curta for a while. Then, a few months ago, the momentum came back. I went back online and won an auction for a Type I serial number 10024 in excellent condition. It even has an identifying mark, which is not due to abuse but to a manufacturing defect: the [8] on the top knurled ring is clearly three small overlapping circles instead of two. The upper neck also bears the famous "System Curt Herzstark" engraving which I understand was more common on the Type I Curtas lower serial number. It works perfectly! I am also the proud owner of a very old Curta Type 2 (SN 503487) that I found in the classified ads on the internet! It comes with its original metal box and both are in mint condition! The ad had been in the classifieds for almost a month and few people had seen it. I thought I had a chance so I contacted the seller and offered to buy it. We agreed and the rest is history. Knowing my father would probably be interested, I recently contacted him and asked if he knew Curtas. His answer totally surprised me: not only did he know it, he had one that my grandfather had given him just before he died. Even better, I learned that the latter not only sold these in the 1950's but was one of the few trained and licensed repairers in the north of France! What coincidence or was that it? I'm still waiting to find a full kit with box but see how much these are selling on the internet. I don't think I can ever fulfill this wish. I would also dream of finding one at a flea market, as apparently many here did; I think it must be the best experience for a curta lover to find one! 708 David Windsor david.windsor(at)gmail.com Viktoria, BC
YOU HAVE
1 0 73706 I first saw the Curta at my mother in law in the early 2000's, she said my father in law used it years ago, he was a civil engineer in the forestry department for almost 4 decades. "He used it to count trees or something," he said. In March 2010 she was doing some renovations in her house and I saw her again. I asked him about it and he gave it to me. It is in excellent near mint condition. The plastic case has some dents and scratches, the "Target" label at the top is undamaged and the "Curta Open" label has a small part of the label bent over in the upper left corner, looks like it came that way, it is not new damage. It has upper and lower bumpers inside. The Curta Type I has only a few tiny paint defects, one on the crank knob and a few on the bottom, on the ring not the plate. Some of the paint will wear off along the top edge of the bottom ring where it rests in the palm of your hand during use. The biggest loss, however, is the missing trim lever. It still has all five decimal marks on the top ring, but only two of the bottom three. I love precision engineered tools, the Curta is at the top of my list, right above automatic watches, watches just aren't versatile enough to beat the Curta at the top. 709 jay holovacs Jayh6(arroba)verizon.net South Bound Brook, Nueva Jersey
EU
1 0 20247 I have a Type I (SN 20247) that my father (a designer for an aircraft equipment company) bought in the 1960's when I was a kid. From what I remember he paid about $400 for it. He just let me play with him a little bit at the time. After his death I got the calculator and his slide rule. The curta was used with love. The metal case is slightly worn, for the calculator itself, slight signs of abrasion on the ridges are the only signs of wear. 710 Pedro Hewetson peterhewetson(at)britpensions.ca British Pensions Consultants Inc.
4 Tollerton Ave., Toronto, ON
YOU HAVE
3 2 8335
29468
40579
511869
545150 I recently bought a poster from you and thought I'd register my curtas with you while I'm at it (great idea for the curta community, if there was a way to look up the serial numbers vs the names that would be great for security buyer). By the way, I'm very impressed with the poster, good job. I hope I can do half as well by printing and framing these patent diagrams! I found out about Curta through pattern recognition and after finding out a bit more about her I knew I had to have one and after finding out more about her I knew I had to have one of each species! I got Jack Christensen's #8335, a near perfect example of an early Type 1 (thanks Jack!) after it was completely torn down and parts from his NOS collection replaced. #511869 is a really clean excellent all metal type 2. #545150 has the plastic bowl and crank and works perfectly no major dents or scratches but needs a good clean when I have time. Both Type 2 were bought online. I'm still looking for a nice all black Type 2 and a "cosmetically challenged" Type 1 if anyone is interested in selling and would be willing to trade #545150 which is in good condition overall. (update) Like my previous message, thanks for making and maintaining your great website, thanks for the great poster, etc. Just a quick note: the curta on my desk that I use for daily calculations is 40579; The serial number is engraved above the other letters on the motherboard (their website lists the latest known, which predates mine a bit). FYI I'm still trying to figure out how many of the early Greybody Type 2s had the original slider layout: BB-RRR-BBB-RRR instead of the standard BB-R-BB-R-BB-R-BB on almost all type 2. This variant can be seen at www.curta.li - site owner Murff calls her "Bernerin". The owner of 512132 tells me that his machine belongs to the last group of keys (default); so the series has a maximum of 1499 machines (from 510633 to 512132). I have 511869 and would be interested in another if I ever see one for sale. I would also let 29468 go if you know someone in the market for a very fine to excellent example! 711 Stan Stumbo stanstumbo(arroba)comcast.net Isla de Bainbridge, Washington
EU
0 1 501149 Apparently an early Type II, manufactured mid-March 1954 according to the calculator. I bought mine online from a guy in England. Her father was her original and only owner. 712 Carlos Navalon carlos(at)mnavalon.com Barcelona
SPAIN
1 1 26051
561477 Regarding the Curta ones, I have two, the "I" type SN 26051 with a metal case and the "II" type with SN 561477 with a plastic case. Both are in very good condition. I got them online in Spain and Austria at prices of 496 and 500 euros respectively. As for me, I like all calculation tools. I have about 100 slide rules and about 40 mechanical calculators, plus abacus and other things. Greetings and congratulations on your WWW page. (This is a Google translation) 713 Marco Pederzoli mpederzoli(arroba)racine.ra.it danger
ITALY
1 1 30032
?????? I discovered Curta thanks to the Dark Roasted Blend website. I was immediately intrigued and started researching on the internet. After more than a year of hunting I got a Type II. But since I wanted a Type I, I went to Italia Curta Service (which luckily is 25km from my hometown) and we made a deal. Now I have my type I! 714 ABDUL MAJID BIN WAHAB majid(at)remotesensing.gov.my Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA 60133065110 0 1 527100 My first impression was that it was a hand grenade that my grandfather received in the mid 1990's when he was last working with the Australian Army in Borneo. 715 Jed Hartmann logos(arroba)kith.org Mountain View, Kalifornien
EU
1 0 24310 I bought it online from a seller in Argentina. I don't know anything about the history of this particular unit. I've admired Curtas for years and finally decided to buy one. It's not in perfect condition, but everything seems to be working; The only notable flaw is that the foam pad on the bottom of the case has hardened and partially crumbled. ...Oh, and now I see that if I'm not careful when adjusting the numbers on the adjustment knobs, the knobs can fall between the numbers, which this Curta seems to treat as a 9. So I have to be careful. about that. 716 Stephan Frick stephan.fricke(at)yahoo.de 45770 Marl, NRW
DEUTSCHLAND 02365 492059 2 0 37901
25575 Yes, I have 2 CURTAS TYPE I, SN 37901 in perfect condition and SN 25575 in perfect, NEW condition with no scratches or anything else. It really recloses. Note, I am looking for a new CURTA TYPE II with a metal housing. 717 Rob Smith rob(arroba)rscsmith.demon.co.uk London, United Kingdom
0 1 533985 I just got the Curta bug after reading "Pattern Recognition" by William Gibson. After surfing the internet for several months, I decided the obsession wouldn't go away, and I took the plunge. It is December 3rd 2010 and I have just received my Type II, SN 533985. I have no idea of ​​his history. It came with the original French manuals but no information about the original owner. I had never used one. What a fantastic team! I showed it to the office today. I haven't found anyone who has seen one before, even among the old engineers in the office. Thank you for all your work to keep vcalc.net running. A fantastic resource for us newbies. 718 chico robinson chico(de)robinsonpackaging.com Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Great Britain +44 1246 505196 1 0 40502 Passed down around 1968 by my father who bought it new (I think) and hardly used it as electronics came up when I was a kid. It was always on the shelf and was played on from time to time. Then in 2010 I met a rally navigator who had one. When I took it from his desk he told me to be very careful with his precious device! He was surprised I knew what it was and how it worked! 719 ian neve ian(arroba)ian-neve.co.uk London, England
Great Britain
0 1 548151 It has probably been in my possession for about 30 years and was given to me in exchange for a pair of WW1 Navy binoculars. It was a reluctant trade as the donor had borrowed the containers and lost or preferred them! 720 Amos Barnett currawong(at)googlemail.com Canberra, Australia or Fukuoka
JAPAN
0 1 518404 I have a type II, SN: 518404, which I inherited from my father. Unfortunately he passed away so I don't know where he bought it but it was probably in England. I'm sure he really would have used it since he was a scientist. But ever since there were electronic calculators, they ended up in his closet, where I discovered them as a child. I recently went back to clean my house and found it in near mint condition, probably because it was sealed in its metal box. A couple of the adjusters on the side were a bit stuck due to rust but I got it working again. In fact, it's one of the most beautifully designed and manufactured devices I've ever seen. I'll keep it out of sheer gratitude for that. 721 Peter Allen pwallen(at)optonline.net Long Beach, NuevaYork
EU
1 0 24149 I am the proud owner of a Type 1 with serial number 24149. I bookmarked it online after reading the fascinating story that appeared in Readers Digest a few years ago. 722 Eduard Lim rivest(at)googlemail.com Singapore, SG
SINGAPORE
3 3 38197
43441
57442
501442
522206
548699-D 548699 (Skeleton) I came across the Curta while searching online for vintage calculators and was immediately intrigued. Yes, the Curta can do that to you, as so many owners attest. It has a unique charm that cannot be described. Besides collecting the machines themselves, or "pepper mills", I also collect Curta-related literature. 722a

2011

2011

2011

2011




******** 2011 ********

723 Pedro Burton pburton50(arroba)hotmail.co.uk Worcester, UK +44 (0)1905 754175 0 1 548061 A retired computer programmer, I have always been interested in computer science and computers, studying computer architecture from a young age. At the age of 12, I bought a new fully mechanical Lancaster computer with a scope through Wireless World magazine. At the age of 14 I built myself a programmable computer from old post office relays that I had bought back in surplus from the same magazine. This machine had similar arithmetic characteristics as the Curta, but it took 20 minutes to do the division and took up about a cubic meter! Having grown up with all of HP's programmable calculators and transitioned to orbital dynamics calculations with DEC VAX superminis and mainframes, I wanted to return to the look and feel of the old mechanical age. So I was very happy to find your website and then to buy a Curta online. It is in near mint condition and works perfectly and is a real find considering the more realistic price I paid for it. It is a Type II with a plastic body and a flat top handle. The metal body of the machine is in finely wrinkled gray color and the sliders are in BBRBBR color...etc and they slide very easily. There are no scratches or marks on the Curta or its case and all numbers are finely engraved and easy to read. Since purchasing it, I've gone through all the calculations in his literature and looked at all the videos and kinematic CAD models. What an amazing machine. Congratulations to Curt Herzstark. 724 Harry Walter harry.walter(at)imail.de Stuttgart
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 6195 I have a very old Curta I from 1950 serial number 6195 in excellent condition, like new, working perfectly. I got it from a friend who lives in Munich and he got it from a neighbor who didn't know what to do with it. My friend thought you might be interested in such a strange thing. At first I didn't know what it was either. But now I know! 725 Thomas Collins tcollins.collins055(arroba)gmail.com Garfield Heights, Ohio
EU 216-240-8221 1 0 21435 About 10 years ago I was working on a house in Cleveland, Ohio. I saw some people carrying crate bags from the bed dresser to the trash on the sidewalk. I crossed the street and asked what was going on. They said the person who lived there died and her family paid her to clean the house. They said if I see something I'd like to help myself. So I started looking, dumping the boxes and found some brown. Inside I found this short in its steel box in perfect condition, also in the box was the manual and the guarantee paper. If you know or can find out I would like to know the year and month it was made, it is a really nice machine. Thanks for your time. ThomasCollins. 726 JR Schenk jr.schenk(at)yahoo.com Encinitas, California
EU
0 1 560377 I was in high school in Switzerland when the first affordable electronic calculators appeared (1975-1978). Curta saw that they couldn't keep up and offered the high school students a reminder of their shares for CHF 50.- (about $15 at the time). I bought it because I thought it was great. Since then I've become a mechanical engineer and have shown it to many fellow engineers by drawing lots of ooooohhhs and aaaahhhhs. 727 John Marley john.marley(at)gmail.com Green River, Wyoming
EU
1 0 43231 When I heard about the Curta a few years ago, I thought it was great that I had to have one. I found this one on the internet. It is in excellent condition. 728 Richard Deibel jddeibel(at)comcast.net

0 1 528555 I think I bought my Type II in 1961 or 1962 729 Doug community dkparrish(at)comcast.net Howell, Michigan
EU 517-548-0705 0 1 526078 For the past two years (since 2009) I've been following auctions for vintage calculators, specifically the HP-67 and HP-97. Several CURTAs appear daily on an old calculator site, but I didn't even bother to look at them for several months. Then I realized that these were indeed one-offs as they seemed to be in high demand. I started following them and searched everything I could find about them on the internet. One day in late 2010 one came out for 3 days at a good price. Realizing that an opportunity like this would never present itself again, I jumped in and did it. Came from Washington DC a week later, packed safely and very securely. It is in perfect condition as it has always been stored in its packaging. The previous owner told me it was previously owned by one of the developers of our modern GPS technology. It turned out to be a good topic of conversation. I even started visiting antique malls and cautiously asked if anyone had ever seen such a device. A guy at our local antique store told me he knew exactly what he was talking about because he saw one in Cleveland and bought it before it went on display. The YouTube video that shows how to take the square root of a number with CURTA is exciting. With practice, I could probably extract any square root of any number. However, I wish someone would write the steps. 730 Pablo Schuytema paul(at)schuytema.com Monmouth, Illinois
EU
1 0 40479 The curta belonged to my father when he worked as a sausage and meat processing engineer at Oscar Mayer (the metal tin still has a metal Oscar Mayer identification tag). He used it at work and in road rallies. I've had it since his death in 1977. 731 Ahmet Cullu-TETSIM ahmet(at)tetsim.com Istanbul
TURKEY
1 0 6132 I own a CURTA Type 1, serial number 6132, which was passed on to me by my late father-in-law, a well-known architect, Professor Orhan Safa. It is in good condition and still works. I found your website while looking for calculator maintenance options. Your website is full of valuable information and I admire your passion for this nifty device. 732 Los Hamilton Hamiltonl(at)comcast.net Palo Alto, California
EU
0 1 536649 CURTA(s): Type II gray with leather rally case I have a collection of slide rules and mechanical calculators. A colleague showed me his Curta and I was amazed. I searched the internet and found this Series II in very good condition. I placed the winning bid 10 seconds before the auction ended by increasing the bid by $1 from my cell phone while at the beach. 733 Jan Jutefors ryssby(arroba)mail.com Kalmar
SWEDEN
1 0 44626 I bought it at a flea market for about $4. It has been sold twice at auction here in Sweden: 2006 Stockholm Type II about $500 2008 Gothenburg Type I about $350 734 Steve Fischbach spam (de) outletexpress.net Seattle, Washington
EU
1 0 24946 I bought this Curta in 2011 from the second owner who lived in Canada. The original owner was a Dutch surveyor who bought it in the Middle East and later emigrated to the Canadian Yukon. I assume this device was made in early 1952. Thank goodness the device is in perfect condition as I had no intention of letting my curiosity get the better of me when I opened it. This site helped me eliminate my need by allowing me to see the inner workings with great illustrations and demos. The metal box, sales brochure, manual and introductory book are in new condition. He was fascinated by the seemingly complex nature of such a device. It gives me great satisfaction to hear the gears turning with such precision. I wish I could have contributed more to this site but right now I'm fascinated by the history and the deep interest of so many people here. 735 Kirby Crawford kirbycra4d(arroba)charter.net Reissee Wisconsin
EU
0 1 539629 Plastic case, clockwise opening I purchased this calculator in May 1967. My girlfriend and I were vacationing in Europe from our work at the US Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan, Africa. He worked as a geodetic surveyor and carried out mapping in the deserts of eastern Sudan. While on vacation we visited a hardware store in Kaiserslautern, Germany where I bought the new Curta #539629 for about $150. I have used the calculator on numerous engineering and mapping projects in many remote parts of the world, including the Norsk Polarinstitutt's 1971 expedition to the arctic regions of the Spitsbergen archipelago. I still take it out of my closet from time to time to do mechanical calculations as a nostalgic exercise. It still works perfectly and I still marvel at its exquisite and precise engineering. 736 Sergio E. Niski serniski(at)gmail.com Saint Paul
BRAZIL
1 0 9143
737 Martin Koch martyvx(at)msn.com Great Britain
0 1 532300 I have a curta type 2 no. 532300 in very good condition in a black metal case in the original packaging and with the 4 rules of calculation. I've had this for about 20 years and have used the machine in my work as an engineer. 738 Ricardo Felix Rossi rfrossi(at)hotmail.com Sao Jose dos Campos, Sao Paulo
BRAZIL
0 1 513544 My name is Ricardo, I'm Brazilian and I live in Sao Jose dos Campos, a very important city 100 km from Sao Paulo. Type II device only, with original manual and box. I've recently become the happy owner of this amazing device, the Curta calculator. As a mechanical engineer, I am very impressed with this mechanism and its precision. I have searched the internet to estimate the age of my unit and using all methods of calculation I found that it was made between 1955 and 1957. That is amazing! This Curta belonged to a friend, an old English engineer, who spent his last years in Brazil near my parents' house. Since his widow decided to move elsewhere, she gifted this device and other items to my parents as a tribute to their years of loyal friendship. Considering that I am the only engineer in the family and have a special interest in old tech devices, my parents decided to give it to me. Until now I didn't know anything about this type of calculator, so I searched the internet to find more information about it. That's how I found this website. Using the age calculation by serial number, I believe my unit was manufactured between 1955 and 1957. Also, it's doing quite well, has a very interesting story that I'm proud to tell friends who visit my house. Greetings from Brazil, people of Curta! Thank you Rick! 739 Jay winchester264(at)aol.com

1 0 40142 I have a Type 1 #40142 with the serial number above. I've had it for over 40 years and never knew what it really was. 740 Bill Solomon bill(at)wbsolomon.com Arce, Ontario CANADA
0 1 546113 I bought my Curta new around 1965, used it for a couple of years when I was involved in rallying and completely forgot about it for 40 years until my daughter brought this website to my attention. Brings back memories of my wasted youth! 741 Rick Gruenwald dlineranch(at)gmail.com

0 1 552170 Mr. Furr I am a retired surveyor and have a Curta Type II #552170 calculator, HP-25, with both manuals. HP-41CV with topography 1 and mathematical statistics. and manuals. HP-48SX with Cogo card. HP-48GX with cogo gx/sx and 128k. The Curta is in very good condition and the calculators are used but also in very good condition. Briefcase stored in the field to avoid exposure to dust. I have a custom leather case for the 48 gx and Hp vinyl cases for the others. Curta comes with a plastic case and original instructions. 742 Jaime Garcia Jimenez de Arechaga baa22306(at)googlemail.com Montevideo, Uruguay
1 0 2059 I am in Montevideo, Uruguay and my Curta i serial number is 2059 743 Ray Griest Ray Griest Trabuco Canyon, Kalifornien
EU 949-459-8748 0 1 510477 This CURTA was owned by my father who bought it new in the early 1950's, R. Howard Griest, Chief Scientist at Hughes Aircraft. He designed the guidance system for the first Falcon air-to-air missile and worked on the first lunar module. I know you've used your CURTA and a slide rule on these and other projects. He loved mechanical devices, from cameras to calculators. When my father died my mother gave me her CURTA which is like new and in perfect condition. 744 Jean Aitken jaitken(at)persona.ca Calgary, Alberta
YOU HAVE
1 0 58260 This Curta was a gift from my brother-in-law to my husband Ian Aitken. My husband passed away in February 2011 and I found him while going through his belongings. 745 Pedro G. Osborn pgo(at)peterosborn.com Felder, Hertfordshire, England
Great Britain +44 1442-236255 1 0 52339 My father, dr. Sidney B. Osborn, bought this Curta in the 1960's when I was a boy to use for his PhD thesis on the use of radiation in medicine. I remember well. My sister and I were able to earn pocket money by using Curta to do some of the seemingly endless calculations for him. My father recently passed away and I am now the proud owner. It is in fairly good condition as it has not been used for many years. 746 James Fricker fricker(de)optusnet.com.au Melbourne
AUSTRALIA
0 1 511023 My Type II s/n 511023 has a black metal case. It is in "like new" condition and works perfectly (but without the original instructions). (Last used by my father, an engineer, circa 1960) 747 Robert Taylor spcretaylor@gmail.com Saint-Louis, Montana
EU
0 1 519840 1 Curta calculator in a metal case (support knot in the case lid is present but broken), guarantee certificate, 52-page sample book, Heuer Timer Corp delivery note (invoice no. 10677), mathematics handbook, 64-page leaflet titled "Your CURTA calculator" on the one side, the 4 rules of calculation on the other side. All documentation is in good condition, albeit aged, but without breaks. I inherited this unit from my grandfather who ordered it from Montgomery Ward on July 2, 1962. 748 Ruth Blume rblume10(at)mchsi.com

0 1 537070 I have the blue box and leather case, dealer information, magazine ad, 51 page computer example booklet, instruction booklet and plastic packaging. It appears to be in excellent condition. 749 James Dee PilatusJED(at)aol.com thunder bay ontario
YOU HAVE
1 0 31817 First seen at the Canadian Antique Road Show in Thunder Bay, Ontario. I'm curious and had to have one. He lost many on the internet and eventually won one from England. 750 Jim McIntyre jim.macintyre (arroba)live.co.uk Centeno, East Sussex, England
Great Britain
0 1 548156 My mum bought my CURTA from a car dealer about 25 years ago for £0.50. Neither my mother nor the man who sold it had any idea what it was or its function. My mother bought it because she thought it was "interesting". He gave it to me because he thought I could use it for my work. I was a surveyor back then. It has a green body and a black plastic case. 751 Bruce Maltby bmo(arroba)clearspan.co.za Bryanston
SOUTH AFRICA
0 1 536760 I searched the internet and purchased the above from Larry & Carole MEEKER of Patented Antiques.com in Somerset CA. It costs a little! But I received it last Friday and it's in excellent condition, without the box but with the perfect plastic case and all the instructions. I also have a collection of mechanical watches, my contacts in this area are also fascinated by the Curta. 752 rob shook labrador992001 (at) yahoo.com Texas
EU
1 0 66933 My father bought it new (not sure of date, location or circumstances) and it was gifted to me. Perfectly working, storage box made of plastic. 753 Crawford Mackeand jcbmck(at)gmail.com

