Odhner's Arithmometer A
I somehow keep accumulating early Odhner's arithmometers. The first one is machine Nr. 4739, and about the closest one can come to the earliest ones without having to shell out several thousands of Euro's - the switch to the long crank occured in the early 4000 range of serial numbers. It is a bit worse for wear, and had been inexpertly repaired in the past - things were a bit bent up, and are a little scratched here and there. Most of the problems have been fixed, but now one of the screw holes in the top plate (bottom left) is a bit elongated. It is also missing its cover for the back of the carriage, that is a project for the future. It was made for the domestic market, and hence has the text in cyrillic.Arithmometer Nr. 3146 has the same spelling of its name as this machine - "Aриѳмометръ в.т.Однеръ", on longhand script in a copper cartouche. A slightly later machine, Nr. 3357, has the text "Aрифмометръ системы в.т.Однеръ", where the "fita", ѳ, has been exchanged for ф.
In this machine, however, another 1200 examples later, the