1 0 63721 I'm sitting here looking at a Curta Type I which I have owned since I bought it in Geneva around 1965-66. It has the serial number 63721 and I bought it from Papeterie Delachaux S.A. bought. at Croix D'Or 27, Geneva, while we were on holiday in Switzerland. The project he had in mind for him was never carried out so it sat on the shelves of various houses in England and since 1968 in the United States. Therefore, as always with rare test calculations, it works in a new, unscratched plastic box with printed instructions, printed instructions from 1964 and one-page instructions for "sample calculations". . They are also all still in the original packaging and it is hardly marked. Looking at the serial number and the date range I bought it, corroborated by dated literature and the years we visited Geneva (only once by car from England), I can see that some of the methods used to derive the year of manufacture of the serial numbers must be a fatal error. But it's just a data point! I've been retired for about 20 years and when I see the asking prices I think it's time to pass them on to someone who wants one more than me! I guess I'd better turn on my camera and turn on the internet. Thank you for an interesting site. 754 marvin r crawford mrccm123(at)comcast.net St. Augustine, Florida
EU 904-460-2268 1 0 19604 I found this garbage bound Curta while looking through some furniture and debris on the sidewalk near my house. It was in a fun box with straw strings covering the sides and top of the box. Inside were the two owner's manuals and a warranty from Gilbert Sales Company, Fort Lauderdale, FL. And a shiny black metal case that, strange to me, opened backwards (clockwise). This fascinating calculating machine was in the case and was in very good condition. It showed signs of wear and worked perfectly. I was wise enough to read the instructions before attempting to use the device. I ran it through the attached sample math calculations and it worked without any issues. I think the saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is true. I intend to keep it unless they offer me a lot for it... 755 Andres Ruales aruales(at)pciudad.com Quito
ECUADOR
1 0 ????? I found your collectors site by accident, I have a CURTA that belonged to my father, I will check it out for more details and let you know. As I said, it belonged to my father, it looks like new except for the manual which is a bit damaged. 756 Stefan Vogel ssbird(arroba)internode.on.net Melbourne, Viktoria
AUSTRALIA
1 0 58206 I was watching a TV show about antiques and the Curta was their 'Best Pick of the Week'. It really got my attention. After several years of lobbying, I convinced my wife to let me buy one for my 40th birthday. In 2011 I bought this Curta de Romano from Curta Service in Italy (which I highly recommend) because I wanted a serviced one. Luckily it was also in perfect condition. The Curta was previously owned by a collector in Germany. 757 Alberto Plesman apless(at)gmail.com Caracas Venezuela +85 212 7931221 1 0 36251 I have a CURTA calculator that is in perfect condition and works perfectly. It belonged to my father who bought it around 1955 and 1960 I believe. If anyone is interested in buying it, please feel free to contact me... 758 David Ross ross(at)hypertools.com SW Washington
EU
2 1 47643
80177
504241
759 Jörg Landreth glandreth(arroba)sbcglobal.net Northern California
EU
1 0 72528 Bought new by my father circa 1968-1970(?) In perfect condition hardly used "It is a thing of joy and beauty." 760 BEEN. Popham, Jr., O.D. bepophamod(de)bellsouth Cartersville, Georgia
EU 770-655-0360 1 0 77194 I became aware of the Curta through an online video. I knew I had to have one and have read and researched a lot about the Curta. I finally found what I wanted on a website, spoke to the owner and made the purchase. Lots of $$. Number 77194 is "like new" and appears to have never been worn when I received it. It belonged to a doctorate in mathematics, they told me, and he bought it new. She is now in a nursing home and her niece decided to sell what she says was one of her favorite possessions. I told him to tell Uncle Brad he sold it to the right person because I will appreciate it as much as he did. 761 Adrian Jones Adrian(de)woodsgood.ca Ottawa, Ontario
YOU HAVE
0 1 531202 Purchased by an American or antique buyer through an eBay auction in August 2011 762 Tim Hankey tim.hankey(at)btinternet.com Thetford, Norfolk United Kingdom
1 0 73138 Bought new in Singapore in 1968. Still complete with manual. It sits on my desk to remind me of engineering excellence! 763 Francisco T. Lombardi flombard(at)twcny.rr.com Syracuse, New York
EU 315 254 5402 1 0 34206 I bought my Curta in 1956 at a PX Air Force Base in Germany while flying a C 119 all over Europe. When I returned home, I used it successfully to calculate payroll for a fledgling company until the electronic calculator took over. I have just sent it to Jack Christensen who has replaced a wiper lever and has reported that it is in excellent condition. The data is: CURTA Type I No. 34206, black metal box, "Instructions for use for the CURTA", brown box with serial number on the lid. 764 Andre Lucena andre.lucena@yahoo.ca Edmonton, Alberta
YOU HAVE
1 0 77545 I've been fascinated by these little gadgets since a friend mentioned them (and showed me a photo of them) in 2005. After almost 6 years of craving, I finally pulled the trigger on a Type 1 mint (SN 77545). The person I got it from also got it (on eBay) and no information is available as to its provenance, although the manual has "obtained in 1967" handwritten on the front. 765 Mike Langen mike(at)mikelangen.com Oise
FRANCE +33 (0)3 44 81 61 42
1 0 14172 My father bought this machine in Frankfurt, Germany in the 1950s or 1960s. I think he probably couldn't handle it, and neither could I. I got it about thirty years ago. Do you want me to send you some photos? I'm interested in selling it. Congratulations on the fantastic job you have done. Big. 766 Graham Nash Bauer (at) westserv.net.au Camberra, ACT
AUSTRALIA
5 3 4440
7430
38872
52241
78106
503302
511861
546850 I have been looking at your excellent website for some time now and really appreciate the regularly updated information and links to other useful Curta websites. I learned about Curta calculators a few years ago while volunteering at GeoScience Australia (the Australian Government's Geological Survey). Scattered throughout the building are glass cabinets housing all manner of antiquated but very well constructed scientific and surveying instruments, including several Curta calculators. Curiosity got the better of me and after reading about the curta I was hooked. Always hopeful I always stop by antique and thrift stores to see what I can find but selection in Australia is limited and I've never seen a Curta for sale. I also tried this strategy when I traveled in Spain and Morocco.... unfortunately only a lucky few can tell these $15 bargain tales. I finally bit the bullet and bought on eBay. My first Curta was a very late pristine Type 1 which I overpaid for...a fact not helped by what was then a very weak Australian dollar. Still, it was a nice machine and I soon thought about buying a second Curta... so I had "one each" (a Type 1 and a Type 2). I quickly discovered that there are so many subtle variations that I can't possibly hope to own them all... and then there's the whole "prime numbers" thing. To narrow my desire for these machines, I decided it would be good to point out good examples of what I perceive to be significant production variations due to ship development. For me, that includes a total of nine machines, six type 1 and three type 2. I have the following eight so far: Type 1 4440 - sliding pin - engraving "Curta Reschenmachine" - right shell - engraving "CURTA" with "A" square - original manuals and black sliding case (original?)
Type 1 7430 - normal slide - "Curta Reschenmachine" engraving - box on the left - CURTA engraving with "A" square - original manuals
Type 1 38872 - regular sliders - all metal construction - unusual base plate with number above - bowl left - CURTA engraved with round "A" - original manuals and box
Type 1 52241 - normal sliders - plastic crank - metal cleaning ring - left metal head with sticker instead of engraving - all original papers, manuals and box
Type 1 78106 - regular sliders - plastic crank - plastic cleaning ring - plastic bottle with sticker - original manuals and box
Type 2 503302 - All black construction, short metal handle - Metal shell - CURTA engraved with round "A" - Original manuals
Type 2 511861 - gray painted body (transitional type) - grouped colored sliders - long metal crank - metal shell with decal instead of etching
Type 2 546850 - gray painted body - "normal" slider assembly - plastic crank - plastic scraper ring - plastic container with sticker - original manuals
.... I'm still looking for an early Type 1 in the serial number range 2### with "Curta Reschenmachine" engraved on the shell. 767 Roberto Koffsky spintech(at)optonline.net Albany, New York
EU
1 0 71270 I am selling a Curta (Type I, serial number 71270) with an interesting story and perhaps a unique piece of literature. After World War II, my father, Samuel Koffsky, who was chief engineer at Simmons Machine Tool Corporation (Albany, NY), traveled to Europe at the behest of the Marshall Plan and his company. A leader in the design of standard and special machine tools, Simmons had worked around the clock during the war, supplying special machines to arsenals across the country and manufacturing basic ship-mounted machine tools. He returned to rebuild contacts for the company. He also brought a Curta and an agreement for Simmons to become a US distributor of the calculator. He used the Curta regularly at work along with his slide rule and it was a permanent fixture on his desk. He died in 1953 without ever entering the digital age and I inherited his curta. I wore the curta in high school and took it to college only to have it stolen later. After a few years when I could afford it I bought a new Curta from The Curta Company in Van Nuys which I want to sell. It's like new as I used digital calculators and had no use for them. I have all the original literature that came with Curta, including his CURTA calculator, math manual and calculation examples for the CURTA calculator (by Contina AG). Also, I have included an original English language sales brochure with the information for Simmons Curta office machines on the back cover. I spent a little time researching this early connection between Curta and the US. USA, but without success. Below is the image of the front and back of this brochure. Any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. As mentioned above I am interested in selling the Curta and its accompanying material and would appreciate any information you could give me going forward. 768 Diego Raimondo diego.g.raimondo(at)gmail.com San Martin, Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
1 0 2078 I found them at a carnival in Montevideo, Uruguay 769 Glen Piersall Piersallg(at)aol.com Seattle, Washington
EU
0 1 525553 My CURTA belonged to my uncle, who gave it to me a few years ago. The can has new pads on both the top and bottom and the original white O-ring. The computer is in perfect condition. My uncle took very good care of his toys and so did I. I would be interested in a manual that fits this device if I can find one. 770 Joel Kickbusch Joel.Kickbusch(at)gmail.com Rockledge, Florida
EU
0 1 530170 My wife gave this to me. Yes, I have a wonderful wife! It has the metal case, the original instructions and a leather case with a strap. The metal cleaning ring was cracked when I received it, but other than that it was *perfect*. I asked Jack Christensen to send me a NOS ring. I'm having a blast fixing this! So, it was great that it was damaged when I got it. I got a German version of the repair manual (thanks to Ernie Jorgenson) and learned a lot about the operation without taking it all apart. I'll leave that to others... I enjoy playing with this and have started trying to learn how to calculate cube roots. A good tool that I think deserves to be used. 771 MATTHEW JAKOBS MATT(DE)MJJACOBS.COM GLEN ROCK, NJ
EU 201-445-9669
1 0 527785 For 40 years I had seen the Curta on my father's desk. I took it out when I needed it, but I ALWAYS put it back in the case. His hands were a whirlwind and I always wanted to know what he was doing, but he insisted we weren't allowed to touch his curta, which was one of his most prized possessions! My father has been away for several years and when my mother asked if I would be interested in some of her old hats the precious Curta was tucked in underneath! Finally, I am now the proud owner of my own Curta Model II (and have also been able to add my father's collection of interesting slide rules to my own). Dark Roasted Blend dot com published a full page article on mechanical calculators today and spent the first half with Curta.http://www.darkoastedblend.com/2008/09/stunningly-intricate-curta-mechanical.html 772 Jim Falk
Melbourne
AUSTRALIA
2 1 5424
76436
5????? I have three curtas. The first is the Type 1, Series 5424, one of the original production models with slide pins and gold lettering. It is in near mint condition, complete with its original metal case and foam cushion. The only deviation from mint condition is a slight patina on the two metal screws on the underside, excusable for one so close to start. This is definitely the pride of the collection. The second is also type 1 but much later series 76436. It is new and comes with its original metal case and original box in which it was sold, all in perfect condition including its instruction manual. It belonged to the seller's grandfather, who worked for one of the major commercial machinery manufacturers. It was probably given to him as a gift and then pretty quickly put on a shelf where it remained in pristine condition. The third is a Type 2, better than excellent and complete with its metal body and a leather case that it slides into. All three Curtas are in perfect condition. They were bought off eBay (at very reasonable prices) to be part of a larger collection of calculus approaches, from the first publication of logarithms (early C17) to the "vanishing point" of the HP-35. 773 David Irwin dairwin_2000(at)yahoo.com Sussex Occidental, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 15604 After reading your very interesting website, you may want to include my details on your registration page. 774 Peter Holm peter.c.holm(at)ericsson.com o
peter.cr.holm(arroba)gmail.com Gothenburg
SWEDEN
1 0 56030 I have had an old Curta for many years. I got it as a gift from my uncle Sture who used it in the 1960's when he was an accountant for a small company importing American cars to Sweden. 775 Peter Hagen pphagen21(at)wi.rr.com Franklin, Wisconsin
EU
1 0 53600 With metal case and 2 manuals "Your CURTA calculator" and "Mathematics manual". This CURTA belonged to my father, Marcus Hagen. He was a design engineer and appreciated the design and finish of the unit. I only remember seeing it used on rare occasions and then putting it back in its case and putting it away. It became my property when he died a few years ago. I am currently looking for a good home for it. 776 Andy Guyer bassabassa(at)comcast.net Broomfield, Colorado
EU
0 1 552775 I found my CURTA at a pawn shop in Las Vegas, NV. The store's name is "Gold and Silver Pawn" from "Pawn Stars". You have a clip of my CURTA at the bottom of your website. They gave me a good deal, way less than what they bought it for (from the video). I have followed your instructions and now I have mastered The 4 Rules of Arithmetic. Thanks for the very informative site! 777 Sebastian Mendoza Guzman sebastian.mendoza(at)gruporedi.com MEXICO
1 0 3635 I found the calculator in the belongings of a friend's late father and he asked me to take care of his belongings. 778 Ryan Albrecht ryan(arroba)ryanalbrecht.ca Toronto, Ontario, Kanada
1 0 75960 I bought this Curta on eBay from someone in CANNES, France as a gift for myself. It's a legacy of the modern computer and a brilliant device. This one has a sticker at the bottom from the store it was sold in that reads:
INNOVATION
exclusive sales partner
10 BEAR STREET - PARIS
9 R N R OF VICTORIES - PARIS
TELEPHONE 887 46 80
779 Guillermo Levine wlevine(at)cox.net Wichita, Kansas
EU
1 0 67243 I've wanted one since I was in high school and saw the ads in Scientific American. I couldn't afford one with my pocket money. I bought it on eBay in 2009. 780 David Richardson caveman280843(arroba)yahoo.co.uk North East Grimsby, Lincolnshire, UK
1 0 67509 In the 1970s I used my Curta to calculate stock trades until it was superseded by an electronic machine. It was heavily used at the time but is still in excellent condition having been stored in its bakelite case since it became redundant. I looked for a user guide on Yahoo because I couldn't remember exactly how it worked. The Internet provided not only the manual, but also links to his page and the history of the machine. Impressive, I didn't realize there was so much information available. 781 Devin Mulder Email Muskegon, Michigan
EU
0 1 557998 CURTA(s): Type 2 gray case with black plastic case My Curta was given to me by my mother. It was originally my dad's Curta and he used it for TSD (time/speed/distance) road rallies. Before I had this Curta I had an older Type 1 Curta that one day while using it the gears and springs inside broke and went everywhere. He sent it back to Liechtenstein for repair and instead of repairing it they sent him a new Curta Type 2. 782 gareth davies Zigarren(arroba)mweb.co.za Port Elizabeth, Easter Cape, South Africa +27413672544
1 0 61307 It was given to me in 1971-1972 by an American friend who got it from someone in Mauritius. It is in its container and I managed to get a FOC instruction manual from HILTI A.G in 1972. Around 1973 I had to make a trip to Salisbury which was then Southern Rhodesia and at Customs I was forced to prove it while Customs officers took cover in the back of the room in case it was an explosive device. That was during the Zimbabwean War of Independence. 783 Gabriel Johnson gabe(at)rallybimmer.com Anoka, Minnesota
EU
1 0 74703 I found out about Curta in the rally community here in the upper midwest. I've always been a gadget guy, so I found a good deal on eBay of all places. Unfortunately it currently needs a few small parts on the top cap and no case was included. Hopefully it'll be up and running again soon. If it's not fixable, I guess I'll have to find another one! Thank you for the tidy page and registration maintenance. It's been a long time since I bought a Type 1 (SN 10342) but unfortunately after consulting Jack Christensen I decided to give it to another enthusiast rather than have it repaired. So I bought this type 1 to replace it. I bought it, again via eBay, from the son of an old rally driver. That was great because I'm interested in them because of their role in the early history of rallying. I've actually used this on a few TSDs after learning about some techniques and talking to the older rally guys who still attend events. Note: Gabriel sent the serial number 747073, this cannot be correct. I think it's 74703.... 784 Douglas Rothenberg rhd888(at)aol.com Shaker Heights, Ohio
EU
1 0 77495 Type I Curta (Plastic Case) I first heard about Curta calculators after reading Scientific American's January 2004 article and couldn't get it out of my head. Such an amazing device and an even more amazing creation story. I ended up doing the eBay thing until I was successful. I'm still learning how it works and how to calculate. 785 Matt O'Brien mobrien(arroga)bradley.edu Peoria, Illinois
EU
1 0 49062 Found on eBay. I love it 786 They are docile tellykursun tamer(de)alfen.com.tr Estambul, Kadikoy
TURKEY
1 0 27752 Very clean with original packaging. I found it at the Istanbul flea market. I never paid either! Free!! Because the seller doesn't know what it is for. 787 gary nivaggi gnivaggi(at)live.com Orlando Florida
EU 407-493-2189 1 0 20112 Hello Rick and good evening...I received the Curta sign today and it is really impressive. I look forward to taking it to work to show some of my manufacturing colleagues and others who would appreciate but never knew the Curta existed. Last weekend I became the proud owner of a Curta when the FedEx truck pulled up in front of our house... I think I had technically become an owner a few days earlier when I pressed the "Buy Now with PayPal" button. on eBay. It's a fairly early Type I with S/N 20112 and by the dating method I'm guessing late 1952, possibly early 1953... so a few months older than me. Hey, maybe we were both conceived on the same day... I have to ask my father if he remembers screaming "Curta" in that magical moment in late September 1952. The auction item had several very clear photos. and the seller advertised the device as perfect along with the case. It also came in the original box with serial number and although it was a little tattered I spent some time repairing the tears and now it looks pretty good. Also included were the original operating instructions from 10/28/50 and the blank guarantee card. The seller said mint and he wasn't kidding. I've always had an amazing ability to pay attention to detail, which can be a curse at times, just ask my wife. I don't think this beautiful device or the metal case spent more than a few quick minutes outside of the box... it really is that cute. I had reviewed Curtas on eBay a few years ago and after making the purchase I spent quite a bit of time on their site learning how it worked. Forty years ago I never had a desire to own a Curta as I had to have one of the new four function Bowmars with a red LED display, power supply, rechargeable batteries and a nice zipped case. Eighty dollars new and these days you can get more features for a dollar in the dollar tree. That's the story, Rick, and thanks again for the excellent and informative website. 788 Steve Salow k7ew(at)hotmail.com Portland, Oregon
EU
3 2 3605
57555
73368
500315
511525 I have about half a dozen serial numbers - I have two others but will need to provide their serial numbers later, they are currently being serviced by Master Jack! As you can see, two of them are very early. 3605 came from Australia. 500315 came to me from Wales but had apparently been to China (it has a label Shewan Tomes & Co Ltd Hong Kong Distributors on the bottom of the box). 73368 has a Servco Surveyors Service Co...Costa Mesa CA label on the bottom of the box on the outside. 511525 has alternating groups of three red and three black buttons, repeating from right to left: 3 red, 3 black, 3 red, 3 black. My other guy came to me from a Canadian surveyor. Everything from eBay. My other Type II came indirectly through eBay from the accounting department of a large Canadian brewery. I've taught myself some leatherwork, taken advice from Jack C. and made good leather cases for most of my small collection. I have taught math and science in junior high and high school for over 40 years and I have used one of my curtas with great care! - Enrich some of the lessons. It has fascinated many of my students and some have obviously fallen in love with it! 788a

2012

2012

2012

2012




******** 2012 ********

789 Falko Ducia falko(at)ducia.com On
AUSTRIA 0043 664 4603344 1 1 7704
543293 My father started with Curta I to calculate his, when I was studying civil engineering in Zurich I got Curta II, I used it until we calculated with IBM 1130 and STRESS (Structural Engineering System Solver). I found your site, glad I'm not alone with the mechanical marvel, both work great, 790 Jeff Harris jeffsharris@gmail.com San Francisco, California
EU (650) 265-1224 1 0 38391 Nothing interesting about the story... I've been a fan for a few years and finally gave up and bought it off ebay. 791 Ray Hinton jr. ray.hinton(arroba)gmail.com New York, New York
EU
1 0 30223 Found among my grandfather's belongings. He worked extensively with computers in the past (e.g. from the 1940s or 1950s) and had several other calculators including a "Quick Calculator" desktop machine and a round pocket slide rule. The Curta comes in a pretty metal cylinder shaped storage box which has a sticker on it that says 'CURTA Calculators of Canada Ltd'. I doubt it was ever really cleaned, so quite a bit of dirt built up in the slots for the decimal balls. Otherwise it is in very good condition. It works like a dream. Beautiful design, fantastic technology. 792 BURBIN yannic.bourbin(river)wanadoo.fr SIEGEL
FRANCE +33 6 07 43 06 81 1 0 21783 A friend of mine decided to sell it. 793 Jerez itself Sam9266(at)aol.com Albanian, Jorge
EU
1 0 17088 My father, who died in December 1992, was a retired Major in the Marine Corps and bought it sometime during his tenure. I'm not sure if he used it in the military, but I remember him and my uncle, also in the Marines, using it at home many years ago. I recently moved in about 2 weeks ago and unpacked it along with a bunch of antiques I've collected over the years and actually had it on a side table while watching an episode of Pawn Stars on TV last night, in which a curta occurred. I already knew it was a calculator and always thought it had some value due to its extremely precise and detailed movements, but I never realized it was actually that collectible. After the show I decided to google you and found your page with all this wonderful information. It appears to be in working order but some of the movement is stuck or I'm just not using it properly. The Curta has sentimental value to me, of course, as I lost my father in my twenties at 56 to cancer related to his heavy exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange while on tour in Vietnam as a supply officer. He was an incredible man who I have always been very proud of and miss very much. 794 David Donovan dave.donovan(arroba)bp.com London, England
Great Britain
0 1 508949 It was given to me by a work colleague who had two. Originally intended for counting drill pipe connections or similar in the Middle East. It seems unused. 795 Guillermo (Bill) de Swardt Johannesburg, Gauteng Province
SOUTH AFRICA
27 11 8846252 1 0 13274 My late father, Gus de Swardt, a technical surveyor, bought the new instrument from Suttner's, the only South African agent, around 1970. The instrument and its case are in excellent condition but the instruction manual has been lost. I would be most grateful if you could be informed on how to obtain a copy. Although the instrument has been well used and cared for, I doubt it has ever been serviced. If I can't find a trustworthy and knowledgeable person in SA, I may seek your advice again. Best wishes for 2012. Bill de Swardt 796 Cris Williams crwcomposer(_at_)googlemail.com Denton, Texas
EU
1 0 43473 I bought my Curta from a man who managed his wife's uncle's property. His wife's uncle had been a senior manufacturing engineer at General Motors in Michigan, and he was presumably the original owner. 797 francisco tognon ftognon(at)gmail.com Cordoba, Cordoba
ARGENTINA
1 0 66572 extra information 798 Jörg Franco jorgefrankon(arroba)gmail.com Buenos Aires, federal capital
ARGENTINA 54 911 5045 5674 1 0 14168 My grandfather Meyer Prengler bought it in Liechtenstein during a business trip to Europe in the early 1950s and gave it to me in the early 1970s. Now, in 2012, I gave it to my son, he is 15 years old. My CURTA works PERFECTLY and is in very good condition, with the original metal box. I like to use it every now and then. 799 Peter Lau pjlau(at)comcast.net Lowell, Massachusetts
EU
0 1 520108 Bought on eBay 800 Frank Walsh frank(at)fwalsh.com London
Great Britain
1 0 3403 It is in perfect condition with no signs of wear and still has its original padded metal case. I was a gift from my father (an accountant) and unfortunately I broke the knurled twist grip and one of the adjustment pins I played with as a kid. However, it is perfect in every other respect and still calculates perfectly. I have no idea how my father got involved, other than that he worked in East Africa in the 1950s and our family doctor was a German extermination camp surveyor. It may have been brought from Europe at the time. 801 Roberto Fey rfey33(arroba)yahoo.com.au

0 1 527607 I am the proud owner of a CURTA Type II in metal box and manual (all in excellent condition). According to the website, it appears to have been made in early 1958. It was purchased in November 1965 for the fare division of CENTRAL AFRICAN AIRWAYS (CAA), the national airline of the former Federation of Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. I worked for the airline and in 1974, after moving to the fare department, I took possession of the Curta and eventually managed to convince management to sell it to me as an obsolete device. I still have the receipt – R$9.00 (Rhodesian Dollars) and at that time it was equivalent to R$1.50 USD. 802 Gordon A. Brody, MD gabrodymd(arroba)mac.com Palo Alto, California
EU
1 0 56035 Inherited from my uncle Norman Alexander, a chemical engineer. I remember that he bought it in Frankfurt in the mid-1960s. The case and calculator are in great condition and have been used very little. He retired from active work shortly after acquiring it. He taught me how to use it and the highlight of my visits to him was tearing off the curta. He became very ill in the last 10 years and the CURTA disappeared. I found him a few weeks ago after he died. He had a huge chemical engineering library hidden in a bookshelf. Here in Silicon Valley, it's an admired oddity. 803 Christoph Guerin christophe.guerin(arroba)orange.fr SAINT-GOURSON, NEEDY
FRANCE 05 45 31 53 15
1 1 23602
500740 My Curta was broken when I bought it but I fixed it with two nails, a small piece of aluminum and some typewriter parts. After washing in the sink, it works perfectly. I'm not kidding: I actually made a pin and plunger out of two cement nails (they're super steel) and rebuilt a number wheel sprocket out of some aluminum. Model II, No. 500740, with original papers: 1 year guarantee from April 13, 1953. Ordered in January 1953, with a 3 month delay in delivery. It was priced at 69,500 francs (around $170 at the time) and priced at 59,500 francs for a Model I (with immediate delivery). This second curta is in perfect condition, I had nothing to do except a little cleaning. Notice in the picture that the back button has the vertical arrows while my model I, which is a few months newer, has the older horizontal arrows. 804 Maria-José Casaus-Reig girisarri77(at)gmail.com Valencia
SPAIN (34) 963696513 1 0 4011 My Curta lay in a closet for decades, half forgotten. It was bought, probably in Madrid, by my late father, an engineer by trade who died in 1955. One day, in 2012, I decided to reactivate this fascinating machine that now works perfectly in my hands. ... 805 douglas r braun drphysic2033(arroba)gmail.com Las Cruces, New Mexico
EU
1 0 70071 I moved to Las Cruces from the Sacramento Peak Solar Observatory in 1977. A few years later, I told the former director of the observatory about my interest in Curta calculators since 1963, when I was in high school in Seattle, Washington, where I was introduced to them at a rally. Driver who used them for speed/time/distance calculations. A year after this conversation, a scientist at the observatory, Dr. Don Neidig approached him and asked him if he knew what "this thing" was. He said that not only did he know, but he knew someone who would buy it if they wanted to sell it. The Curta, now mine, was found in a cupboard in her widowed mother's house, bought by her father and never used. He only wanted $250 for it but I told him it was worth more and if you can believe it I bought it for $750. It has all the manuals, the warranty card it was bought with and no brand. If you are interested, I can scan the documents. I like old mechanical things, cameras, typewriters, calculators, but I don't really collect them. La Curta is just one of the best parts of this group. 806 Keene Kelley Keinekelley(at)hotmail.com Nueva Orleans, Louisiana
EU
1 0 34091 I have a CURTA Type I in perfect condition. My grandmother gave it to me years ago. It belonged to my grandfather or my uncle. 807 Steve Hossner hossnerbiz(at)yahoo.com Hillsboro, Oregon
EU
0 1 509770
516257 Found (509770) locally on Craigslist for a reasonable price. This unit has been well used but is still running smoothly and perfectly. Incredible piece of engineering! I am buying this (516257) locally from the original owner's son. It came with the original documents proving the purchase in 1962 from a dealer in Switzerland. It is in excellent condition, only light signs of wear around the pivot point of the cleaning lever. 808 Derek Kozel derek.kozel(at)gmail.com California
EU
1 0 52185 The Curta is visually in very good condition, with the main visible blemishes being wear on the top edge of the offset ring and slight discoloration on the numerals and inscriptions. The case is in good condition with no dents but with numerous small scratches. The o-ring and bottom foam pad are present and intact, but the top foam pad is missing. I'm working on cleaning it up and building a display case. 809 Leonardo the same leouno(at)oi.com.br BRAZIL, Federal District
BRAZIL 55-61-9267-2292 1 0 25864 In 1999 an old teacher gave me this curta and asked if I could figure out how to use it. I figured it out myself (the internet wasn't the same as it is today) and I'll show you how to do some math. He says, "I've been at this for about 30 years and you'll find out in 3 weeks, here, it's yours." So I keep my Curta on my desk and show my friends my "cool" calculator. 810 Erkan Karaoguz fizerkan(arroba)doruk.net.tr Istanbul
TURKEY 9O 532 332 25 43
1 0 69288 MY GRANDFATHER HAS THIS SHORT FOR MANY YEARS, I DON'T KNOW HOW, WHY AND WHERE I BUY IT, AFTER HE DIED, HAVE STORED IT SINCE 1982, IF THERE IS A SERIOUS COLLECTOR WHO SAVE IT, BETTER THAN I AM READY, THE MACHINE FOR SALE TO SOMEONE. YOU CAN CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL OR YOU CAN USE MY PHONE NUMBER. NOTE: MY CURTA IS IN NEAR PERFECT CONDITION AS SEEN IN THE PHOTOS ATTACHED. 811 Carlo Walters charliewalters(arroba)aol.co.uk Great Britain
1 0 3392 I have my father's old Curta at home since he passed away 5 years ago. It is a Type 1 SN 3392 which I put into production around January 1948. Maybe you can check that. I can remember my father using it for calculations as a kid, spinning his hand quickly to get results. It hasn't been used in over 40 years, maybe 50. Seems to be working fine. At that age there doesn't seem to be many. 812 jody huneycutt jodyhuneycutt(at)gmail.com Ellijay, Georgia
EU 706-636-1967 1 0 73722 In the summer of 1967, after my freshman year at Georgia Tech, I had a summer job as a rodman on a surveying team for a company called Jimmerson-Dixon Engineering and Surveying in Forest Park, GA. One day that summer he was working with one of the directors, Bill Dixon, who was a registered surveyor, and he pulled out a curta to do some calculations. I fell in love with it and saved part of my salary ($1.25/hr) for the rest of the summer and bought one in the fall. My best memory is that the price was $125; Of the 12 weeks I worked this summer to earn money for my next year of college, over 3 weeks of my salary went towards purchasing the Curta. I used it for the next 3 years in college, including the EIT exam (I had to really push the proc to use it because of the "noise" it made, but he eventually allowed it). After I graduated and began working as a civil engineer with the Department of Public Works in Fulton County, Georgia, I continued to use it until the cost of electronic calculators, with their readily available trigonometric functions, dropped below the cost of the Curta, and then I retired , but I still have it. It is in excellent condition, in its original plastic case and works perfectly, just like it did in 1967. I have the small booklet that came with it, but the original packaging has been missing for 30 years or more. It is kept in a display case and usually only displayed to visitors. i love it anyway I think he represents the epitome of the engineering profession, he does his job with ease, precision and without being super fluid. It's elegant." According to the formula on the website, my Curta I was built in September 1969. I may be wrong when I bought mine, since I worked for Jimmerson-Dixon during the summers of 1967 and 1968 I think it might have been 1968 when I wore Bill Dixon's, but I really don't think so that he only waited more than a year before buying it. 813 Richard Rex rmxv(arroba)verizon.net Doylestown, Pennsylvania
EU
1 0 33699 It's in mint condition, albeit in frequent use, which says something about its quality (the same goes for the case, which is virtually unmarked). It was owned by an RAF navigator who claimed it was used in Canberra (light bomber) operations, but I'm not sure how it would work (as a pilot I can't imagine using it in a tiny cramped cockpit use). Many years ago we did an exchange: his Curta for my Webley & Scott .22 air pistol, two beautifully made pieces. 814 Shahabuddin Ibrahim shahabib49(arroba)gmail.com Kuala Lumpur, Bundesterritorium
MALAYSIA
1 0 58260 My story (as of September 9, 2012): I was born in 1949. In 1971, graduating with a degree in surveying from Kuala Lumpur Technical College, I was appointed as a cadastral surveyor to the Perak State Survey Office. It was here that I first found this magnificent calculator. As a surveyor who needed to perform accurate trigonometric calculations using a 7-digit log table, numerical calculations were part of my daily routine. Calculation speed was crucial as the number of calculations that had to be performed per workday was enormous. After years of practice (1971-1973) he was so good at it that he could slide the counters and turn the knob without even looking at the machine. That happened quite instinctively. Most of my tech friends, who at best only use the slide rule, were jealous of my tools of the trade. At the time, I never imagined that the day would come when the curta would be replaced by an ordinary-looking machine known as an electronic calculator. That day came in 1974 when an Australian surveying graduate brought home his calculator to impress us. Since then the Ministry has not bothered to service or repair the Curta as it was much cheaper to replace it with an electronic calculator. I understand that old/damaged Curta has been disposed of in mining pools to comply with government cancellation policy. This explains the lack of the machine in Malaysia. I continued my surveying career as an academic for some thirty years after continuing my postgraduate studies in England and the United States. By this time, the curta was already settled in the backyard of history and the precise and repetitive calculations were mostly done with computers. In 2012, while watching one of my favorite History Channel shows, The Pawn Stars, a lady brought a Type II Curter into the store and sold it for $725. Since then, my longing for my own Curta Type 1 has been rekindled. The Curta has been my trusty companion in surveying cadastral work in rural Malaysia and surveying the Malaysia-Thailand border as a surveyor. I started asking my fellow land surveyors here in Malaysia about the Curta, but unfortunately most have never heard of it, let alone seen one. Some I know who have used it before could not be contacted or have already passed away. When I was discussing this with my daughter-in-law as an architect, she suggested I look on eBay. And to my surprise, he was there with a lot of other information that I hadn't even heard of before. On two occasions I have tried to bid on it but have been unsuccessful. In the end I gave up bidding and decided to ask my daughter-in-law in Melbourne to buy it on eBay from a seller in Alberta Canada for $900. This is the story of a proud owner of the Curta Type 1, serial number 58260. Holding the Curta in the palm of my hand took me back to the years when life as a young surveyor was hard and challenging. My Curta and I are proud of our small contribution to this blessed land of Malaysia. 815 Hiroyuki Kitagawa kitagawa(arroba)amphenol.co.jp Yokohama, Kanagawa
JAPAN +81-80-1424-6727 0 1 517234 I am the owner of a CURTA Type II in a metal case and operating instructions. The condition is like new. The instruction manual looks like it was printed a few days ago. My grandfather who was only a doctor during WWII. He got it in the 60s and gave it to me in 1991. 816 David Penner dnlpenner(at)gmail.com Yreka, California
EU
1 0 10271 When things from the family farm were being searched for souvenirs or for sale, I asked about the curta because it belonged to my father, who was a surveying troop leader for many years. His first pocket calculator was the Curta. 817 jim pig azvette-1(at)msn.com Tucson, Arizona
EU
1 0 68675 Curta 1, #68675, with operating instructions and computer example booklet. Everything in perfect condition. I bought it in Hong Kong in 1968 and it has been in storage for most of its life. 818 Marco Kuehne frame.gestern(at)gmx.de Freiburg
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 54797 I saw my first Curta in the late 90s in my uncle's office, who collected some slide rules during his school and university days (50s to 70s) that he used himself. He tried to explain to me how to use the slide rules. I was confused ! After this lesson he opened a drawer and showed me his curta! After a 15 minute introduction I was in love. A few years later I saw a second Curta in the "Museum of Computer History, Mountain View, CA". And two years later I saw a third Curta: My!! It was a gift my wife gave me for my wedding... crazy, isn't it? The optical condition is slightly used, but technically excellent. My wife bought it somewhere in France. 819 Rick Hood ric.capucho(at)gmail.com Hütten, Zurich
SWITZERLAND +41 79 629 9484 1 1 6824
504270 About ten years ago (2012 as I write) I first read about Curtas in the New Scientist article and mentally put my impressions under "interesting, I should check eBay..." and then forgot everything. . Then, last year, I read William Gibson's book, and the reference to Curta struck me. So I re-read the Nazi article and immediately made my trawl. I was of course fascinated by how we all are. So many clicks on this site (and the other one across the street). Interesting... very, very interesting. And then, during the annual pilgrimage I make with my father-in-law to get wine from a vineyard in Malans, less than a million miles from Vaduz, he decided to drive down a road from his old army days, took a little detour, and we drove through moors, craning my neck to find some references to the factory (I couldn't see anything...). I was hooked then, followed by many months of web research and general greed, eBay auctions, keeping track of average cost, what's what, etc. I am now the very proud owner of an early (1949 I believe) Type I Round Pin and an early 1954 Type II. 820 James Kavanagh jdkavanagh(at)hotmail.com London, United Kingdom
1 0 15689 Great site thanks. I recently purchased a Curta Type I, SN 15689, in Geneva, Switzerland, which I believe is a mid-August 1951 model. Very beautiful, a small piece of genius with mechanical watchmaker precision in the manufacture. 821 Danny Almeida dpalmeida2(at)gmail.com Limerick, Pensilvania
EU
1 0 16425 I found a Curta Type 1 SN# 16425 in my father's personal belongings after he passed away. Glue the seams. The blades are difficult to push and the operating lever cannot be turned. Any advice on how to loosen the levers or where to send them for repair? I haven't done anything to solve it. I wouldn't spray it with a lube like WD40 without recommending it.My answer: Numeric input sliders can be lubricated with a light machine oil (e.g. sewing machine oil). WD40 works temporarily but tends to evaporate. You can easily access the sliders by removing the two screws on the bottom of the Curta and peeling off the bottom half. A stuck crank is much more serious and will likely require professional disassembly. 822 Laurent Dupont ldupont91(arroba)gmail.com Rambouillet
FRANCE
1 0 42571 A few items from my new zero environmental impact function calculator... I found some real bargains at the local flea market near my location (40E!!!) this week... 823 Chris Murphy christopher.murphy2(arroba)ntlworld.com Bedfordshire, England
Great Britain
0 1 519695 I inherited a Curta Type II calculator, serial number 519695, from my father who used it in his surveyor work in the 1960s. The metal storage box is in perfect condition. It was tucked away in a drawer five or six years ago and I never realized their value or how collectible they are. I put it up for sale on eBay for £850.00! Do you think this price is realistic? Now that I am the de facto owner I thought I should register it on your site too. Let me know if you need more information. 824 Larry Forman larry(at)forman.net Sacramento, California
EU
0 1 557237 I just bought a Curta Type II S/N 557237 off eBay. It was an electrical engineer's estate and came in a plastic and leather case with new manuals. I doubt it was ever used. It is in perfect condition. I'm also an electrical engineer and now teach math part-time, so having one of these is PERFECT! I will try to keep it in top condition but intend to use and enjoy it. I don't want to keep it as a paperweight in the museum. However, I can be very nice to him and intend to be very careful with him. It is in great condition and works like the new device. 825 Nuno Giro nunogirao(at)gmail.com Lisbon
PORTUGAL
0 1 534551 After discovering this amazing mechanical machine I bought one on eBay in October 2008 from a guy named Nick from Lancashire, UK. It is a type II, in very good condition and works perfectly. 826 L Van V Dauler Jr curtalvvd(at)spamex.com Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
EU
4 3 9819
20656
46699
76804
531866
541336
546602-D SN 76804 (with box and manuals) SN 546602 ("Cut-Away" version showing internal mechanisms. Works perfectly.) I was introduced to the Curtas by a math teacher in the late 50's. I've always wanted one and started hoarding them on eBay a few years ago. As you can see I now have more than what I originally wanted. All work perfectly, are in excellent condition and have their metal or plastic boxes. One also has a leather one. 827 Francisco Dieguez fd_uy(arroba)yahoo.com Montevideo, Uruguay
1 0 2189 Last week my father (Dr. Uruguay Dieguez) gave me a Curta (Type I No. 2189). The first owner was probably Ronald Webster Kay, a friend of my father's. He (Ronald) died about 12 years ago. His father was an English government agent (alleged English spy) who came to Uruguay and married a Uruguayan woman. His son (Ronald) had Diogenes Syndrome and was a recluse. She and my father were firearms collectors and are known for their hobby. Ronald didn't have any family in Uruguay after his father died, so my father takes care of Ronald. When Ronald dies, my father will inherit his estate. We found the Curta in 1994 and my father kept it for me. Last week my father gave me the machine...an amazing calculator in perfect condition with a manual in Spanish. I believe the machine was purchased in the late 50's or early 60's. 828 Antony Deschamps anthony.j.deschamps(arroba)gmail.com Windsor, Ontario, CANADA
1 0 58681 Bought from eBay in July 2012. It is in very good condition. 829 Alberto Meloy ameloy(at)me.com North Carolina
EU
0 1 557401 As I was preparing to move from Michigan to Ohio to North Carolina, I spotted my old Curta. Used for road racing in the late 60's and early 70's. In good condition with black plastic case. 830 Hochstrasser Rodolfo rudolf.hochstrasser(arroba)bluewin.ch CH 2034 Peseux, Neuchâtel, Suiza
SWITZERLAND
1 0 27936 "I use it every day for my calculations, it works perfectly." --> I use it every day for my calculations, it works perfectly. 831 wolfgang fuhrer Email A-1180 Vienna, Eckpergasse 36
AUSTRIA
1 0 2154 I inherited a CURTA from my father that I didn't notice until a few days ago. I believe it is a Type I with serial number 002154. It is in very good condition and I believe it works well. I am sending you some photos and asking for more information. I believe it was around 1948 and that date fits in very well with my personal history. I was born in 1945 and my father was an accountant at the time. I know the machine from my childhood, it was not used much, my father died in 1956. At that time I had a well-functioning office, of course with newer machines, mechanical electric calculators, etc. 832 Max Schlapbach maxschlapbach(arroba)bluewin.ch 2565 Jens
SWITZERLAND
1 0 78827 extra information 833 carol bergen Focuson(at)hotmail.ca Brandon, Manitoba, Kanada
0 1 544608 CURTA(s): Type II with gray body As far as I know, this Curta has always been in the family. My uncle bought it new and I was fascinated by it from the first time I saw it. I bought it about 30 years ago. 833a

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834 Wessel van Zyl wessel(at)realty1agulhas.com Bredasdorp
SOUTH AFRICA
1 0 56664 Hello, I live in Bredasdorp, South Africa and have a type 1 kurta serial number 56664 in mint condition. My question is there a kurta club and how much would my kurta be worth if I sold it? 835 Dominique Boutigny boutigny(arroba)gmail.com Vallieres (Obersavoyen)
FRANCE +33 6 82 22 13 44 0 1 522705 This CURTA belonged to my father, he was the finance director in a hospital and used to use this CURTA to prepare the budget. I believe that was in the late 1960s. The CURTA still runs flawlessly and is a very nice reminder of my late father. 836 CARLOS CARRILLO carlos(at)carrillo.ch Ginebra
SWITZERLAND
0 1 521752 I remember when I was about 10 years old (I'm 60 now) one of my schoolmates brought a CURTA to school, probably a Type I. I've never heard from it since. But about 30 years ago I remembered and tried to find one. I found it at an antiques dealer in Geneva and bought it for 1,000.00 Swiss francs (about $1,000 today). I only found your website today after uploading a picture of my calculator to www.thefancy.com and looking around. Very interesting site! Thank you very much ! 837 Doug Neilson douglasneilson(arroba)eastlink.ca Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island KANADA
0 1 518648 I just rediscovered the Curta that I inherited from my grandfather 20 years ago and that has been sitting on a shelf completely abandoned ever since. Sites like this finally made me realize it was a real gem and I took the trouble to learn how to use it, an arduous process for me. (However, it took my son 15 minutes to get it working for him, fascinated by the machine in an age of incomprehensible digital black magic.) My machine is a type 2, serial number 518648. It is like new, original metal box. However, the body is gray (apparently this serial number area should be black?). Original instructions (dog-eared and falling apart - glad I'm not the only one who had to concentrate to master this thing), metal box in mint condition. Bought by my grandfather in Glasgow, Scotland in 1962 for £45 (sterling). That would have been a month's salary for many at the time. I now realize I'd seen one in actual "operation" before too - by the navigator of a Vulcan bomber over the Barents Sea in 1979, which I was lucky enough to fly onward with. It is a real pleasure to use and great fun watching my kids use it too. 838 Steve Reznick reznik.rancho(arroba)gmail.com Norden, Colorado
EU
1 0 70738 In 1984 I received this Curta in exchange. I wasn't quite sure if that was the case, so I called the information desk in Liechtenstein and got the phone number of the Liechtenstein National Tourist Board. They told me to send them some photos of what I did and they replied with Curt Herzstark's address and suggested I contact him for an instruction manual. I then wrote to Curt and he sent me several instruction manuals for the Curta, as well as a typed letter signed by Curt which reads: 'Thank you for your letter of October 25th and for your interest in the CURTA. I am very happy to include the requested manuals. The model in the photo is probably from the production of 1965. Yours sincerely " 839 Yves Dordet yves.dordet(at)continental-corporation.com Toulouse
FRANCE
0 1 538903
840 Carl Waldard carlw(arroba)carlwoodard.com Sacramento, California
EU
0 1 534730 This calculator was given to my father in the early to mid 1960's to use on the freeway to do calculations for the 5 state freeway bidding (Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and Nebraska) for Peter Kievet . . He never used it and just kept it in his drawer for years until one day I saw it and asked to keep it. He gave it to me and I spent a few days figuring out how to use it and then put it away. It traveled with me wherever I went, but it stayed in my Special Items box. It looks like new and has no scratches or signs of wear! 841 Photo by Tom tom.fota(arroba)gmail.com San Diego, California
EU 858-484-8668
0 1 558113 I bought my new CURTA calculator around 1974-75 at a motorsport shop in the Detroit area that sold rally gear. I don't remember the name of the store and I don't have my receipt anymore. I competed in TSD rallies with the Motor City Sports Car Club (MCSCC), the CURTA, in my 1974 Toyota Celica GT in the winters of the mid 70's, he had no real rallying experience. I keep it as a novelty and curiosity and occasionally take it home to show friends. It still runs flawlessly with no issues and is in very good to very good condition. I still have the original blue and white box, plastic storage case, fold out user manual and computer examples booklet. I would consider selling for the right price. 842 Kevin Smith smithk(at)Grangeinsurance.com Columbus, Ohio
EU
1 0 49067 Good morning I recently came to buy a Curta Type I that had belonged to my father. I've had him for about a year and am researching, that's how I came to him. Admittedly, I know nothing about these unique devices apart from what I've read. When my mother gave me the Curta I found it quite interesting and I vaguely remember seeing it when I was young. I was also surprised at how good it was and that Dad had put away the papers and the box it came in. I later started looking them up online and couldn't help but notice that the Curta dads are a bit different than others I've seen and then I realized that the operating handle was missing. How or why, no idea. Given the pristine condition of the machine, I really don't know what happened to it. 843 Andres Alvarez andressalvarezarango@hotmail.com Medellin, Antioquia
COLOMBIA
0 1 517792 extra information 844 Doug Clouston dougclous(at)btinternet.com Broom, Bedfordshire, England
Great Britain
1 0 78346 Case: Plastic This CURTA was given to me by a colleague of mine about 20 years ago when I was working in the aerospace industry. Thought it would fit right in with the weird early starship mechanics that graced my office window sill at the time! Most of these mechanisms that we designed for satellites back then had to work for 10 years or more without intervention or repair in space, and they were pretty clever. However, I think few of them compare to this mechanical calculator. 845 Ricardo Bicknell rangerrich1961(at)me.com Santa Clara, California
EU
1 0 13138 I recently inherited a Curta mechanical calculator. I remember this calculator was on my grandfather's desk (wool merchant), after his death it was on my father's desk (doctor), now after he died it's on my desk (forester). We all were/are fans of cool gadgets. 846 Stephen Ballest eballesty(arroba)gmail.com Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA 1 809 880 5233
1 0 13922
847 Jib Ahmad susnhot99(at)hotmail.com Houston, Texas
EU
1 0 50134 I first saw a Curta calculator at a scout event where we taught surveying to scouts. I thought it was the most amazing machine I had ever seen. Well, five years later I've now found one on eBay for a great price and am the proud owner of one. Since I can afford one, I would like a Type II for my collection. 848 James Graham jamesg1103(at)earthlink.net Lexington, Virginia
EU 540 464 4554
0 1 539412 I first saw a Curta in the 1950's when I was working for an oil exploration company based in Ankara, Turkey. One of our field geologists used his Curta while combing the interior of Anatolia in search of structures of interest. (We didn't find any oil in Turkey.) I bought my new Curta myself in the mid to late 1970s. Having immersed myself in the world of accounting and corporate finance for years, I figured that battery-powered electronics would soon be over. with Curta's shop, so I bought one to use as a "conversation piece" for my desk. Greetings from Rockbridge County! 849 joseph peace pepedelapaz@gmail.com Madrid
SPAIN
0 1 508396 Bought online in April 2004. Metal box and leather briefcase. 850 Ulf Nilson ulf(arroba)billesholmsindustriservice.se Billesholm
SWEDEN
1 0 46165 I just bought a Curta Type 1. And I like being a part of its creation. I'm very excited about this little mechanical device J It's just magical! And the one I got is better than new! It's never used! It is simply amazing to get a 52 year old machine from April 1961 in like new condition. No scratch on the bottom of the can and even some oil under the cleaning ring. The box also looks original, with the serial number. Must have been sold in Sweden like new, instructions are in Swedish plus how to do the square root. Someone must have bought it and forgotten it. But I'm very happy J 851 Bob Darlington rdarlington(at)gmail.com Los Alamos, New Mexico
EU 505-695-9342
1 0 44613 I was gifted this great Type I by my good friend Paul Bergsman. No scratches (including the bottom). It is in like-new condition. It came with the box with the corresponding serial number. Produced in November 1960, it was one of 3,240 made that year. 852 Juan Sidney Ballard jballard(at)acsalaska.net Fairbanks, Alaska
EU (907) 347-7175
1 0 55995 I bought this little machine in 1964 or 1965 when I was a student. He was very interested in slide rules and owned several, including a pair of 11-inch circulars. For some time I have coveted the curtas advertised in Scientific American. Other students would disturb the curta's sound when using it during the tests. One more note: Rarely in life does one have an idea of ​​something that one realizes is revolutionary. During my high school years, I got a job as a janitor, cleaning the Institute of Geophysics building on the West Ridge of the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. One night while I was at the Radio Design Lab, I noticed several HP-35 calculators on a bench. I didn't know anything about Reverse Polish Notation, but I found it out early and was amazed at its ability to perform transcendent functions. I went home in the morning and almost with tears in my eyes told my wife that I had seen something that would change the world. I still have several HPs, including a still faithful HP-55. 853 Sebastian Dammer s.d(arroba)s-dammers.com Bayern
DEUTSCHLAND
9 6 5023
8121
11140
22146
22961
22983
26713
66561
80151
500438
502852
507157
509135
555001
555476 My first Curta was the Curta II; I found it on eBay Germany. Unfortunately he came without his boat but it was in perfect condition. The Curta came to me through my uncle: I had owned it for many years and only used it a few times. He originally got it from a German coal mine where it was used by a mine surveyor. It is in perfect condition and will be delivered with its boat. Be sure to check out Sebastian de la Curta's online 3D CAD version:https://grabcad.com/library/curta-typ-i-rev-02-1 854 Juan A. Heinz jheinz(arroba)uw.edu Edmonds, Washington
EU 425-412-0590
1 0 21473 Upon returning from the Korean War in 1956, I began my career as a mechanical engineer with a consulting engineering firm in Seattle, WA. Because of the volume of calculations required, with an accuracy better than that of a slide rule, I chose the Curta, which I bought in late 1956 or 1957. Since then I have valued her very much. It was serviced by Jack Christensen in 2012 and is in mint condition with a black metal case that rotates to the right. 855 Bill Fravel billfravel(at)comcast.net Pasadena, Maryland
EU 410.255.7068
0 1 545260 Purchased from AJS Incorporated of West Franklin Street, New Freedom PA. As far as I remember it was a technical drawing service company. I was a dedicated participant in time-speed-distance rallies and drove for years as a driver using the proven SOP (seat-of-the-pants) method. In fact, I drove a 1 second score in a Baltimore to Cumberland MD night rally over the Baltimore Area Sports Car Council (BASCC) Maryland Monte Carlo weekend; We won our SOP class. This took me up the ability level in the class structure, so I had to start with the actual math. I became a boater and borrowed a Type I and later bought a Type II. Somewhere I have the stand I made for my table that I integrated into my TR-4A and then a Porsche 356 SC. I started driving again and my navigator was using my Type II. I have the original box and all manuals. I started with the Your Curta Calculator brochure straight from Liechtenstein. Let's go Hokies! I know where Blacksburg is! VPI class of '65 856 Pantuflas Ian ianslippers(at)yahoo.com Pretoria, Gauteng (province)
SOUTH AFRICA +27723945970 0 1 533719 I've known the Curta since the early 1990's, I was about 10 years old then (I may be one of the youngest Curta owners on this site). Finally, after many years, I happened to see one on a local classifieds site and bought it. for 5000 SA Rand in 2013. (about 500 USD). What offer! It is absolutely mesmerizing and in perfect condition!!! Included in purchase; "Calculation techniques", "Calculation examples for the Curta", "The key to all calculation problems!" and manuals from "Your Curta Calculator". 857 Desmond Smith heyaskdes(at)gmail.com Seattle, Washington
EU 425-829-2337 0 1 500992 I owned an old (early I think) CURTA Type II. It is in good condition and fully working. It belonged to my grandfather who was a colonel in the Army Corps of Engineers during WWII. He traveled all over the world and probably bought it himself because he used it for his work. Whilst it is an interesting item my grandfather passed away many years ago and I would be interested in selling it to a collector/enthusiast who would be more interested in sharing it with the world. If you know someone who might be interested, please let me know. 858 Michel WATTELLIER michel.watellier@gmail.com San Quentin
FRANCE
1 0 10804
859 Tom Rey TomKing123(at)aol.com Danville, Kalifornien
EU
0 1 550934 The Curta is in fairly good condition, fully functional, but has a broken part at the top - the "loop" must have broken some time ago as the part is not included. 860 Charlotte Hartmann Charlotte.hartmann(at)hotmail.com Copenhagen
DENMARK
1 0 14586 I inherited the calculator from my father who used it in his childhood home. 861 karen karona97(at)googlemail.com

0 1 531909 I have a Curta Type II calculator that belonged to my father. He used them in road rallies back then. I saw your name on the internet and I seem to know a lot about the Curta. I'm curious how much mine is worth. could you help me with this It is in near mint condition and comes with a blue instruction manual. It's in a metal box and I'm told it was made in 1965. Serial number 531909. 862 Ross Edwards rossnrob(arroba)gmail.com Sydney, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA 612434531032
1 1 63410
555265 I have some mechanical calculators that I used at school and university. These curtas are now the pride of this collection. I want to be able to show my grandchildren what I used and what my generation before electronic calculators used. 863 Russ "Riverfront Dad" bigpapamamaducky(at)gmail.com

1 0 40419 My father died last year and I found a Curta Type 1 with serial number 40419 and my question is at the bottom between "Made in Liechtenstein" and "Contina LTD". My Moors says (customs union with Switzerland) I have seen all photos of Curta type 1. I've only found about 2 type 2's that say this below and I have yet to find another one as I've said this below and mine is also the print on the bottom is straight not curved like any I've seen and the serial number is located in the top line I saw on your site it says it's about 1800 with the serial number at the top of the line so I was wondering if this is a very rare one with the number at the top and with (customs union with switzerland ) thereon. Please let me know that not finding any information about this is driving me crazy. I've attached a picture of the bottom and you can feel more of it if you like. Yes, this is a fairly rare model deviation, only around 1800 (oldest picture: 38600 and newest: 40469) I types have serial numbers on the top row of the baseplate (most Curta have the number on the bottom row of the baseplate). 864 Jose Marti fueraepin45(at)gmail.com Aguadulce - Almería
SPAIN +34666421389
1 0 25745 I was working on the construction of a complex in Valencia, Spain in 1965 and the Curta was my personal calculator for calculating deforestation, land transport and concrete contributions for trench filling, always the direction of rotation of its axes, its smoothness, its latitude ... precision and the light The noise of the curves fascinated me and I knew my kids didn't like it. It is in perfect condition with a metal lid but no instructions. 865 Ryan Davenport dssleds(arroba)shaw.ca Calgary, Alberta
YOU HAVE
0 1 541792 I saw some information about CURTA on the internet a few years ago and decided I must have one. It took me a while to find an example I wanted - the box has some wear but the calculator itself (grey case) and plastic case are in near mint condition. Fascinating device! 866 ernest leffelaar ernesto.leffelaar(at)t-online-de Bergisch Gladbach
DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 12318 My father bought this CURTA in 1955 in Guatemala, Central America, where we lived. I established the PHILIPS representative office and business for Guatemala and El Salvador. He worked very, very hard and his CURTA was his best help through the hours of work after dinner at home. Even today, almost 60 years later, I can still hear the sound of his CURTA in my ears: rrrrr-clack, rrrrr-clack, etc. He gave me this valuable piece of technology about 15 years ago. I learned how to use it and kept the little machine in its steel box in a safe place. I recently visited the Arithmeum, a mechanical calculator museum at the University of Bonn (Germany). Now I love my CURTA even more than ever, (a) because it reminds me of my father and the 20 years I lived in Central America and (b) since visiting the museum I realize what a precious piece of technology I own . . By the way, my father, Jan Leffelaar, was also a wartime Rotarian for many decades and was even president of the club in Guatemala. We are Dutch, but I live in Germany now. To everyone reading this, keep your CURTAS in tip-top shape - it's a wonderful technique!! 867 Nancy Turner nancy(at)oldfieldsfarm.com

0 1 512795 It is in very good condition with the metal case. 868 Denes Papp pappde(at)me.com

1 0 40285 It's the kind with the serial number above. 869 Satoshi Kouya, Ph.D. n2qp(at)(at)arrl.net Chiyoda, Tokio
JAPAN
1 0 17691 My wife bought it for one of her friends who loves Curta. She gave it to me for my birthday. I was so excited because I thought Curta is a very rare piece and should only be in a museum storage. I teach engineering at a university, so this little treasure will be an excellent example when I talk about the history of the calculator. 870 Michael Gerstmann mgers34912(at)aol.com sunrise florida
EU 954 632 0847 2 2 5709
30454
531481
551970 I saw them when a kid thought they were clean. I got this (30454) on eBay. Remember her as a kid, I always wanted one. They were all bought on Ebay. The 551970 was a briefcase. It was damaged by someone flipping it backwards. Many parts were damaged. The person who gave it to me said it was in "perfect condition" but admitted he didn't know if it actually worked. With all the information on the web about the Curta I think you would know if it worked or not. She listed it "as is" and would not negotiate a discount. I sent it to Italy for repairs from Romano. It came back fully repaired in about a month at a cost of $298. I am sending the others to Italy for classification. Warning Emptor. 531481 - This eBay winner is fully functional but appears to have fallen off the rotating arm. It's a little bent. I'll probably send it to Italy to have it repaired if I can. I'm looking for a boat for it. The one on ebay is plastic. Yours should be metal. 551970 - I got this on eBay for a pretty low price. The curta was performed "as is". According to the seller, it didn't move. I placed a low bid and won. When it arrived I noticed that it didn't spin easily. and moved backwards. The bottom plate was removed and it had no ratchet lever or pulley. He removed the top cover and found that all of the metal arms were bent back. He sent an email to an American mechanic. He said he could achieve that in about 2 years. I then emailed the Italian person who fixes Curtas. He had it mailed to me and within a week he had a repair price. That was acceptable. I sent him the money, asked him to fix it. 2 weeks later I got it back. It is in perfect condition. Ready for another 40 years of service. I bought another Curta Model I (5709). This time on Ebay by someone from Peru. The woman demanded $600.00. She sold it to someone else. She seemed fine. I corresponded with the woman in Peru. She had agreed that if it needed repairing, she would pay back enough to cover the repair. I paid him the money and it arrived a week later. It was a "wicker box", everything was locked and it looked like it had some rust inside. It had round levers instead of square ones, I sent it to Romano in Italy, he said it would cost about $300.00 to fix. The woman in Peru refunded me $280.00. It came back from Italy looking like it was 1948 and fresh from the factory. I now have Curta from 1948, the year I was born, the year I graduated from high school, the year I graduated from college. 871 Robb Brinkley DrRobb(at)yahoo.com Tulsa, Oklahoma
EU
0 1 537463 I took a chance on an "as is" model from an internet thrift store. Not sure how/if it worked. Received it in excellent condition with original packaging, matching serial number and zero faults on the machine that I can identify. 872 trash David trash (at) cox.net

0 1 508289 By the way, I like your site very much. Even as a child I was interested in Curtas and saw the ads in the tech magazines of the time. Back then, of course, for a kid it was like a year's pocket money to buy one, so that never happened. But your website was a great source of information so stay tuned and keep going. I have owned 3 Curtas as an adult... two wrinkled gray Type 2s and the one discussed in my note to you. Like you, I have never seen the style of tin or outer packaging that this one has. Whatever the cause, it's certainly unusual and I was hoping to hear if there were others like it. That weird paper cylinder and the matte paint on top of the can... I've never seen that before. The serial number is 508289 (an all black Type 2) and was told by the previous owner (and I found information to back up the details) that it was a dispute as there were claims of the type of material it was made of was produced. along with claiming that it was the last in a series of 30 (or first after the series) from that material. Of course, that would mean your 508272 would fall right in the middle of that series of 30. I don't know if anyone has resolved the dispute, but the previous owner put it up on eBay several times a few years ago and got no takers. When we crossed paths a while ago, we made a deal and I got it. To tell the truth, it's in such good condition that I don't even like wearing it, which is sad. Aside from that when I bought 508289 it came with a Word file with the listing information from the intention of selling on eBay. You may know about all of these things; goes into detail about the material (duralumin) and so on. If you don't remember all of this information, I could send you a copy to refresh your memory. So if you have any other hints or leads, or come across anything, I'd love to hear about it. Or if you just want to chat with Curtas, that would be great too. (I've also written to Curta's enroller hoping to get in touch with the owner of 508288 (a Ben Wright). With an SN just one digit lower than mine, yours may also share the special characteristics of packaging and material with me .But no answer so far.) 872a

2014

2014

2014

2014




******** 2014 ********

873 Dr. Steve Bach Radio23(at)aol.com Crittenden, Kentucky
EU
1 0 15087 I saw my first curta while browsing online at Meeker's Antiques and fell in love instantly. After speaking to Larry and getting me a good deal, I received delivery within a week. My Curta was built in August 1951 so will be 63 this year and is in excellent condition. 874 Wilhelm Boekhoven willem.boekhoven(arroba)gmail.com NETHERLANDS
0 1 ?????? I recently cleaned my grandfather's room and found a Curta Type II calculator. I happened to see some kind of pen show on TV explaining this little engineering marvel, so I knew this was something special. The calculator is in near mint condition and doubtful to sell or keep. This [is a] beautiful device. 875 Wesley Lilienthal weslilient(at)gmail.com

1 0 12886 I am writing to you with admiration for the website you are organizing for Curta calculators, their history and details. As you are the owner of an impressive number of Curtas I hope you can give me an idea of ​​the dimensions of some missing parts on my own Type 1. I recently (and happily) have a Curta Type 1 (SN 12886) in fantastic condition apart from the missing o-ring and bottom pad on the reservoir. If you want to replace these parts with new ones, please can you let me know: o The cross-sectional diameter (bead thickness) of the original O-ring in a Type 1 metal can: 58.5mm diameter, 0.3mm thick. o Thickness and material composition of the bottom shell (foam or solid rubber): 54 mm diameter, 3 mm thick. o I use the heavy duty foam mouse pads to make my own. 876 Curtis Holmes curtholmes41(at)gmail.com Tucson, Arizona
EU
1 0 9835 Bought in the late 60's and used for sports car racing until 1971 - has been in a box with old photos ever since. I just retired and found it trying to "get organized". Perfect condition but I still haven't found the instructions. 877 Brett Franklin brettjfranklin@hotmail.com

1 0 10057 My wife has just discovered his father's Type1 Curta serial number 10057 which I believe dates to April 1950. Unfortunately, he passed away and no one in the family wants him. My father-in-law used it in London in the 1950s to help with insurance calculations. I would say from its descriptions that it falls into the "excellent" category. 878 piedras ian ian_stones(arroba)yahoo.co.uk Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Great Britain
0 1 524054 I bought it on eBay in the UK in January 2014. I've been collecting vintage electronic and mechanical calculators for a while and have been patiently waiting for the right Curta to come along. 879 Jack J. Grynberg t.burns(at)grynberg.com Denver, Colorado
EU
1 0 31989 [I am] a veteran oilman from Denver (1950 graduate of the Colorado School of Mines). This CURTA was bought new in Switzerland in 1958 and has been in the owner's possession ever since. 880 Jonathan Spira jonathan(at)spirafamily.com

0 1 556195 After several years of envying the Curta, I'm finally a starter. Purchased by Jeffrey Barteet (Santa Barbara, CA) January 2014 Jeffrey said he bought the calculator from a retired engineer in a real estate sale 25 years ago. I have the calculator (grey case) with plastic case and leather field case. 881 James Salomon jtsolomon(at)gmail.com Roswell, Georgia
EU
0 1 516985 How grateful I am for the Curta Calculator website you manage. I found a Type 2 among the things my dad packed after he retired, which I went through many years after his death in 1999. My father was a civil engineer for a natural gas pipeline company. I don't know how you acquired this Curta device but it seems to have been living at the bottom of a desk drawer. It is still in the original Curta/Contina box and packaging, with original booklets, all virtually untouched since it was shipped in 1961 and everything looks like new, even the stamps on the box. Only the shipping label has yellowed over time. I feel this device deserves a proper home in a museum or well protected collection (I have vintage bikes). Curta collectors can contact me at my bike grip, roadcrape88 at mail at g. 882 Andres Trentin I (at)atrent.it Milan
ITALY
1 0 5149 I bought it at a flea market about 15 years ago, I didn't know its history and importance until recently, now I'm very lucky to own a piece of computer history. 883 Frank A. Alboroto ffuss(arroba)nycap.rr.com Altamont, NewYork
EU
0 1 522122 I am the current owner of a Curta Type II calculator, serial number 522122. I have had this Curta since around 1965-66. I think I bought it used. My primary purpose for getting a Curta was time-speed-distance car rallies. All Curta owners I met were rally enthusiasts. My Curta is a black with a gray body unit. I have the original packaging and possibly the original instructions. It's still in working condition (no surprise). It's mostly in my collection of old math gear, including an abacus, various slide rules, and an old TI digital calculator. It's hard to believe that you can buy a $5 device today that outperforms all of those older devices (at least when it comes to math). 884 Jorge Sebaaly Georges_sebaaly@hotmail.com Montreal, Quebec
YOU HAVE +1-450-455-6810
+1-514-953-4546
0 1 530259 I purchased the CURTA from CURTA Calculators of Canada Limited of Toronto, Ontario in 1966 when I was beginning my engineering studies. Immediately after that date, I discovered electronic calculators and took this brand new CURTA to a safe place with the multitude of slide rules I had previously collected. Needless to say, this machine is brand new, has never been used and still has the original box it came with, the warranty card, the user manual and a booklet entitled Computing Examples for CURTA Calculating Machine. This machine is an engineering marvel and a beauty to own and admire. The satisfaction comes from just holding this device in my hands to feel all the engineering and craftsmanship that went into its development and production. It makes me very proud to own one of these great machines. I love it. 885 Richard Schilling rls(at)htri.net Jack Spring, Texas
EU 979/690-5065 0 1 512695 Excellent condition with only a few small scratches on the metal can. Even plaques on the metal can look like new. The mechanical function is perfect. The calculator has a gray case with adjustment knobs that alternate colors of two black, one red, two black, one red, etc. The subtraction ring is fluorescent orange. The calculator has a metal crank, a metal cleaning ring, 6 upper decimal places and 5 lower decimal places. Estimated date of manufacture: August 1959. The serial number is not only stamped on the baseplate, but also on a metal plate attached to the underside of the case, which is only visible after the baseplate has been removed. The computer was allegedly never serviced or repaired. Apparently it was very well maintained. I would like to keep this tradition. History: I received this calculator from Karman King, wife of David Hatten and owner of Windrush Antiques in North Carolina. The calculator was originally purchased new by his father-in-law, William Hatten, who was alive at the time of my purchase on February 5, 2014. According to Karman: “William Hatten lived in London and worked as a surveyor during that time in the 1950s. He later became a geophysicist and has traveled the world, living and working in places such as North America, Africa and Australia. William Hatten is now almost 90 years old and still a very bright man.” I am currently employed as a Senior Engineering Consultant at Heat Transfer Research, Inc. in College Station, Texas, working in heat transfer research, software development and technical support. I got my first degree in mathematics and I like old mechanical devices that require a lot of thought and creativity to construct and operate. It helps us remember the many unsung geniuses that have witnessed years past and provides a measure of humility for those of us who sometimes get caught up in our modern ways. The special feature of the Curta calculator also lies in the consistently high quality in design and manufacture over many years. It's unique. In this age of planned obsolescence, most companies would laugh at (or fire) the engineer who insisted on this level of quality, even though the marketers continue to price as if that quality actually existed. 886 Jeff Constantino jconstan(at)googlemail.com Seattle, Washington
EU
1 0 8025 how did i get it I got lucky at an eBay auction. I wish I had more of these! 887 Lloyd D. McDaniel LMcDaniel(at)AOL.COM Costa Mesa, California
EU 714-641-4090 0 1 533862 I was an R&D engineer at Rocketdyne, Turbo Machinery's "carburetor" division for the J2/F1 rocket engines. My office was in Canoga Park, CA and I had to make a lot of trips to the dyno in Santa Susanna, CA. when the latest drive/inductor design was tested in a hydrogen chamber. I bought the Curta II from the Rocketdyne shop in the mid 60's to use on the dyno. My tech was also a college roommate and was involved in sports car racing (time, speed, distance). We had a pair and I started using the Curta II for both work and play. Later, Sam Beal, my navigator, built the computerized Beal Box at UCLA to do all the TSD calculation and we became CA State Champions in 1966-67. I retired the curta when Rocketdyne took out the Marchants/Frediens and we went to mainframes. The Curta stayed in a drawer together with the original Curta instructions, the maintenance and operating booklet and a 51-page booklet "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator" in English from Liechtenstein. Both uses have been very rewarding, but technology is evolving. 888 Andre Theodore Ferreira jr. andre_tfjr(at)yahoo.com.br Atibaia, SP
BRAZIL
2 2 5890
72086
504336
520232 (5890) I bought it from a Mrs. Auricchio, the CURTA belonged to her husband. I bought the Curta Type I (72086) from a guy who was studying in Germany and the first thing he did was a Curta calculator, back in 1970 but then I saw that they existed as electronic calculators, and I bought one too, so the Curta calculator was not used and saved. Through two other Type II Curtas I bought an offer online, I don't know its history other than it belongs to relatives. 889 ROSARIO LOPEZ FERNANDEZ rosalofe(at)cop.es SOTO DE LLANERA, Asturias
SPAIN
1 0 23892 Curta Type I BLACK METAL 890 Adonika Gieger adonica(at)pobox.com tallahassee flordia
EU
0 1 511895 Complete with its metal box and original instruction manual. Our family friend, Dr. Ed Cooke, a Missouri real estate appraiser, used it extensively in his work. After he retired, "Cookie" showed me the curta and gave it to my father. (That was in Mississippi, early 70's if I remember correctly. Dad was also an appraiser and I was already a budding math geek.) I found it again when Dad died a few years ago. Appears to be in perfect condition! I have no interest in selling it but thought you might like to add another curta to your registry! 891 Andhika Yudha Putra Perkasa (Nick: Kika) kikaplainwhite(at)gmail.com Depok, Java Occidental
INDONESIA +6221 9930 5346 1 0 30436 My CURTA belonged to my late grandfather. He was an Indonesian army man. I can hardly remember what my grandfather's specific job was in the military, but I do know that one of his jobs was making maps of Indonesia. So I assume that the CURTA was dedicated to calculating things that I couldn't quite put my finger on what. 892 Jean Robert two Australians (at) aol.com Melbourne, Florida
EU
0 1 518574 Type 11 Manufactured in Liechtenstein by Contina Ltd. Mauren My husband and I used this Curta for time/speed/distance sports car rallies and we had great success at the Sports Car Club of America rallies in Florida which started in 1962 and ended some 20 years later as more sophisticated machines showed up. My husband recently passed away and I was cleaning and found this 1961 Curta. 893 Christer Fossum christer.fossum(at)gmail.com Oslo
NORWAY
0 1 513034 I saw it on a TV show and was very interested. I found one on eBay. 894 Richard Hogg rhb(arroba)gmx.com

1 0 28395 I own Curta sn # 28395. It was bequeathed to me by my grandfather. From what I can estimate from your formula posted on your website, it was issued in early July 1953. I want to know their auction value. It is fully functional. It has its metal box. It is damaged by a little rust on the bottom and in the box below. Otherwise it is in very good condition. 895 alfredo logia alfredologiia(at)yahoo.com.ar Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
4 4 4312
45327
59504
78223
501934
509872
531501
558449 I'm a systems engineer and I've built quite a collection of curtas in a couple of years. Now I have 8 examples of different models and manufacturing periods. All Curtas were bought in different countries and are in very good condition. A brief description of each machine: Type I #4312: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Marino H. of Aix en Provence, France, serviced before sale. This machine is very old, with rounded dials instead of the rectangular ones of the later design, and the metal case opens anti-clockwise. Type I #45327: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Bernard R. of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. This is my favorite example to use and learn about the curta and show it to people. Type I #59504: (Condition: 9.5/10) Purchased from Francisco L. of Lima, Peru, originally purchased in France. This machine has had minimal use (nearly zero) and is in excellent condition with no scratches on the case or metal case. It has been stored without use for more than 20 years. Type I #78223: (Condition: 10/10) Purchased from Tony B. of Derby, UK. See description of Curta #558449 below. Type II #501934: (Condition: 6/10) Purchased from Gabriel O. of Chascomus, Argentina, this is a very old Type II specimen. As with #45327, I am using this machine to learn about Curta's algorithms to learn. Type II #509872: (Condition: 9/10) Purchased from Pablo L.T. from Buenos Aires, Argentina was originally purchased on August 13, 1958 in New York by an agent of the Argentine Aviation Mission only as an investment and never learned how to use it. . This is a classic all-black Type II specimen towards the end of the production run of this version (approx serial number 510500). As a result, Contina adopted the classic light grey/olive green color scheme. Type II #531501: (Condition: 8/10) Purchased from Jerome G. of Les Sables d'Olonne, France, originally purchased in the USA, is in like new condition with very little signs of wear. Type II No. 558449: (Condition: 10/10) This machine and No. 78223, also purchased from Tony B. of Derby, UK, were originally purchased from a London collector who bought them for display purposes in 1972 if no one wanted them, he preferred electronic calculators. Both machines have NEVER been used and have the original box and manuals in mint condition. Possibly both machines are among the best preserved Curtas in the world! I invite all readers to visit my website www.curtamania.com where you can see photos of my Curta collection. I recommend visiting the Type and Age of Your Curta page where you can see the estimated build date based on the original Contina production records released in October 2011. There is also a huge database with over 3400 curtas and over 23000 images. sold online in recent years. 896 Doug Moffitt dougmoffitt(at)drum-fife.com

0 1 521154 I have Type II #521154, which I bought new in Zurich in 1959/60. Somehow I convinced my dad that he had to have it! As far as I can remember, I paid 500 Swiss francs, but I don't remember the exchange rate in dollars at the time. I've used it for sports car rallies and other occasional uses. Not much work was done. It is in good condition. Now I only take it out to surprise visitors. As a side note, it seems to vary a bit from its spec chart online as it has all metal parts - cleaning handle, rotor etc - and square pushers but a gray body. This is not a combination that appears in your chart. 897 Vicente de la Bachellerie vbachelerie(arroba)orange.fr Rueil-Malmaison (Kreis von Paris)
FRANCE +33607720731 0 1 506316 extra information 898 David Eldigno david(at)friendlymoose.com Los Angeles, California
EU
1 0 49687 The curta belonged to my father, who used it in his work as a scientific researcher. I can remember him sitting in our living room and calculating on it in the 1970s, although he probably already had his first HP electronic calculator. There is a label on the box stating it was supplied by Automatic Business Machines of London. It appears to be in good condition despite not being used for many years. 899 Robert James rob.james(at)pillsburylaw.com San Francisco, California
EU
1 0 520079 I first saw a skeletonized Curta at a slide rule show and knew I had to have one (this was bought by a French seller in 2013). Only later did I find out about the rally connection. A wonderful product of the human spirit in concept, design and manufacture. The content of this message, together with any attachments, is for the sole use of the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain proprietary, confidential and undisclosed information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any distribution, dissemination or reproduction of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please immediately notify the original sender or the Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman Helpdesk at: 800-477-0770, option 1, by phone or email and delete this message along with any attachments from your computer . Thank you very much. 900 Eoin McMahon eoinmcmahon0(at)gmail.com Oxford
Great Britain
0 1 508990 My father published this from a UK government body that went out of business. Employees were allowed to take items that the employer no longer needed. Mine is unusual in that it is engraved with 'SO' and a crown in the centre, the logo of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, the government department that owned all government pins and clips. He was fired in the early 1980s but had been hanging around his office for decades. To my untrained eye this engraving appears to resemble the "CURTA" engraved on the side of the barrel and I believe it is a factory engraving. The crown is painted the same cream color as the "CURTA" logo, but the letters "S O" are painted white. 901 rich cupcake rich(at)6060building.com Citrus Heights, Kalifornien
EU
1 0 16814 I'm not sure of the exact date of purchase, I believe it was the mid to late 1950's My father bought the Curta to calculate the size and capacity of milk collection tanks when selling to dairies for our production business. It happened to me when I took over the sales duties of the store and used it until 1961. It is in excellent condition and has a prominent resting place in my office as a reminder of a bygone era. I remember it being purchased from an office equipment sales company in Petaluma CA for $300.00. 902 Heide Galopp cantersinscotland(at)gmail.com West Kilbride, Scotland, UK
Great Britain
1 0 12205 I was cleaning my dad's workshop last September and came across this little gadget. I looked it up on eBay to see what it is and its value and was pleasantly surprised to discover this amazing instrument. Since my father passed away, I can only speculate about the origin of my Curta. My father was stationed in Germany during the Korean War and I'm sure he bought it while he was there. He was an engineer and loved math so I'm sure he would have found the Curta pretty impressive. I have chosen to keep it as a reminder of my father and his love of calculus and look forward to learning how to use it myself. Thank you for all the information and user guides on your website, they are very helpful! 903 Tristan Palmer eljardinero(at)gmail.com London,
Great Britain
1 0 19875 I bought my Curta off Ebay a few years ago after reading an online article in Wired magazine about it being listed as a "geeky object of desire". The story is very interesting and I've decided I want to keep one. theirs for mine...so...i was lucky enough to get these. It is in excellent condition but the itg case has damaged or missing paintwork. It is an exceptional object and I am grateful to own it. 904 Teresa Schiano Dutton quercusalba27(at)gmail.com Baltimore, Maryland
EU
0 1 530007 I have a Curta calculator that belonged to my husband. I'm not sure where he bought it from, possibly in Europe as he lived in Madrid, Spain for ten years. It's a Type II, no. 530007 and was made in Liechtenstein. 905 Brian Herrel brian.herrel(at)gmail.com Cary, North Carolina
EU
0 1 556008 Browsing Ebay looking for some interesting old mechanical gear I stumbled across Curta calculators then did my research and was intrigued by Curt Herstark and these amazing machines. I've been in the information and communications technology industry for over 20 years and I love seeing what's possible without mechanical equipment or electricity. 906 Salim Ömar salimoemar(at)gmail.com Jakarta
INDONESIA 6281586123814
1 0 71637 I got it from a friend in 1981, a few days ago I was looking for a calculator for my office supplies on the internet and happened to come across this site, then it occurred to me that I had this item and now I want to sell, who it dares to make Kira2 high so I will sell it Honestly I do not know how this tool works but with the naked eye I see that this tool is hardly used, I just turn by myself. 907 Marco Olivieri marcooli(arroba)libero.it Lazise, ​​VR
ITALY
0 1 552313 I inherited it from my uncle. I love it! 908 Rob Gresham rgresham(arroba)bigpond.net.au Camberra, ACT
AUSTRALIA +61407260903
1 0 53352 extra information 909 Walter Peak Wpicco(arroba)libero.it London
Great Britain
0 1 526470 I bought this Curta de Romano from Curta Service of Italy (which I highly recommend) because I wanted a serviced one. It is in very good condition and works perfectly. 910 Hans Rodolfo Keller hr(arroba)kellersnet.ch Kurlistrasse 19, CH-8404 Winterthur
SWITZERLAND +41 79 430 36 33
8 4 985
10418
80249
80250
8029?-D
80366
80374
80390
561240
561241
561602
559447 SN 0985 (round buttons)
SN 10418 (round buttons)
SN 80249 (original packaging and manuals)
SN 80250 (original packaging and manuals)
Serial number 8029? (Demo model cut out, last two digits cut out so you can see inside.)
SN 561240 (original packaging and manuals)
SN 561241 (original packaging and manuals)
SN 559447 (metal knob) I met Curtas for the first time in 1968 as a geodesy student in Zurich. Some of the assistant professors were very adept, but we youngsters were keen to program the college's CDC 6500 with Algol and Fortran. . Solving large systems of linear equations with a Curta sucks, that was our attitude. So I never learned how to serve one. After a career in the oilfield service industry, mostly overseas, I sold my business and retired. Some time later I noticed that a Swiss cadastral surveyor was offering his Curtas collection. He said he bought them at a sale when the factory was closing. Anyway, I bought the lot. Since I was also selling my Swiss country office at the time, I handed over seven machines to long-term partners (80255, 80271, 80279, 80280, 80281, 80283, 80310). The above is what I have left. All Curtas are in mint condition, never used. I'm basically willing to sell the lot, maybe to keep one as a souvenir. Miscellaneous: Vendor unit with all designed parts. Multiple manuals and articles in multiple languages. 911 Gustav Arre gustav.arre(at)gmail.com Linköping, Östergotland
SWEDEN
1 0 35452 My grandfather was an electrical engineer in Stockholm from the 1950s to the 1980s and died in the late 1990s. I am a mechanical engineering student myself and my grandmother gave me this CURTA for Christmas, she thought it should go from engineer to engineer and I will take it to mine Pass on children when I'm older. The CURTA is a Type 1 and appears to be in very good condition with no scratches. 912 Barry Moore barrysmoore(at)gmail.com Sydney, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA
0 1 513044 Purchased in December 2014 from Mittagong Antique Center with the original metal case and instruction manual. It appears unused and in excellent condition. I originally wanted a Curta in 1977 at the age of 21 and saw it while on vacation in Liechtenstein. The article complements my collection of more than 30 slide rules. 912a

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913 Juan Pountney jjpountney(at)aol.com London, United Kingdom
2 1 7217
79960
550234 I set out to buy a Type 1 and a Type 2, both models as new as possible but both with the original box/instructions and have received them over a 3 month period. The Type 2 isn't as late as the Type 1, but they're hard to come by in brand new condition like this. Type 1 #79960 (October 1970) purchased from Theodor Bay in Germany (October 2014) with original packaging and German instructions in perfect unused condition 10/10, history unknown. Type 2, No. 550234 (February 1969) purchased from Michel Thanos in France (December 2014) with original packaging and instructions in French in perfect unused 10/10 condition with original importer sticker (INNOVA) on plate base, the father the owner had 2 curtains but never used them. (Update) I already have 2 mint shades so I wanted another one that I could take out and use daily without worrying about minor scuffs. I found a great early Type 1 #7217 from May 1949 which was one of the first with narrow rectangular trim tabs and one of the last with the manufacturer's name in a circle on the baseplate and "system curt herzstark" on the bottom it reads, "CURTA ' was sold to me by Tom Wilmot of Ipswich, who says it was originally bought new by his grandfather, Major Martyn Sacheveral Wilmot, with no box or instructions, but the metal case is in excellent condition. 914 Robert Griffith ragriffithsr(arroba)bigfoot.com Columbus, Ohio
EU 614-491-1332 0 1 560578 extra information 915 Kerry Wagner kerry.a.wagner(arroba)gmail.com Trenton, Alabama
EU 256 763-1925 0 1 538716 I have a Curta type II that belonged to my father. He bought it new when I was very young. It's like new. I remember my dad taking it out of the shipping material and reading the instructions and showing me how I would do a few things with it. He put it away and never used it again. He stayed in his home "office" all these years. The item has not been used more than a few times and is in perfect, like-new condition. 916 Gregg Kilbourne gkilbourne(arroba)scappoose.k12.or.us Scappoose, Oregon
EU
0 1 551368 551368 (excellent condition) My father-in-law was an engineer and recently passed away. I inherited several of his engineering tools. This device looked interesting, but I didn't know what it was. A bit of internet research brought me here. 917 Bernie Cohen profbernie(at)gmail.com Great Britain
0 1 541683 I bought a Curta off eBay last year and thought you might want to add it to your registry. It has a place of honor in my collection, which I use to illustrate my lecture on the history of arithmetic. It arrived without its balancing ring. I bought a plastic ring and rivets from Romano in Italy to install. 918 Prof. Dr. Karl-Gustav Strid KGStridAB(at)gmail.com Karlstadt
SWEDEN
1 0 40121 40121 (black metal): I got the Curta (brand new, in a black metal box) from my father for my Abitur exam in June 1959. I wore them during my undergraduate studies in physical engineering. It is still in mint condition with no scratches or stains. 919 Fulvius Antiguo fulvio.antico(at)libero.it Bellante (TE)
ITALY
2 1 80247
80247
501181 Serial number: 80247 (I believe the second highest Type I number on record) I bought my Curta on December 5th 2014 via Manuel Dierbach's website - Germany and was immediately hooked. The machine is brand new and includes the plastic box and the old type 1 booklet s/n 5420 bought at an eBay auction. The machine arrived without the hilt and canister, with the brushcutter lever ring broken (I will fix it as soon as possible) but the rest seems to be in good condition, it seems to have been used a little. I don't have any details about the machine's history, but the seller told me the following anecdote: the last owner (certainly not the first!) sold it among other things, which he was going to throw away, thinking it was a fishing reel. The early Type 2 s/n 501181 was auctioned on eBay, the second oldest at the time. This machine is truly in mint condition, with a shiny metal case, currently no booklet (I was promised to get the original if they find it later). With the permission of Adam Parker-Rhodes, who sold it to me in November 2015, I can report that he inherited it from his father, Arthur Frederick Parker-Rhodes, a well-known and versatile British scientist whose records can be found on Wikipedia. He bought it in 1954 and used it until the 1970s for calculations in studies of delicate mycology, quantum mechanics and nuclear physics, which he published; I feel stunned to hold it in my hands! 920 Robert Gregor rgregory(at)iprimus.com.au

0 1 518701 I have a Curta calculator #518701 in perfect condition. 921 Alan Carter racarter(at)ntlworld.com Yarm, North Yorkshire, UK
1 1 30048
517106 I first saw a Curta on a BBC show called 'Bargain Hunting' and wanted to own one. I found a Type I at an auction and successfully bid on it. The Curta was visually in excellent condition but needed some maintenance internally so I sent it to Romano Manaresi in Italy who cleaned the machine and fixed a bent slide lever. After that, the Curta runs perfectly and looks great! Bought at auction in January 2016. Excellent condition but needs some maintenance so sent to Romano Manaresi who did an excellent job as always! 922 Carlos Habenot ch2co(at)yahoo.com Englewood, Colorado
EU
1 0 19588 19588 (Mint condition!) I saw it at an estate auction a few years ago and recognized it from my youth, spent summers as an assistant surveyor. I fell in love with this thing at first sight and have always wanted one. They almost gave it to me because I knew what it was, but I offered them $50 for it and they were so grateful, as was I! There was no box or instructions, but the metal box is in very good condition. Thank you for creating this page. 923 Richard Moore rjmnook(at)gmail.com Waterlooville, Hampshire UK
0 1 540929 Bought on eBay. Complete with original packaging and manuals. Provenance: Originally supplied to ICI executives. Bequeathed to daughter and later sold. I am the 4th owner. It's obviously had quite a bit of use. It is complete and working but needs a good cleaning. 924 Kelvin (Kelly) John Henocq Kelly(arroba)henocq.f9.co.uk Corfe Mullen, Dorset, England
Great Britain +44 01202 697861 1 0 75087 I have had the Curta Type 1 since 1969 when my parents gave it to me when I was studying at university for an HND (Higher National Diploma) in Engineering at Bournemouth Technical College, Dorset, England. The Curta immediately replaced my slide rule and I used it for the rest of my course; However, they asked me to stop using it for final exams as other students were distracted by the noise. I continued to use it throughout my career as a junior design engineer until my company bought two very old scientific calculators from Casio with decades-old tube displays that were the size of a portable typewriter; They had tube screens that were decades old and were extremely expensive. 925 Claude LE PEN claude.lepen(at)wanadoo.fr PARIS
FRANCE +33 607 217 083 1 0 4549 I found this early CURTA I (1948) in my father's things. He got me, like his son, and the machine in the same year! It was an accountant and I remember wearing it proudly as a kid. My mother carefully put it away after her death 10 years ago. She recently died and I inherited the machine. It is in very good condition. My son put an option on him, but I'm in no hurry to give up on him ... 926 Doug Kaye doug(at)rds.com Kentfield, California
EU
1 0 76748 I saw a post (http://goo.gl/OmJgkI) at BoingBoing by Jason Weisberger on his CURTA Type 2. It brought back all those memories of 1960's car rallies. I never had a CURTA back then, but I knew them from reading time-distance rallies. Reading Jason's post I decided to hit eBay to see what I could find. I lost one auction but won the second and got a brand new Type I from a guy in Indiana who just bought it at a real estate sale. Comes complete with plastic carrying case, original packaging (same serial number as calculator), instruction sheet and computer sample booklet. 927 Darrel Huckabay d.huckabay(at)sbcglobal.net Folsom, California
EU (916) 201-4436 1 1 77270
520049 NS 77270 - Plastic box
Serial number 520049 - metal box
My parents were active in time-speed-distance rallies in California from the late 1950s, so while I was still in high school I learned to navigate, first with a circular slide rule and then with a curta. My parents bought the Type II new in the 1960s, the Type I is a recent acquisition. I found it on Craigslist in Oregon earlier this year (2015). It was originally owned by a mapmaker working for an eastern Oregon county. It was bought to run the Mount Shelton Northwest Classic Rally as the Type II had some problems. It worked perfectly. I can't say that for the browser. At this point I would happily have the Type II repaired or get another to use for next year's rally. 928 Juliain Alejandro Lell julianlell (at) gmail.com General Rodriguez, Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA
1 0 39078 On a typical sleepless night, I was watching Youtube videos and somehow discovered Curta calculators. As a collector of electronic programmable calculators (and slide rules too) I fell in love with this wonderful machine right away. Two hours later I found and bought a beautiful Curta calculator from a guy in Buenos Aires (listed online for only $500!!). The Curta is almost new and has an original manual in Spanish and an original steering wheel, also in Spanish. It was originally purchased in the UK in 1958 by my salesman's father and has been kept in a box in his cupboard for the last fifty years. The calculator was discovered by the seller a few weeks ago (August 2015) after his father passed away. I was very happy to find out that my Curta is rare (~1,800 out of 80,000 types I've produced) with the serial number on the first row of the base plate, which I found out on this great website. 929 Christian Fischer cfwma@yahoo.com bullshit
LIECHTENSTEIN
1 0 100014 (1a) Rare type Ia (prototype) I live 50 meters from the location where Contina AG was! ;u) Thank you! Great website! 930 Frederick Benedict fbmozos(at)hotmail.com Avila
SPAIN
1 1 63349
559850 As a collector of small computers, I was first introduced to Curta through books and websites devoted to the subject. If anyone asks me about this machine, I'll say the same thing: before I got to know it up close, I thought it was one of those expensive collector's launches that they're looking small and well-made to show off... How wrong. was! From holding one in my hands, I knew it was one of those things that are appreciated from the moment you set eyes on it. I am now the proud owner of each type of machine (both in very good condition), and the inevitable billboard ;-) Sites like eBay and Etsy are to blame... 931 Tobias Fjellström fjellstromljungberg(arroba)gmail.com Stockholm
SWEDEN +46(0)702852061 1 0 43401 I could not resist. just love it 932 Bill Jaenicke billjaenicke@gmail.com San Juan Capistrano, California
EU
1 0 18185 That was my father's Curta calculator. He was trained as a mining engineer but later worked for the Whittaker Corporation as a vice president of materials. I remember using it for rather mundane check reconciliation calculations in the late '60s. I have had it since his death in 1998 and recently took it out of storage. I started researching curtas on the internet and was happy to find so much information and guides for its use. A truly amazing machine! 933 mateo schmied matthew_on_the_move(at)yahoo.co.uk Northampton, United Kingdom
3 2 6394
58736
68795
506938
535630 I have been interested in mechanical calculators for many years and have slowly built up a modest collection. My first Curta was a 1965 Type I that I bought shortly after seeing one at the National Technical Museum in Prague. I've since bought four more, all in excellent condition, including a Type II with a Swiss-made leather case and a beautiful vintage Type I with slide pins that holds pride of place in the collection. 934 Will Nickum wcnickum(at)gmail.com Isla de Bainbridge, Washington
EU 206-799-0459 1 0 7360 I just discovered your website, thank you for all your efforts in spreading and curating the story of this unique instrument! I inherited one of them from my father, who died in 1990. I never spoke to him about this tool, although I would have liked to. It was probably bought by him or perhaps his brother, both of whom were marine engineers and also worked for their father. My grandfather may have bought it but I believe he was mostly retired in the late 40's and died in 1951. The unit is in excellent condition with a beautiful black metal body but no manual or other papers. 935 my name is miguel nemmen(at)nemmen.com.br Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul
BRAZIL
1 0 3886 I just spotted a Curta Tipo I No. 3886 that belonged to my father. I'm sending you some photos, I don't remember...it's really charming and a very elegant piece of engineering. 935a

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936 I make matzo amatson(arroba)gmail.com Burlington, Vermont
EU
0 2 539393
511170 539393 - Bought on eBay for my father circa 2005. I was an avid TSD rally driver in the late 70's/early 80's. I've never owned a Curta but have lent it out for certain rallies when friends weren't racing. My dad amassed quite a collection of slide rules in the 90's, so I bought him a Curta for his collection of mechanical calculators. My father passed away in 2008 and I inherited the Curta and have used and demonstrated it to many over the years. Plastic box... and it's in very good condition. I also have a good number of original documents with this instrument. 511170--Bought on eBay at a very reasonable price as it was disassembled. I reassembled it once but it didn't work properly. There are a few bent parts that I need to fix. I'm taking it apart right now and will reassemble it. You may need a few parts in the near future. metal body. 937 David Hammelef Davhamm(at)yahoo.com Novi, Minnesota
EU
0 1 531821 A colleague told me about Curta years ago and recently he got the error again. I was trying to win some on Ebay and then I came across the one for sale on Curta.org. It came to me from Pennsylvania, they were the parents of the owners, he remembered seeing it as a child, his father from the past and decided to sell it. I didn't realize when I bought it that it was a Prime and Twin Prime serial number. I'm pretty sure this won't be my last curtain, thing is great but I want a type I 938 Lin McMullin Linmcmullin2(at)gmail.com
BLOG: enseñanzacalculus.com See Ballston, New York
EU 214-558-6260 1 0 59986 Bought on Ebay. 939 Ravindra J. ravindranj62(at)gmail.com Coonoor, Tamil Nadu
IN THE EVENT THAT 97897656793 0 1 516192 My father gave it to me in 1987. Since it doesn't work for me now, I want to sell it. I also have the manual. The curta is in good condition with a black metal bowl. 940 Kerry Cartier Disasterguy(at)wildblue.net

0 1 532716 I have Curta Type II S/N/532716 which has a metal canister. This Curta was featured at Habitat for Humanity in New Braunfels, Texas. It was listed on eBay, I called HFH and made an offer which they accepted. It was advertised as Type I but the color of the case gave it away as Type II. Despite its age it works perfectly. These photos show the metal case and serial number on the bottom of the Curta. I'll note my daughter saying, "In the past..." I was able to work wonders with a Curta and a Picket slide rule. 941 Bruce Boehm bruce_boehm(arroba)alum.mit.edu Chapel Hill, North Carolina
EU
1 2 57856
522196
511138 Type I, S/N 57856, a gift from my father-in-law, an engineer who used the Curta in the 1960's, bought Nov-89 Type II, S/N 522196, bought from a collectors dealer in Oregon, bought Jan '97 type II, S/N 511138, gift from a friend, purchased in 2003 942 Ming-Pin-Mai morrisbin(at)gmail.com Bezirk Xindian, NEW TAIPEI CITY TAIWAN 886+930198669 2 1 34345
49407
523475 My Curta always from ebay 943 Bireta Rica rbireta(at)gmail.com Lawrence, Kansas
EU
0 1 558284 Bought new in 1973 from a back Autoweek ad. Used for US TSD rallies from 1973 to 1980. Used again for TSD rallies from 2004 to 2007, including 2004 Press on Independent in Michigan. Eventually replaced by Richta Rally Calculator, an Android/Apple/Palm application. 944 Scott Jones sajones1(at)cox.net Elkhorn, Neuengland
EU
1 0 55863 I am the executor of my father's estate (he died 2 months before his 91st birthday) and I was going through his things in his bedroom when I found him. I had no idea what it was, but it was intriguing, so I took it home to look it up on the internet. It is a Type I calculator in a metal can and appears to be in excellent condition. I don't have the box or instructions for it. I think the serial number (55863) indicates it was built in 1963. It belonged to my father, who inherited it from me. I don't know how or when he got it. I hope it's useful. 945 Larry Byler annlarry(at)pacbell.net Sunnyvale, California
EU +1 (408)241-6424 1 0 18166 extra information 946 PAUL BRAUNSTEIN Basic Plans(at)msn.com tempe, arizona
EU 602-616-7345 0 1 542557 It was in my surveying closet at my engineering and surveying company, it has a plastic case and also a leather case, the Curta is like new 947 Any Edelmann uli(arrow)edelmann.info DEUTSCHLAND
1 0 15383 I inherited the attached Curta 1 from my father 948 Mateo Sommer Matthew.C.Sommer(arroba)gmail.com New York, New York
EU
1 0 74017 74017 (Plastic Box): I was surfing the web on a lazy day at work watching videos about old technology, mainly old audio gear, and a video about Curta popped up. I knew right away that I had to have one! I bought my Type 1 in like-new condition, still with the original box and manuals, off eBay a few weeks later on December 20, 2016 for just over a thousand dollars. It was originally purchased in 1970. 948a

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949 Gerhard Lange lange.pho(at)t-online.de Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia
DEUTSCHLAND
0 1 560261 The CURTA was a gift I received about 25 years ago. The downside is the aforementioned company Hans Schwarzkopf GmbH. 950 White Ken(arroba)alumni.hmc.edu Palos Verdes Estates, California
EU
1 0 15172 I have owned a CURTA Type I since around 1959, when I inherited it after the death of one of my uncles. He was in the cotton business and needed calculations with enough meaningful figures to buy and sell bales of cotton at a profit. I played with the machine in high school and college out of curiosity and sometimes when I really needed the precision. Last weekend we visited the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA, where we saw a nice exhibit by CURTA. I told one of my grandchildren that I would search the internet for CURTA and I did. 951 Godfrey DiGiorgi godfreydigiorgi(at)me.com
408.431.4601 0 1 ?????? I've known the Curta calculator since my school days, but never thought I'd own one. I saw your Curta poster on eBay and bought it... It's beautiful! ...and I started looking at the Curta again. I realized now that I'm retired I have all the time I need to study and tinker with things like this that I could wish for and such: I found a Type II on eBay that was reasonably priced and in a seems to be in decent condition. It's on its way to me now. So I need to learn how to use it. Your website has been a mine of excellent information about the Curta, thanks again. Now that I've read the manuals and gone through many of the examples, I think I get it. I can't wait for the device to arrive so I can practice properly! My question relates to service and maintenance. Depending on the condition of what I bought, I may need to send it in for cleaning and lubrication etc. I see that you have two or three people on your list who work at Curta, but your entries are a few years old. Do you know if they are all still operational or should I contact them to see what their current status is? The Curta satisfies my love of fine clockwork and my background in mathematics. It's a valuable thing, like a good watch or a camera. As the world increasingly relies on the benefits of digital technology and electronics, I feel like we're missing out on something wonderful and rewarding if we don't remember and marvel at the joy of this type of craft. These mechanisms are justified, as are the electronic mechanisms of the present and the future. 952 Erin Ryan erin.ryan18(arroba)gmail.com

0 1 530798 I have a Curta Type II calculator from 1965. As you can see from the photos the case has some wear but the calculator itself is in excellent condition. 953 Wim van Veghel prive(at)wimvanveghel.nl Asten, North Brabant
NETHERLANDS
0 1 501350 A Curta has fascinated me for a long time, especially the number of parts that were processed back then down to 1mm balls. In 2014 I got a Curta II from 1953 via the internet. I noticed a small blemish and reviewed it last year at: Hans-Rudolf Roshard in Switzerland. It is only to be enjoyed with a curta. 954 j. peterson linux(at)saccade.com Menlo Park, California
EU
0 1 534948 Bought on Ebay. Exactly as described by the seller, in excellent condition with plastic case. I've been fascinated by Curtas for years and thought I'd 3D print one of Marcus Wu's designs. But the cost of printing the plastic parts on Shapeways was close to what I found on Ebay, so I figured I'd better go with the originals. 955 Carlos Dias Carneiro carlos.d.carneiro(at)gmail.com RIO DE JANEIRO - RJ
BRAZIL
0 1 503062 MY GRANDPA'S CALCULATOR IS IN PERFECT WORKING CONDITION AND IS VERY FUN TO PLAY AND USEFUL FOR TEACHING MATHEMATICAL ALGORITHMS. 956 Athenians athena.korai(arroba)gmail.com Athens
GREECE
0 1 530590 I recently found a Curta calculator at my parents' house. It was bought and owned by my father. I am sending you the details as I would like to register the short film on your site! My father was a great collector of all sorts of things! Among his belongings was this wonderful calculator which made a deep impression on me, especially after reading about its history! The CURTA is in perfect condition!! 956a

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957 Ridhuan Abu ridhuan.ahass(arroba)gmail.com Kuala Lumpur, Bundesterritorium
MALAYSIA
1 0 64802 This curtain is a gift from my father. I found this Curta in my dad's filing cabinet in the late 80's when I was a young kid. At first I thought this was a fishing reel (LOL). I didn't know or care at the time. Until last year (2016) 20 years later my father handed me over and explained that this is a tool for arithmetic. My father was a manager of a rubber and oil palm plantation in Malaysia. He has worked on the farm since the 1960's when many plantation managers in Malaysia were English at the time. Maybe they used the curta too. Condition: Excellent operation. But the cleaning lever ring/pin has long been broken. The metal case and the bottom of the calculator show signs of wear. 958 Patrick Schibli patrick(at)schibli-tech.com Zion, Wallis
SWITZERLAND
1 0 34281 My father bought this Curta in the late 1950s and used it in his Geneva office. I remember him showing me how it worked when I was a kid. He gave it to me a few years ago. The Curta works perfectly and appears unused. 959 last micro LAST_PL(arroba)yahoo.com Na'alehu, Hawaii
EU 808-929-8422 0 1 557654 I bought my Curta from national dealer The Curta Company, Van Nuys, California. Sometime between late 1968 and early 1970 I ordered it but I'm looking for my receipt but no luck so far. I paid $165 plus another $16 for a leather case. I had it all along and used it regularly until 1973 when I got my HP-45. What a great piece of engineering (the Curta) is! The Curta came with a booklet (10.5 x 15mm) copyrighted by CONTINA AG, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, with computer examples but undated. It also contained a fold-out booklet "Your CURTA calculator" which gave examples of the four calculation rules. This brochure was also printed in Liechtenstein by BVD Vaduz. Another piece of literature I found was a small brochure entitled World Famous CURTA, which listed the national retailer I had purchased from. I would like to have it checked out by a service technician as even after ONLY 45+ years it may need cleaning etc. Thanks for a great website. Hello. 960 Rob and Denis Rose userose11(at)gmail.com Atlanta, Georgia
USA and Cape Town
SOUTH AFRICA
678 361 3630 1 0 3672 My brother Denis bought this in South Africa at a separate family estate sale with an anti-clockwise metal case. This very early Type 1 needed maintenance and lubrication. We found Jack Christensen in IL and mailed it to him. He endured some health issues to send us a very early Type 1 Curta that worked perfectly. This Curta was built in March 1948 under the serial number 3672; 79527 CURT Type 1 were built. In March 2018 this Curta will be 70 years old. My brother Denis has 3 other Type 2s 961 Alfredo V Almeida alfvital@gmail.com Saint Paul
BRAZIL
0 1 509045 My father-in-law, who was an economist, introduced me to Curta about 28 years ago. Over the years it became clear how important this calculator was to him. The intimacy of dealing with it. And as proud as he was to teach us how to use it, it's the simple things that make us proud that we bear the responsibility for the safety of this calculator. Not just because it's rare, but because it's wonderful in the fine details in which these machines were built. The precision of the Curta, the engine, etc. takes us back in time. He soon gifted it to me who is also a math lover. Mi soon knows that this Curta belongs to him and is temporarily under my protection. Not sure what type it is, but my guess is Type II. Manufactured: 10th-15th Centuries. February 1956. She is in very good condition and purrs very well. The pads inside the metal case are still in (grey) and the white o-ring to make the whole case airtight has some yellow markings. As far as I know, my father-in-law was the first buyer. Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about this beautiful machine. 962 david davis Davidjohndavis1971(at)gmail.com Utah
EU
0 1 504533 This was brought to me by a man in Iraq when I was deployed in 2006. He thought it was a hand generator to activate an IED. As soon as I saw him, I knew what he was and made sure he came home with me. I would also like to clean and reuse it. 963 Christophe Carcenac de Torn ccarcenacdetorne(arroba)gmail.com Bordeaux
FRANCE
0 1 518721 I am the proud owner of a Curta Type II #518721. My grandfather worked as CFO, bought it in the early 1960's, retired and kept it nice until he left it to me as an inheritance. The Curta is complete, in perfect condition, with manual, metal box and no missing parts. This precision item still works great. Its silky clicking sounds still amaze me. As a trained mechanical engineer, a Curta exerts a fascinating fascination. As a grandson, this Curta will always remind me of my grandfather. I can still remember him showing us how to use it. He told us that he paid the price for a small car for his beloved Curta. Enough talking about my curta. Rick, I have to thank you for your well done website and its wealth of information. 964 Ben Wychocki benwychocki(at)gmail.com Chicago, Illinois
EU
1 0 58669 1 Curta Type 1, SN 58669, Year 1965 I bought this Curta Type 1 and its case from a man in France who said he bought it with photographic equipment. It is in near mint condition with the packaging showing only minor signs of wear on the surface. 965 Name f.lveinot(arroba)gmail.com Nova Scotia, Kanada
1 0 33130 I have a Curta Type 1 calculator, model number 33130. This device came into my procession about 45 years ago at a place where I worked. It has been in basically the original packaging with all papers/manuals ever since. I would say it is in like new condition with no signs of wear whatsoever. 966 Richard L. Strohkirch richard(at)northcountrymi.com Gladwin, Michigan
EU (989) 426-4949 0 1 557719 Fresh out of Michigan Technological University while working at General Motors, Saginaw Steering Gear Division circa 1971, I joined the Saginaw Valley Sports Car Club of America. A roommate at the time, Jim Miller, was president of the club and he asked me to be his navigator for road rallies. I was studying something and decided I needed to buy a Curta calculator, so I bought a new Curta and learned how to use it. I don't remember what I paid. We won several road rallies over the next two years. I left Saginaw in 1972 and my days of rallying were over. My Curta has probably not been used more than 10 times in a few years, it was put back in its original packaging in 1972 and stored in a warm indoor environment. Time for you to list on eBay and find a new home for this gently used Curta in very good condition. 967 brand summer marca(de)marksummers.net Buda, Texas
EU
1 0 516319 I had never heard of the Curta until 2018. I've been following some auctions on eBay and found a Curta II from Germany (292573411647) in mint condition. From my understanding of the production date, it was created at the same time (December 1960) as I was created (born April 1961). 968 Harrison
SPAIN hmspain(arroba)gmail.com Los Alamitos, California
EU 714-886-8039 1 1 63968
546874 I'm an electrical engineer (retired) and wish I had a curta in college (early 70's). Unfortunately, we all used slide rules back then. A testament to human ingenuity, the Curta is one of the few devices from that era that you can actually own (and still operate). When I found a Type I in mint condition on Ebay, I had to have it. I then set out to find a Type II in mint condition. 969 Pedro J. Ortiz, Jr. portizjr13(at)gmail.com San Juan
PUERTO RICO 787-510-3909 1 0 20637 MY CURTA WAS BOUGHT BY MY FATHER OVER 50 YEARS AGO. IT IS IN PERFECT CONDITION ALONG WITH THE METAL BOX. I WAIT TO SELL IT. 970 Robert W McConchie rwmcconchie(at)comcast.net Puerto de Roble, Washington
EU
0 1 556033 Perfect condition in plastic cylinder box. Owned since February 2004. Maintenance. 971 Pablo C. Consani II Paul(at)paulcc.net Portland, Oregon
EU
0 1 547638 I got mine when I was 12 (2015), got the money as a combined birthday and Christmas present and after some searching on eBay found one at a reasonable price. It's in very good condition but I don't have the box or instructions. I've always been interested in old engineering math and had to get one. 972 norton johnson nm_johnson(at)mac.com Tucson, Arizona
EU
0 1 542901 Story 973 Pedro Fuchs peterfox(arroba)w3z.co.uk Bonsal, Derbyshire
Great Britain
0 1 545183 I am a retired civil engineer and collect slide rules (UKSRC). One of our members brought his Curta to one of the meetings and was so impressed with the calculator and how smoothly it worked that I decided I had to have one. After a short search, I found a nice specimen at a very reasonably priced scientific instrument dealer. 974 Christopher J. Johnston cjjohnst738(at)gmail.com Coquitlam, British Columbia
YOU HAVE 604_773-5126
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540153 I first heard about these amazing machines and loved them so much I bought two. Both are in EXCELLENT condition, good paintwork, no broken parts and FULLY RUNNING with no slippage in any of the gears or processes. I bought the Curta publication which I had nicely framed and also an instruction booklet. One of them is in a metal can and the other is plastic. But like I said, they are great and I use them regularly. I bought both on eBay from a dealer in France. Greetings Christopher. 975 Ray Lopez rl(at)well.com San Antonio, Texas
EU 210-240-0017 1 0 54798 I bought this Curta on eBay because I've always wanted one. One of my goals in life is to find someone else in a property sale. 976 David Murski dgmuraski(at)charter.net Stevens Point Wisconsin
EU 715-347-7043 1 0 20285 in very good condition, with metal tube, instructions and box in which it was sent by post. This was owned by my father, who was operations manager at Ovaltine Food Products in Villa Park, Illinois for many years. I don't know how many times he used it. I believe this was done around 1951. 976a

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977 and Bernard efbernardc(at)gmail.com Medford, Oregon
EU 541 779-3040 0 1 508411 Purchased from E-Bay in March 2004 by Kurt McMann. His father bought it around 1959. no case. I was not aware of this calculator until the March 2004 Scientific American article. People should know that this calculator calculates square roots. 978 Marius Schwartz zen17h(at)googlemail.com Johannesburg, Gauteng
SOUTH AFRICA
1 0 66533 Bought at a local online auction in 2017. Excellent condition but likely serviced at some point as it came in a plastic case rather than the metal cases that would be used for its serial number. This or another record I forgot at the time was listed as someone's property in Germany, probably later sold 979 Aaron Dickson oouhriu(at)gmail.com

1 0 29366 I recently bought a Curta Type 1 and wanted to see if you could answer a few questions for me. I was wondering if my Curta is worth what I paid ($580) and what its real value is. [$450-$950) I would never sell it, but I'm curious. Do curtas usually look this clean or has mine not been used that much? [Yes they do, it's amazing how well they hold up.] The Curta works perfectly but it doesn't come with a manual or anything so I was also wondering where I could buy a manual for the book . [Download it from my website] I was looking for some sort of instruction manual used with the Curta. [The normal "manual" is just a long guide on a single sheet, two pages] I've been fascinated by it and have been for a few years, but I've never seen one for a reasonable price. [They hold their value due to their popularity] Any information you could give me would be wonderful, or even contact details for someone who can give me that information. [All the information I have is on my website] 980 Dennis R. Blanchard DennisRBlanchard(at)gmail.com Sarasota, Florida
EU 941-923-3316 1 0 35465 After my military service in the late 1960's I worked for the A. G. Russell Company (http://www.arthurgrussell.com/) in Bristol, Connecticut as sole electronics technician. It was a fantastic company to work for and I was fortunate to work for the only electrical engineer, Warren Dion. Warren was a World War II veteran and one of the most brilliant engineers I have ever met. He took me under his wing and taught me everything my brain could take hold of. We got along really well and I worked for him for about four years. The company develops, designs and manufactures special machines. Most of these were automation machines for manufacturing. It was a complicated team and a lot of fun to work with. Warren had a Curta calculator and used it for his daily arithmetic. He was a magician with it. I always wanted to be a radio amateur. I had my radio license and I helped him get his. He was already somewhat fluent in Morse code and learned everything very quickly. Back then the code was mandatory, today it is no longer. After leaving the company to complete my engineering degree, I went to Digital Equipment Corp., another great company. I moved to New Hampshire, but we stayed in touch on ham radio almost every weekend over the years. One day a package arrived and it had a curta. Warren had two of these and he gave me one. I can't tell you how excited I was. I never really learned to program it that well, electronic calculators had met my calculation needs. Still, I treasure the Curta more than any calculator I've ever owned. Warren passed away a few years ago, but I still see him sitting in his office, pulling the switch and looking for solutions to problems. Thanks for giving me the memories. 981 Alberto Wang atwong(at)alumni.uci.edu Los Angeles, California
EU
1 1 18100
557019 I bought Type I on eBay. Seems to be used off-road. Like a completely different little boy. Very little almost fine red dirt or wood dust with a flowery smell??? I bought Type II on eBay. It appeared to be in a private collection that decided to sell it. It looks like it has never been used. 982 Pedro Thompson peter.th32(arroba)gmail.com Viozan
FRANCE
1 0 22027 I also have the orange-brown book "Calculation examples for the CURTA calculator" in A1 condition. 983 Marco Jarbo markjarbo(arroba)primus.ca Ottawa, Ontario
YOU HAVE
1 0 34687 My father left this to me. I'm not sure if it was my parents or originally my grandparents, but I'm trying to get more information. It's in near mint condition and in better condition than most I've seen listed. 984 David D. Van Waggoner david.vanwagoner(at)gmail.com Davidsonville, Maryland
EU
0 1 523786 An engineer at the office where he worked came across plans for a 3D printed Curta, but at first he had no idea what a Curta was. Before I knew it, his enthusiasm for the engineering that went into the device (it's mechanical, I'm electric) had rubbed off on me, and realizing that it didn't differ from Swiss watches in complexity and craftsmanship Distinguished that I own and available on eBay for less than a typical Swiss movement watch, I made an offer. I won it a few days later, with no complications or drama. My main computer today (2019) is an HP48 (1991) but I found out from the serial number that this Curta computer is almost as old as me and will be my new best friend. Going through the algorithm to solve a square root is almost as relaxing as petting my dog! 985 Bill Carson bill.carson(arroba)progeny.net Midtown, Rhode Island
EU
1 0 40162 I have a 1958 Curta Type 1 calculator that belonged to my father. 986 stewart schäfer stewart.schafer(at)sasktel.net Battleford del Norte, Saskatchewan
YOU HAVE (306) 446 4443 1 1 41610
542765 My father, who was an engineer, bought a Curta Type 2 calculator in the late 1960s and showed it to me as a kid. I remember sitting in my father's office while he worked, playing the calculator and listening to the gears turn. I was always fascinated by how he counted numbers and the sound he made when the handle was turned. In 2011 my father died and before he died I had rented his house. During this time, the tenants found the calculator and took it with them. We didn't discover the lack of a pocket calculator until much later. Unfortunately we didn't record the serial number and therefore had no proof that it existed or that my father had one. Over the years I figured I'd check thrift stores to see if anyone had one or if there were any Curta calculators. One day my wife suggested I check e-bay and after some hesitation I went to e-bay to search. I was surprised to find not just one Curta calculator but several Curtas and people selling them. That's when I noticed that there were two types of Curta calculator models. After some discussion with myself, I decided I wanted a Curta calculator as a showpiece and started looking on e-bay in earnest. After a long search I decided to buy one of each. While I don't have my dad's original Type 2 calculator, I at least feel like I have an example of what my dad used. I hope my kids will find it as interesting as I still do. 987 Benjamin Sommer-Bogard Bensomnerbogard(at)icloud.com London, United Kingdom
1 0 50751 I bought it on eBay in early 2018 for my 17th birthday. It is in very good condition as it was untouched for many years, the previous owner inherited it and then kept it. 988 Don Holmgren djholm(arroba)comcast.net Leadville, Colorado
EU
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514853 I first saw a Curta in high school around 1975 or 1976. My physics teacher was a rally enthusiast who drove his Porsche 911 all over Colorado. He competed in the class that allowed only mechanical calculators, so he often used a curta. I can't remember if it was type I or II. He was an excellent physics teacher; In fact, my brothers and I have PhDs in experimental physics! I had long forgotten about Curtas until I built a 3D printer for my 60th birthday and then stumbled upon M. Wu's 3:1 scale 3D printed Type I. This brought back memories and when I read the Scientific American article I was very hooked. . Then I was lucky enough to stumble upon an E-Bay sale from a pawn shop (Newport Pawn of Newport OR). My highest bid was $760. The seller had excellent photos. This Type II is in excellent shape. The only wear is on the metal case and top where the offset ring turns into the retaining pin (a small scratched arc). The metal case has the bottom pad in place but the top pad is missing. Engraved on the curta: Commissioner "Dom" Tavaglione I found a possible match in Riverside, California, a state commissioner of athletics by that name. I hope to get more information from the seller. Happy to have a working Type II, excellent serial number! Now it's time to 3D print and assemble a Type I replica. I found this Type I on an eBay property listing for a very reasonable price. The first owner must have lost the case as it came in a Canon telephoto case with foam padding to protect the calculator. The foam padding had long since started to disintegrate, so a thorough cleaning was needed. The movement was pretty sticky, but it improved with careful practice. I ended up buying watch oil and doing partial disassembly (base and cylinder cover) to gain access to the parts for thorough (and economical) lubrication. It works perfectly now. I contacted the seller to request more information about the farm. This Type I had belonged to a naval commander who liked it. The family didn't know any more. My collection is now complete, a Type I and a Type II, both excellent serial numbers! 989 Scott Millas smiles69(at)googlemail.com Federal Highway, Washington
EU
1 1 59944
547417 My father had a Curta Type I and I was just as in love with the miniature mechanical calculator as he was. The Curta was stolen about thirty years ago. I bought SN 59944 from eBay in August 2019. It was found at a North Carolina real estate sale and shows no signs of wear. In 2020 I added Type 2 to my collection. 990 Jason Affourtit jpaffourtit(at)gmail.com Belmont, California
EU
1 0 77723 I first heard about Curta calculators when I read William Gibson's Pattern Recognition. After learning more about them, I wanted one for several years. Finally one day after an eBay/other internet search I pressed this device. 991 Laurance Rosenzweig rosetwig(arroba)gmail.com Philadelphia, Pennsylvanien
EU
1 0 530503 530503 (circa 1957 judging by the serial number) After studying this (and other mechanical calculators) for several years and lurking around on many eBay auctions, I finally decided to take the plunge and get one from Romano Manaresi in Servicio to buy Curta Italy. It arrived yesterday in perfect condition and I cannot praise Romano enough and the job he is doing. Right now I'm busy practicing square roots, continuous multiplication and whatever else I can think of. 992 Richard Rutkowski richard.rutkowski(arroba)gmail.com Matthäus, North Carolina
EU (704) 622-4279 1 0 38085 The Curta I found on Ebay looked almost perfect and when I bought it at a great price and it arrived I was over the moon as it was in near mint condition with all parts included. I first heard about the Curta calculator in a video by Cliff Stoll that I've been involved with for many years. Then I found your website which is full of Curta facts! I am attaching photos of my machine. Thank you for your efforts in celebrating and collecting documentation for this amazing piece of technology! 993 Roberto Pinheiro Domingos hruodber(at)gmail.com Rio de Janeiro - RJ
BRAZIL
0 1 509255 The first time I saw a Curta was on a TV show. I was amazed by the sophistication of the mechanics and the elegance of the project, being an engineer after all. Shortly thereafter I found an advertisement for a Curta in São Paulo, . It was an expensive curta for my budget but I bought it and I still love it. 994 Clement van Dinter clemente.van.dinter(arroba)gmail.com Brussels
BELGIUM
0 1 522981 522 981 (serial number above below) + black metal case I received this Curta many years ago from my uncle (he was born in 1926) as an informal gift. As he was an architect I assume that was the reason or excuse for him to buy this Curta. It is in new condition so I don't think it has been used much. I guess he preferred to hold it and look at it like I do. 995 Randy Hyatt randyjhyatt(at)gmail.com Newbury Park, Kalifornien
EU
1 0 20144 A friend of mine knew that I collect slide rules and was fascinated by mechanical calculators. I told you about the Curta calculators after stumbling upon them while looking for slide rule information. He approached me a few weeks later and gave me this curta as a gift. He said, "I collect too many things and found this while shopping for other collectibles" and then gave it to me as a gift. 996 Raffael Garcia rafael.a.garcia.r(at)gmail.com Bogota, Cundinamarca
COLOMBIA (57) 317 524 9700 1 0 4031 First, I want to acknowledge the work you are doing to highlight this marvel of human ingenuity. I inherited this Curta from my grandfather and have owned it for more than 20 years. 997 Allen Wilson allen(at)mod.net Atlanta, Georgia
EU 234 222 1110 1 1 9302
501643 I love my Curta. It is in excellent condition and never requires software updates. 998 Bassam Abdul Baki babdulbaki(at)gmail.com Woodbridge, Virginia
EU
0 1 507344 I've always liked calculators. One day I found a Curta on the internet and knew I had to get one. I just couldn't afford it. On July 9th, 2017, I finally became the proud owner of one." 999 Jacobson mats 040.mats.jacobson(arroba)gmail.com Hollviken, Scania
SWEDEN
1 0 27642 27642 (1954): I got this from my late father's small shop. He died in 1977 and has been in my possession ever since. Probably bought in Germany as it has a lot to do with that country. 1000 Chris O'Brien cob666(arroba)gmail.com St. Peter, Nova Scotia
YOU HAVE
0 1 537089 I bought this Curta outside of Framingham, MA a few years ago. I found it through a Craigslist ad. The Curta didn't come with any of the cases or any documentation. It shows some signs of wear but is otherwise in fair condition and works perfectly. 1000a

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1001 Jimmy Ipocke jipock(at)googlemail.com Choctaw (Oklahoma)
EU 4056591392 0 1 558123 I've wanted a Curta for many years and was finally able to justify the cost after collecting more common and numerous vintage computing devices. I was lucky enough to find one with the original case and leather case. 1002 Jim Hawkins usenet(at)j-hawkins.com Middletown, Nueva-Jersey
EU
1 0 544169 I just received my Curta a few days ago, it was sold to me by the first owner who bought it on January 20th, 1969, so it's over 50 years old and in near mint condition. The only signs of use were the cleaning lever being retracted and extended. I'm a retired electrical and software engineer. I love math and numbers. I also love mechanical devices. I mastered calculating square roots of 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 with the help of two YouTube videos on square roots of 3 and 5. 1003 Al Stremble astremble(at)gmail.com Rittersporn Colorado
EU 303-681-2374 1 1 16885
558073 My first teaching assignment at a California community college was a slide rule. During the second semester, Craig tested an electronic calculator that could add, subtract, multiply, and divide for about $150.00. Although I had heard of the CURTA the price was higher than Craig's so I settled on the electronic (1973). I've always wanted a CURTA as a piece of superior engineering and the history that goes with it. 1004 Josef Oliver Josh(at)ollyeng.com.au Adelaide
AUSTRALIA
0 1 550513 In very good condition with plastic packaging. It comes from France from an antique dealer. 1005 Jacky jung jacky.young(at)btinternet.com Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland, UK
Great Britain +44-781-317-6888 0 1 548914 I bought the Curta advertised on The Curta.org. It was owned by Mr. Nat Edgar from Voorburg in the Netherlands. I bought the Curta for his son after Nat passed away, the transaction was easy and the communication was excellent. I registered the property but left Nat's name on the list as he had registered the property in 1979. I would like to know where it was before Nat owned it. 1006 Dr. James Daniels jmdaniels314(at)gmail.com Vancouver, Canada
0 1 510278 My father, dr. James Daniels bought it a long time ago. Black, black metal body. The only sign of age is that the cork covering on the bottom of the metal case is crumbling. It still has the stickers in Canada's CURTA calculators on Davenport Road in Toronto. Based on the date of manufacture (1957) I'm assuming you bought it while you were at UBC in Vancouver. As a physics teacher, he was always doing some sort of calculation, which he probably saved when he bought an HP card-based programmable calculator around 1980. I did some sample calculations, it still works. 1007 Andre Rimondi andrea.rimo(at)gmail.com Bologna
ITALY
1 0 16626 I bought my Curta from ebay shortly after discovering its existence. It was defective but luckily I live near Italian repair shop Curta so I took it there. It was serviced and cleaned and has been running flawlessly ever since. 1008 Antonio Perez Ayala antonio.perez.ayala(at)gmail.com Mexico City Federal District (CdMx)
MEXICO
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534315 51339 with black metal case and the original CONTINA Ltd "Instructions for use for the CURTA" with 48 pages. 534315 without box. Both are in perfect condition. About 6 years ago I started collecting old electronic calculators, mainly from Hewlett-Packard, of which I own several models, some of which are very interesting (like an Xpander new in the box, unused!). Later I also bought mechanical calculators and got to know CURTA that way. I bought my two CURTAs off eBay (at pretty high prices). I also received a *copy* (6 letter size sheets) of a manual entitled "Your CURTA Calculator" which bears a stamp which I assume was the original purchaser: "C. H. Berry, January 29, 1962 1009 Daniel Ramos Sanchez daneloramos@gmail.com amecameca
MEXICO 5524922135 2 1 3493
48170
524479 I've always liked mechanical systems, when I got to know mechanical adders thanks to an original Odhner that I acquired without knowing what it was, I started collecting them, so I got some Facit, Monroe, Resulta, Remintong adders Rand, Friden and others but always looking for a cheap Curta to buy and I found these 3 pieces. I've always liked mechanical systems, when I encountered mechanical adding machines, thanks to an original Odhner I acquired not knowing what it was, I started collecting them, so I got some Facit, Monroe, Resulta, Remintong Rand, Friden and other adding machines but I'm always looking for a cheap curta to buy and I found these 3 pieces. I found these 3 Curtas searching the internet for the Curta Type 2 (524479) Marketplace, the first was the purchase date 04/30/2018, seller Enrique Moreno from Tlalnepantla 11,500 MXN, the speed ring was slightly damaged which I will repair by looking at it had to watch videos on youtube so I encourage myself to disassemble and repair it, under conditions I'll give it a 9. [T]I found these 3 Curtas by searching the internet for the Curta Type 2 (524479) Marketplace , the first being the date of purchase 04/30/2018, seller Enrique Moreno from Tlalnepantla 11,500 MXN, it had a little damaged equipment that I had to repair while watching videos on YouTube Type 1 (48170) with box, the second I found on the Used side from 09/19/2018, seller María de Zapopan Jalisco 10,000 MXN, it was part of the late father's collection that of Mrs. María, condition 10 is new. [T] Curta type 1 (48170) with box, the second one I found on the used page from 09/19/2018, seller María de Zapopan Jalisco 10,000 MXN, it was part of the late father's collection, that of Mrs. Maria, condition of 10 is new. Curta Type 1 (3493) the latest purchase and the rarest, Marketplace Facebook from 10/20/2019, seller Angel Edo Mex, 3800 MXN is one of the first serial numbers, it has round selection pins and with the description: System Curt Herzstark under the word CURTA, however damaged and semi-functional, condition 7 is already being repaired. [T] Curta Type 1 (3493) the latest and rarest acquisition, Marketplace Facebook from October 20, 2019, seller Angel Edo Mex, 3800 MXN, the first serial number with round selection pins and the description: System Curt Herzstark under the word CURTA is damaged and works halfway, condition 7 is already under repair. I will continue to upload information as I acquire new pieces, thanks for reading. [T]I will continue to upload information as I purchase new parts. Thanks Rick Furr for your good work c: 1010 why capkin mertcapkin(arroba)gmail.com capital city
NETHERLANDS
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530312 I'm studying mechanical engineering at Delft University of Technology and one of my courses was on engineering and the history of mechanical calculators. During one of the lectures the professor told us about the Curta calculator how great it was and still is! I was immediately intrigued and started looking for it on the internet. After a while I found a Type 1 for a decent price and not long after that I found a Type 2 for an even better price. I am now the proud owner of both types! :) 1011 Eric Osen hollyneric(arroba)comcast.net Vallejo, California
EU
1 0 67878 I saw the inventor's story on TV and was amazed at his struggle and perseverance. I didn't know where to find one of your calculators so I looked on EBAY and found a Type I for about $300 with case and manuals in mint condition. I pull it out from time to time just to make sure I remember how to perform the basic functions and marvel at the accomplishment of this invention. 1012 Scott and Davison buffip(at)aol.com Burkburnett, Texas
EU
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514290 Both bought on eBay at premium prices. The Type I is in near mint condition with a small imperfection that is barely noticeable. The Type II is in mint condition and appears to be unused. Both have their original storage jars in near mint condition. Both were very well lubricated by the previous owner. The Type II arrived in the original factory carton shipping box with all the original papers and both work perfectly. 1013 Mike DiGirolamo mike(at)w4xn.com Charlottesville, Virginia
EU 434.898.4500 0 1 557178 I bought it from England via eBay. It is in very good condition. I'm a newbie, I've been looking at this since the 60's, slide rule in school, then HP calculators. This is a piece of mechanical genius. Learn math functions now.. 1014 david rios driosr(at)gmail.com ANDORRA
1 0 7278 First of all thank you for your amazing website. The information it contains is very helpful in learning about (and loving) these gems. I would like to help you to improve your site a little (if still possible). I would like to know that I recently purchased a Curta Type I serial number 7278 with rectangular entry levers.Note: A new record low-volume for entry-level rectangular levers! -Haystack- 1015 Trevor Taylor blood(at)blodinwilbo.plus.com Wilberfoss, York, East Riding de Yorkshire, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 9970 I have owned it since my father passed away in 2002. He was the manager of a brewery in Kent until his retirement in 1974. The brewery closed in 1990. This property, along with other office items, belonged to my father when it was closed. 1016 Ron Dockwell rdockswell(at)gmail.com Roseville, California
EU
1 0 7762 That was my father's curta. I tore it up as a kid and sent it to Jack Christensen in 2009. My father died and after 11 years Jack found me and told me he had repaired my father's curta. I paid for the services and he sent it to me last week. 1017 Emilio Defez Candel & Elena Defez Juarez edefez(at)imm.upv.es Valencia, Valencian Community
SPAIN +34 639417627 2 2 43343
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548721 I work as a University Professor of Mathematics and due to the Covid 19 restrictions I have become interested in the topic of old calculators of which I have been able to make a small collection. I managed to buy a short Type I for a good price and my daughter Elena and I found it so incredible and fascinating that we couldn't help but buy another Type I and two more Type IIs, one out the year I was born, 1968, especially with the latest Type II (SN 519818), which we bought on eBay, the seller assured us that it worked perfectly, it said "Tres bon etat" but didn't, the machine didn't work properly . Searching the internet we found "Curta Service Italia" and we emailed Mr. D. Romano Manaresi in Italy who cleaned and repaired the machine with his great skills so the machine is working wonderfully (Thanks a lot D Romano We can highly recommend your services!!) Also, we were able to get a leather sheath for it through Mr. Romano (they sold it to us without the packaging). I'm looking for an original metal case, although I think my daughter loved the leather case so much that it's her favourite. I don't rule out expanding my small collection when circumstances allow, because I think it's wonderful that machines that are around 60 years old work so well. 1018 Daniel Zalcoman zalcman(at)aol.com Boston, Massachusetts
EU
1 0 11549 My Curta was recently gifted to me by my father who inherited it from my grandfather Samuel Beck in the early 1980s. According to the information on this website this particular Type 1 was made in 1950. Still in the original metal case, it is in what I would consider near mint condition (the rubber base on the underside of the inside of the case has dried out and cracked due to age). It also keeps the original box in which it was delivered, with the relevant serial number, as well as the instruction manual. There is also a small leaflet that says "Checkmate this problem!" with a picture of a CURTA on a checkerboard pattern and a list of the name of the dealer my grandfather bought it from in Pennsylvania, on the reverse with a handwritten "134.70" which I assume is the price, that he paid. If I hadn't known the date of manufacture, I would have guessed it was built in 2020! 1019 César Baj cesarebaj(at)gmail.com Cernobbio (Como)
ITALY
0 1 549867 I inform you that I am the proud owner of an immaculate Curta Type II s/n 549867. A piece of information to add to your list of owners. I bought it on ebay a few years ago. I am a science journalist and I will be writing an article about the Curta for the mathematical magazine Prisma. I'm launching (in November) a new math board game "Mathematicus", a kind of Monopoly but all math, with hundreds of cards with questions on 4 different levels (the game is for people from 8 to 99). One question concerned the curta. Your site is beautiful. Wonderful work. 1020 Dominique Bétin dominique(at)betin.fr Marionette
FRANCE
1 0 45971 I discovered Curta calculators on the YouTube channel called "Le Myriogon" which talked (in French) about the mechanical calculators on display in a French museum (Musée des Arts et Metiers). I bought mine on eBay. 1021 Greg Walsh skylightprods(at)gmail.com Pulborough, West Sussex, Inglaterra
Great Britain
1 0 38813 I bought it from an antiques dealer in Dorking, Surrey, UK about 15 years ago and it has fascinated me and been a talking point ever since. Amazing machine that still works perfectly. A true analogue marvel in the digital age!!! 1022 Suzanne Waren susankwarren(at)me.com Tucson, Arizona
EU
0 1 510875 My father, John Warren, was an architect/engineer in Munich, Frankfurt and Heidelberg, Germany from 1949 to 1980. This was his Curta calculator which I inherited. I have 2 manuals and it is in excellent condition. 1023 Ednorris e.o.norris(at)gmail.com Dix Hills, New York
EU
1 0 74970 plastic housing, cleaning handle missing; runs 10 on the dodgy lap counter... otherwise in good condition. hoping to send Timwise for review 1023a

2021

2021

2021

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******** 2021 ********

1024 Por Cronholm cronholm.pelle(arroba)gmail.com Stockholm
SWEDEN
1 0 32276 I have a Curta I, #32276. My father, Åke Cronholm, was a workaholic engineer and built bridges. He was a co-owner of the engineering company Kjessler & Mannerstråle, which was then important for the construction of roads, bridges and water reservoirs. On afternoons in the late '50s and early '60s, the hum of mechanical desktop calculators would lull me to sleep as he worked half the night. In order to be able to work in the Swedish archipelago during the family holidays, he bought a Curta and later the first electronic pocket calculators from Commodore and HP, all at horrendous costs compared to today's prices. Rummaging through old boxes today, I found an HP-67 and the Curta. I told my daughter, who obviously couldn't guess what it was, that they must be a cult today. A quick visit to Google proved me right! Especially Adam Savage's vlog! My Curta is in very good condition and runs perfectly with just a little bit of wear under the reset handle. 1025 Faronbohne fdbean(at)bellsouth.net Libanon Tennessee
EU
1 0 518069 I've wanted one for 15 years, ever since a co-worker showed me his. My wife gave me the money to buy one for Christmas and I spent weeks researching eBay to find a buyer I trust and a CURTA that is in my price range. I lost two previous offers and ended up winning the third one I was looking for. The machine arrived about a week after purchase and the photos don't do it justice. I'm not sure if the seller knew what he had. It is in perfect condition with no scratches and works beautifully. Couldn't be happier. 1026 Steve Lamothe slamothe57(at)gmail.com

0 1 528255 I have a Type 2 that I bought at a flea market 40 years ago. The device is in mint condition with the original operating instructions S/N 1027 Alberto Magnani a.magnani@adinet.com.uy Montevideo, Uruguay
1 0 2841 Ich habe von meinem Vater geerbt. Ich bin 61 Jahre alt und es hat immer ihm gehört. Benutzte es für irgendwelche Arbeiten rund ums Haus. Keine Ahnung, was er getan hat. Es wurde nie als Spielzeug betrachtet, aber er brachte mir bei, wie man es benutzt. Ich habe auch die Bedienungsanleitung auf Spanisch. Ich denke, das ist ziemlich seltsam. 1028 Yannis Doukakis yannis(on)wings.systems Thessaloniki, Macedonia
GREECE
1 0 78375 Bought on eBay. Excellent condition, all functions working, with box, box and original instructions. 1029 Carlos Alberto Pedrosa carlos(at)pedrosansultoria.com.br Ribeirao Preto - Sao Paulo
BRAZIL +55 81 982229990 13 9 3920
5358
6309
9717
9718
11996
12019
24852
27978
34882
37733
53945
57482
500008
505429
505434
505475
514128
522586
541045
545472
546126 Today I have fifteen (15) Curta calculatorsCheck out some nice picturesCarlos' collection.08/30/22 - I have acquired a Curta calculator with a serial number (SN) to the one I already had and made a pair, a rare opportunity for me, I have SN 9718 and I have received SN 9717. 1030 Carlos E. Invierno winterce(at)gmail.com Saint Paul
BRAZIL
1 0 5949 This calculator belonged to my grandfather. He was an engineer specializing in the construction of railways. You probably bought this calculator in the 1930s or 1940s. 1031 Find Dyrkorn fdyrkorn(at)gmail.com Oslo
NORWAY
0 1 501864 I was only allowed to buy the Curta after a conversation with the seller, where I had to prove my interest in mechanical marvels. 1032 Christoph Griffith cgriffith9(arroba)bcit.ca Vancouver, British Columbia
YOU HAVE
1 0 66699 I received this Curta cleaning an old storage cabinet for the BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology) geomatics department. I knew them from collecting old surveying instruments. 1033 Mike's craftsmanship MikeC.Net(at)g4nsn.co.uk Farnborough, Hampshire
Great Britain
0 1 524557 I bought these second hand. He bought it from someone who had inherited it from a deceased collector of scientific instruments. It is in mint condition, museum quality and fully functional. I also have the original instructions which show it was purchased from Straker Brasser of Ludgate Circus, London EC4. Based on the serial number I think it was most likely made in 1963. 1034 Walter Hofer wphofer(arroba)bluewin.ch Walkringen, Bern
SWITZERLAND
0 1 503540 I'm a mechanical engineer. For 20 years I was always looking for a Curta, but they were rare and expensive. Last year I found a Curta on ebay in France for CHF 1000. When the miracle came, I tried them and the thing broke. I was disappointed and sent it to Curta Suiza. The result: a general overhaul is necessary! It costs around CHF 550. I had to wait 4 months. Now my Curta has arrived and I'm happy. The seller was accommodating and refunded the payment of CHF 440. So I checked a CURTA II for CHF 1110 professionally. 1035 Craig Raro mr.craig(at)gmail.com Los Angeles, California
EU
1 0 10693 Thank you for your excellent website! 1036 Juan Lindgren john.lindgren(dress)stanfordalumni.org Santa Rosa, California
EU 408-334-3198 34 sixteen 3312
3332
3423
6151
7005
7777
9336
9776
12919
16593
18761
20234
20774
22038
25354
31078
33403
36340
39531
39598
40841
44623
44833
51533
57162
59311
66052
67421
74683
77465
78008
78157
ID-Typ
Enter IB
500603
503280
507350
508175
512286
516406
526523
528475
531369
532219
538375
552757
557407
557758
561181
Typ II-D
SN 20774 (CURTA-TELE)
SN Type I CUT DEMO (perfect condition)
SN Type I BLANK (made with NOS parts, pin style, like new)
SN Type II CUT DEMO (mint condition) How I started collecting is a different route than most on this list I suspect. After getting my DNA tested a few years ago, I learned that several of my ancestors were actually Ashkinazi Jews from Europe. I had no idea this was the case, so I wanted to find a way to connect with that part of me. Being an engineer myself I studied the history of CURTA and decided to build a collection and learn how to maintain and repair them (several on the list have been restored including repairing damaged boats). I learned a lot from Jack Christensen and Manuel Dierbach (Germany). Jack was especially kind to me by sharing his in-depth knowledge of CURTAs - he fixed my first broken CURTA and I bought him a really good one. I agree with everything on the list about Jack, he's the best when it comes to CURTA repairs, he's even a source of mechanical knowledge that's very hard to find. Manuel has also become a good friend and we communicate often about all things CURTA including his extensive collection of CURTAs, manuals and "offset rings" which he offers on EBAY. Manuel has sold me some of the best CURTAs I have on the list including the beautiful cutaway models by Heinz Kruegel (Germany). We have some of the new wooden boats that Romano sells on curtaservice.it (no affiliation, just a big fan). The boats are truly a work of art. Romano also helped me get much needed parts. Thank you Rick for making the list. It is good to have universal documentation to protect CURTA owners from possible theft. 1037 Museo SAF de Lithgow kerryguerin(en)lithgowsafmuseum.org.au Lithgow, New South Wales
AUSTRALIA 61 427 560 238 1 0 31420 Our CURTA is a Model 1 complete with metal body with L/F thread and "Instructions for Use" booklet. It was manufactured in 1955 and is in excellent condition. It saw service at the Government Small Arms Factory in Lithgow, Australia. Found and salvaged in a rubbish bin on the premises by John Marshall in the 1970s. It was donated to the Lithgow SAF Museum this week (8/26/2021) by John's family and will form part of our Metrology Department display. 1038 rob west jrwest1129(at)sbcglobal.net Houston, Texas
EU 713-464-1129 1 0 77171 He ran TSD sports car rallies in the 1960s using a slide rule. I bought the Curta '69 to improve my rallying skills. Fantastic machine that has clocked up many miles and tells me if I was "on time". 1039 Addy Lopes Hugoritos(at)free.fr Elancourt, Yveline
France
0 1 547379 When I was studying mathematics and physics at the CNAM (Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers) in Paris, there was a classmate who used a curta. He was a very bright student who later became a well-known... financial guru. Although he was already intensively involved with electronics, the Curta fascinated him as a mechanical marvel. 40 years later, just as I was retiring from a long career in the design, support and business development of large computer systems, my Executive Vice President offered me a Curta. In perfect condition. Manufactured in Liechtenstein on July 14th, 1996. How do you know my passion for such a miracle? I really do not know it. secrets, secrets! But it was the most valuable retirement gift he'd ever received. 1039 Anmol Brian anmolbrian(at)gmail.com Mangalore, Karnataka
IN THE EVENT THAT 9845608394 1 0 75587 My father gave me a gift from his antique collection. 1040 Esteban Widmark Widware (at) prodigy.net Boulder Creek, California
EU
1 0 27151 I've been interested in the Curta since I read about it in Scientific American a few years ago. I finally treated myself to the money and bought it from a German seller on eBay. Sent from my iPad 1041 Jay E. Garbus jgarbus(at)carolina.rr.com Matthäus, North Carolina
EU
0 2 506695
523478 Buy Manuel Dierbach. I looked on YouTube and thought this is what I need.
No batteries to worry about and well built. It's a fantastic machine. I wish they would anyway. I found the black Curta II on eBay. I wanted the black because it looks better. I had the Curta II gray color but the black is nicer. The one I have now has the still spring. I also bought the leather case for the Curta. I think it protects the curta better. 1042 David Warsaw Dave(de)crashman.org Catonsville, Maryland
EU
1 0 10397 Bought on eBay in 2021 by a retired airline pilot. Including metal housing with left-hand thread. The movement was sticky and required a lot more power than felt right. He sent it in to RomanoRepair Curta ItalyAnd now it's like new. The guy is a darling. 1043 James R. Gallivan ogallivan(at)verizon.net Pomona, California
EU
1 0 16524 I first saw a Curta in a 1963 car rally. Later, when I was in astronomy, I borrowed one to help with asteroid trajectory calculations when Freedman's calculator needed repairs. I have always admired the feel of such a precise machine and ordered one online that worked which turned out to be a problem with one digit so it was returned. A few years ago I bought a beautifully maintained Curta 1 model June 1952. Not even a scratch on the tin. It was fortunate for Curtas that electronic calculators appeared as it reduced the attrition of the survivors. I want my Curta to last forever! The last time I used my Curta was for a sky sailing certification class. It is as reliable as the classic sextant. At around $1,500, they were about the same price.

I had wondered about left-hand threads on the housings and found the following from the previous owner/collector:

Shortly after the first Curta calculators shipped, many returned with a problem. When unscrewing the can lid, the rubber stopper on the lid would press on the crank and turn it clockwise a few degrees. This blocked the configuration functions. In order to eliminate this "mistake", from now on all Curta cans were placed in the well-known left thread. The intriguing stories of the Curta are as interesting as the mechanics!

1044 Douglas Mahone doug(at)dmahone.com Santa Cruz, California
EU (916) 541-6607 1 0 7729 According to curtamania.com, this device was manufactured in February 1950. It was purchased by my grandfather, a civil engineer and surveyor in Ames, Iowa, who later went on to college at the University of Arkansas.

When he died in 1974, I inherited it. I was in graduate school (architecture) at MIT and used Curta for my schoolwork. Unfortunately it fell off my desk and got damaged... apparently the main shaft was bent. It still worked, but poorly, and I was afraid of making it worse if I kept using it. By then I could afford my first HP engineering calculator, so the Curta was relegated to the bottom of my drawer.

About a dozen years ago I decided to fix it. I found Jack Christensen and sent it to him. It came back in near mint condition and worked perfectly. I still have the original box and instruction manual. I no longer use it for arithmetic, but it is a valuable artifact of the later years of mechanical arithmetic. It's also a welcome reminder that my cranky old grandfather was an early adopter of advanced technology.

1045 Pablo Bergmann paul.n3pso(at)gmail.com
Text email only: 12675066164(at)tmomail.net Philadelphia, Pennsylvanien
EU
1 1 40266
546004 Type 1 Curta, S/N:40266, very good condition, with instruction poster, instruction booklet and computer example booklet. All 3 in English and in very good condition. The tuck case is a black metal can with a black metal clear. Found on eBay.

Type 2 Curta, S/N:546004, very good condition, with instruction poster, instruction booklet and computer example booklet. All 3 in English and in very good condition. The box is a black plastic can. Found on eBay.

1046 tony forces tpowers(arroba)dokkenengineering.com Folsom, California
EU
1 0 10237 I inherited my Curta from my father who died in 2015. He got them from the Cleveland, OH surveying business he bought when his boss Saul A. Bauer retired circa 1970. Mr. Bauer bought the Curta for the company, Bauer Surveys, Co., which he founded in 1925. Mr. Bauer was a registered surveyor number 53 in Ohio. 1047 Patrick Kegel pasorasi(arroba)bluewin.ch Ginebra
Swiss Telephone
0 1 553972 I'm a watchmaker in Geneva. I already have several calculators (Odhner, Addiator) and have wanted to buy a Curta for a long time.

I bought these on eBay from a German seller who is also a watchmaker. He found it in the workshop of an old watchmaker who was cleaning.

(Video) This Wizarding Trunk Box is AWESOME | Ministry of Magic | Harry Potter Unboxing

The curtain is in its packaging and in perfect condition.

1047a

2022

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1048 horny shrub Randy (at) psg.com Portland, Oregon
EU
0 1 539259 no story 1049 Decano Rudenauer rudenauer(at)earthlink.net Pomona, California
EU 626-905-2825 1 0 21360 My great uncle Mr. Remington purchased this new CURTA while doing field work in Taft, California in the mid 1950's. I got this story secondhand from my Aunt Alice, his wife. When he died in 1985 we went through his belongings and found the CURTA in the bottom drawer of his desk. At first I didn't know what it was, apart from a mechanical curiosity (pre-internet days). I've kept it ever since. A few years ago a colleague of mine came by, saw it on the shelf and, after seeing it there, was shocked to explain what it was about and pointed me to these pages. I know it all now and it's MINE! All mine! HAHAHA

It is in mint condition and works perfectly, smooth as silk.

1050 Kerim Umur kerim.age(at)gmail.com Direction...
there
1 0 6212 I always knew my father had a curta in his library, but I didn't take a closer look. I recently researched how it works and was intrigued by it. It is a 1950 version with pinned entry levers. It is in perfect condition. I am proud to have the opportunity to use this wonderful device. 1051 Dumitru-Mihail Ionica ionicadumitru(arroba)gmail.com Bucharest
Romania
1 0 69112 In 2017 I started collecting mechanical calculators and accidentally discovered the famous Curta while searching for pinwheel machines on eBay. When I first saw it I didn't know it was actually pocket sized and after searching for it on the internet and YouTube I fell in love with it immediately. In fact, there was a Curta for sale near me, but I couldn't afford it at the time.

For a couple of years I've been looking for one I can feel free to buy as shipping to where I live isn't that easy, especially for something like the Curta which takes me to mine I bought today. I paid about $1126 for it, probably due to the small issue of the wiper ring breaking, but apparently it's metal so you should be able to fix it by soldering if you have the time. Otherwise the machine works perfectly so I couldn't miss such a nice occasion just because of the balancing ring.

From what I know about the Curta I can say that I know its history and how to use it and I enjoy using it. :)

1052 Esteban C. Snell stephencsnell(at)gmail.com Fuquay Varina, Carolina del Norte
EU
1 0 62837 I am the first owner. Bought between 1964 and 1966 to support my part-time job at a surveying company in Monterey County, California. Used extensively during my BSEE course at UC Davis. I lost the little emblem on top of the box! 1053 Walter Tabax contact(at)wetabax.com.br Sao Paulo-SP
Brazil +55 11 23844859 1 0 4655 CURTA(s): perfect condition, working, with box without manual

My father was a salesman. Bought this calculator around 1966. I am not aware of any further information. I upload some photos to http://imgur.com/a/mtSCy#0

1054 James Barba jamesdavidbeard(at)gmail.com Ost London
South Africa
1 0 5524 My Curta was gifted to me by my friend and neighbor Don Bryce, he got it from his father Basil Bryce. 1055 Adrian Colesnicenco colescoles71(at)gmail.com Vizzolo Predabissi, Mailand, Lombardei
Italy Telephone
0 1 500037 I was already familiar with this little calculator and had read about it a long time ago. I bought it for a few euros at a market last week. I noticed because it had no lid and I had seen the lid. I said to myself "that doesn't work". I was very lucky.... Cleaned and oiled, runs perfectly. It's a fantastic machine. 1056 gabriel nazar nazar_g(at)hotmail.com Nueva Orleans, Louisiana
EU 504 343 6893 1 0 45517 My dad gave it to me when I was 10 (early 80's) when I told him I wanted to be an engineer! 1057 Paulo Couto paulo.couto(at)gmail.com harbor
Portugal
1 2 29943
550012
511555 My first Curta was a 1969 Type II which I bought on Ebay in the UK in 2014. has a plastic bottle

In love with him I had to buy another one

That same year I found a Type I-1955 on Ebay and ended up buying it. Again from the UK. This one has a metal boat.

My third Curta has a very different story.

In 2019, while rushing to Orly Airport in Paris to fly back, I noticed what appeared to be a Curta operating handle (the metro uses clear plastic bags) in the middle of a dumpster. I passed, but suddenly something else occurred to me and… was it a curta? I turned against the moving crowd and shamelessly reached over and grabbed the trash can. It really was a curta! A Type II-1959 next to its metal cap. I continued to search in vain for the bottom of the boat.

I was overwhelmed. It worked well and I thought about who destroyed it. Why?

(Video) Nastya and funny Collection of New Stories for Kids

Now it sits proudly in my collection, waiting for a metal canister that I'll have to find one day.

1058 steven verde stevegreen(at)clara.net Malmesbury
Great Britain
0 1 526651 I remember seeing Scientific American's advertisements for Curta in the early 1970's, but my interest was really piqued by the January 2004 article in the same magazine. I was fascinated by the story of how a man in such horrible conditions could break a small mechanical device invented. circumstances and I wanted one of your machines for myself. I was fortunate enough to purchase an immaculate Mk II through eBay. The metal tin has a small dent but the Curta itself is in excellent condition and I suspect the original owners have hardly used it. I'm still trying to learn how to use it effectively, but I love it! 1059 Saroar S. Schamsi epigraphmail(arroba)yahoo.com Daca
Bangladesh +8801714086548 0 1 557651 In 2015 I met Curta for the first time. It was a YouTube video where a mathematician told the story of Curta and showed how it worked. I liked it immediately and decided on one. From the same video I found out it was available on eBay. Back then it was quite difficult to buy anything online from Bangladesh, so I asked my best friend who lives in the US to buy it on eBay and he did it in early 2016. I had to wait about six months to find someone , who could offer me something sends him to Bangladesh. In July 2016 I finally got the Curta. It is in good physical condition and works perfectly. [Holds manual and booklet.] 1060 Norman A. Stuart nstuart(at))ysainc.co.za Johannesburg, Gauteng
South Africa +27 (0) 83 407 7560 0 2 525448
532921 I have been in surveying for 62 years and for the last 42 of those years I have had my own surveying company undertaking surveying projects across the African continent.

I bought the Curta calculator in 1965 at surveys in Rhodesia, Zimbabwe. The calculator turned out to be a real boon when working in the jungle. Before that I had a Facit calculator with me. Although very efficient, he usually left it in the truck as it was too heavy to carry in the sun all day. When he needed to do calculations, he just went back to the truck and used the Facit and Natural trigger tables. However, everything has changed with the Curta, making my fieldwork and calculations much easier.

When scientific calculators like the HP35 came along, the Curta added to my antique collection.

The second Curta calculator in my collection was gifted to me by another pollster who also worked in Rhodesia.

1061 João Lopes mail an joaolopes dot org Setubal, Setubal
Portugal
1 0 7184 I've wanted to own a CURTA for a few years and found a local owner (Luis Figueiredo) who sold my grandfather a CURTA, it's a 1949 Type 1 with a broken trim lever ring, it's just amazing.

Since this is such a low serial number, I want to do justice to that and fix the ring with a real one instead of a 3D printed one. If you have any advice I would be grateful.

1062 randall gris rc.gray(at)posteo.net Portland, Origin
EU
1 0 39621 Curta Type I SN 39621. This Type I was originally purchased by my grandfather, William W. Hudson, most likely in the late 1950's (Date of Manufacture: May 1958). Bill was project manager for major civil engineering projects in the Pacific Northwest for Morrison Knudsen (MK). He has been responsible for the construction of numerous projects including the Cedar Spring Dam (Silverwood Lake) outside of Hesperia, CA, construction of much of I-84 along the Columbia River Gorge, and a major hydroelectric project. among polar bears in northern Canada. Chances are you've used this little device to help with number crunching on such large projects.

I also had a Type II which my brother currently has, one day I will remember to ask for the serial number. I wonder if this one saw more use as it's larger and perhaps easier to use than the little Type I. It also left a collection of some expensive (for its time) slide rules which I also have. what would you wear Slide rule or Curta? Obviously I'm asking the wrong group - I know the answer!

39621 has some scratches on the underside of the metal case but the Curta itself is in excellent condition. Being all metal should help in that regard. In fact, the recoil ring still leaves a wisp of oil on top of the main body when rotated for use. They sure were made to last, right?

Thanks for the opportunity to tell my little story and thanks to Rick Furr for maintaining the site!

1063 Jason-Burger jaskoburger(at)gmail.com Durban, KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa
0 1 545179 My curta was given to me by my grandfather. My grandfather, Desmond Woodrough, was the chief accountant at Tongaat Hullet Sugar. I am an engineer and will keep the part in the family. 1064 Michael McGrath usc.mike(at)hotmail.com Gothenburg
Sweden
1 0 6894 I'm an avid collector of vintage Hewlett Packard calculators and vintage Swiss watches, and my research led me to the CURTA (I hadn't heard of it until a few months ago). As a fan of precision engineering and ancient infinitesimal calculus, I had to get a CURTA. I found mine on an auction site and despite the price I'm excited to finally get my hands on it and learn how to count with it. 1065 Frank Barett fdb912(at))googlemail.com boulders, red
EU 303-237-0911
1 2 77530
525723
524721 All three came from the estate of a friend, Dr. William Jackson, of Denver, Colorado. For over 50 years he collected automobiles (mainly Porsches) and automotive memorabilia. All three are in very good condition and work perfectly. 1066 Gordon Brebner brebnerg(at)gmail.com Scotland, UK
Great Britain
1 0 42462 That was my father (George Brebner deceased 2020) CURTA and I have always seen him my whole life (52 years). Immaculate condition. It has its metal box. The serial number would indicate it is from 1960. 1067 Fred B. Rosenberger frozenfred(at)gmail.com St. Charles, MO
EU
1 0 67406 My dad found out about it and we bought him one on ebay for his birthday. When he died, my sister and I loved him. My mother bought a second one which I now own. 1068 Roberto Häni robert_haeni(de)bluewin.ch Unterlunkhofen
Swiss
7 2 4854
9506
15160
42610
62056
79851
100027 (1a)
505700
560601 About 45 years ago, as a student, I became aware of the Curta calculator and of course I couldn't afford one at the time. So I lost sight of it until I found Cliff Stoll's Scientific American article online a few years ago. That's how I started collecting.

All Curtas have their original boat, two of them with original instructions. They have been fully serviced by Curta Suiza or were in top condition when purchased.

I will only describe the properties that I find particularly interesting:

(Video) Registering as a Collector

4854 - from short Switzerland
Lettering: CURT HERZSTARK "CURTA" SYSTEM, pin adjustment knobs, old crank with screw in the lower third, screwed wiper lever, base plate with round lettering, container labeled: "CURTA", additional sticker on base plate: "VIUVA DE M. DE M. CEBADA LISBOA", opens counterclockwise

9506 - from Kurzen Schweiz
Pin adjustment knobs, old crank with screw in the lower third

15160 - von Curta Switzerland
Screw-on cleaning lever

42610 - by M. Bader, Switzerland, originally by Inova, Paris
matte surface of the container, without a label

62056 - von Curta Switzerland
Delrin crank, metal cleaning lever, metal bowl

79851 - de R. Tauern, Liechtenstein (FL)
One of the last regularly produced Type Is and new from the factory. Originally by J. Tschol, who worked on the Curta production at Contina AG in Mauren FL.
It comes with the original packaging and the two original manuals.

100027 - by R. Tauern/J. Chol, Florida
Curta Ia - Prototype, new from the factory: Elmar Maier, Contina, modified the Curta I and II in 1961 to save 40% of the production costs. Contina's management rejected these improvements.

505700 - by Short Suiza

560601 - by R. Tauern/J. Chol, Florida
One of the last regularly produced Type II and new from the factory. It comes with the original packaging and the two original manuals.

1069 Shaun Richmond shaunrichmond (arroba) gmail.com Guildford, Surrey
Great Britain
1 0 4442 It belonged to my grandfather. I have no idea where he got it from. It's a beautiful thing. I believe the ring on top has been replaced with a small piece of aluminum but otherwise in excellent condition. The case is a bit worn and appears to have something attached (perhaps an instruction label or some kind of graphic), but it's hard to make out details. I just thought I'd include it here because it feels like the right thing. 1070 Josua Diamant josh(at)windowofffire.com Croton-on-Hudson, Nueva York
EU
0 1 514649 the calculator itself, in perfect condition.
Die Metallschüssel mit der Originaldichtung (weist sehr leichte Gebrauchsspuren auf)
A promotional brochure
The leaflet
The brochure with calculation examples
The original guarantee card
The warranty card and promotional leaflet are sealed as follows:
BURNS INDUSTRIES, P. O. BOX 38, BUFFALO 22, NUEVA YORK
I assume that my data was bought by BURNS INDUSTRIES by mail.
I inherited the device from my late father, Earl Louis Diamond, PhD., who I believe bought it in the early 1960's and used it for many years for everything from preparing family tax returns to calculating time for sports car rallies. 1071 Pierce Steve stevepierce@mac.com Raleigh, North Carolina
EU
1 0 76133 I bought this Curta on October 16, 1971 in Miami, Florida so I could compete in the TSD Rallying. I have read all the books and used the Stimson rally tables. I am addicted? I quickly learned (with the Curta) how to navigate “time” and the Curta tracked my (corrected) mileage. No, that's not cheating :) I picked up a few trophies early on, including the 1971 Florida Targa VIII 12 Hour. My Curta is still in like-new condition with all the packaging, including proof of purchase :) Those were fun times.. . 1072 Jarmo Rousku jarmo.rousku(at)icloud.com Open
Finland +358 40 5064893
1 0 52132 My mother worked in a furniture factory as an accountant and the director of the factory dies. New director finds Curta's office, didn't know what it was. He gave it to my mother and said that maybe her son could do something with it. That was in the early 70's and I was in high school at the time. I recognize it as some kind of calculator, but I don't know how to use it. I took it to my math teacher to see if he knew anything about it. He was very interested and asked if he could take it home to look at for a few days. I had never seen Curta before. A few days later he explained to me how to use it.

Since then I keep it as a kind of treasure to remember the story behind it.

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1073 John Schermer jan(arroba)schermer.cz Prague, Prague
Czech Republic 420 608 022 225 1 0 3259 I'm a geek and vintage computing fascinates me.

I bought my first Curta about 10 years ago for a few hundred euros. It wasn't in new condition and it didn't pass the wear test which I didn't want to live with so I returned it and bought my current Curta in excellent condition which works perfectly. I played with it for a while and then put it away. Now in 2022 I will revive it and relearn how to use it. It's a wonderful machine and the best toy for geeks!

It's a Curta Type I metal box with rounded pins that turn to the left.

1074 Chris G. McMahon chrisgmcmahon(at)gmail.com Sydney, New South Wales
Australia
1 0 61309 My father was a mechanical engineer and designed rolling stock and carriages for the Victorian Railways. He died about 10 years ago at the age of 90 and bequeathed his slide rules, drawing instruments and his CURTA to me as his only son. It is in perfect condition, there is no damage to either the CURTA or the housing. I would consider any reasonable offer to buy. 1075 Robe Th.
Bilzen, Limburg
Belgium
1 0 3092 I've been looking for a CURTA calculator for a long time and recently found and bought my first one on FB Marketplace.

Typ 1: 3092 - 21.07.2022

The CURTA is in excellent mechanical condition. There is a thick layer of dust on the outside and some corrosion on the inside.

Unfortunately, the cleaning lever (ring) broke. I'll cast a new one out of aluminum.

I am currently investigating a way to cleanse this amazing mechanical marvel and restore it to its former glory.

(Thanks to the documentation on this site!)

1076 Baolin-Lied 2634028979(arroba))qq.com Nanking, Jiangsu
porcelain
1 0 7428 I picked up the reasonably priced 7428 from a friend in Shanghai, it is in the original packaging along with a 45 page English manual. It is in very good physical and functional condition with only a small fading of the hammered gray tone from handling. According to the friend's description, this calculator belonged to his grandfather and has been in China since the late 1940s or early 1950s. In the 1950s this calculator was rare as it was not sold in China. He told me that his grandfather had bought it from American naval officers in Shanghai in 1949 or from Americans returning home between 1950 and 1952. After his grandfather died in 1961, his father passed it on to him. 1077 Steve Quinn palyasm(arroba)hotmail.com Adelaide, Central
Australia
0 1 506313 Good optical and functional condition, with box. 1078 Freeborn Stefan stephenfreeborn (arroba) gmail.com McAlester, OK
EU 801-376-0463 1 2 28017
503129
511681 51681 was my first Curta. I sent 511681 to Italy for repairs. UPS lost it in Louisville or Albuquerque. I still google it from time to time to see if it's for sale online. If anyone finds it, I'd be happy to return it. My other two devices work fine. I took the risk and sent my second broken Curta to Roman in Italy. He did a great job fixing it. 1079 Susana Swedberg svedberg(arroba)doppios.org Stockholm
Sweden
1 0 37370 My father's curta has been sitting here for some time. I've always found it interesting, but I never spend time on it... 1080 grant mogford Email California
EU
1 0 77698 My Curta was found with some of my father's rally memorabilia. I have the original packaging, all papers including the registration card. My father bought his Curta from the Vilem B. Haan Motor Sports Store on Santa Monica Blvd in what is now Century City, California. 1081 Alan Boyd grosporine(at)hotmail.ca Toronto, Ontario
You have
1 0 27459 I picked up this device from a German seller via eBay. I am an engineer by training and have been interested in mechanical devices for a number of years and have been wanting to get a Curta. When my brother showed the one he bought that was the push I needed to finally get one. I probably could have gotten one for half the price if I first found out about this, but I'm still very lucky to have received this piece of history. It is in excellent condition with hardly any cosmetic imperfections and still has the original packaging. The case shows signs of a tough life, but it did its job of keeping the calculator in great shape. 1082 Paul Waldron DBAPaul(at)gmail.com Nassau, New York
EU
1 0 10338 My father (Wesley Waldron) was an electrical engineer with R&D at General Electric and got this Curta from his employer in the 1960s or 1970s but never really used it (he preferred Texas Instruments calculators). La Curta has been on my shelf for about 40 years. 1083 Tristan Weger tweger1999(arroba)gmail.com Cincinnati, Ohio
EU
0 1 515681 I bought this CURTA from a dealer in New Jersey. It has been in his family since it was bought in 1960 by his grandfather, who fled the Soviet Union during World War II and immigrated to Brazil for about a decade. He then moved to the US where he bought the CURTA and used it at his job as a civil engineer in New York City until the next generation of calculators came along, then it sat on his desk for decades. The calculator is in near mint condition with no visible scratches or wear on itself or the case. 1084 Byron Pfarrer byron.sheppard(arroba)gmail.com Santa Cruz, California
EU
1 0 43592 Originally purchased by my grandfather, exact date unknown, probably early 1950s to update his slide rule. He was a professor of optics and astrophysics at Johns Hopkins University and gave me his Curta in 1972 when I was a teenager (and he was in his late sixties) because he had just acquired a newly launched HP35 brand. I'm sure the HP35 is long gone - the Curta lives on 1085 Gail Shapiro gshapiro3(at)gmail.com Trumansburg, New York
EU
1 0 34351 I have a new Curta that has never been used. My dad owned an office supply store in the 1940's or 50's to about 2000 and bought it thinking it was something he would like to sell. He sold typewriters and calculating machines and calculating machines, forms and desks, etc. pre-stitching. Pre-computer and a very small shop. Anyway, he died in 2003, he may have given it to me before, or I took it after he died without knowing what to do with it. He didn't know how to use it and I just looked at him! It's been in a box ever since!

It has the instruction manual, box stamped Made in Liechtenstein, it is all metal and in mint condition!

The stamp on the box has the numbers 34351.

Write 1st number 34351 in current curta.

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I see what they're worth on eBay and want to sell them to someone who loves them or cares!

1086a8416421483COMPLETE NUMBER 1086b----------D=cut demo short,
DB=Cut Demo Curta en Green box,
B = Curta in white (no serial number)

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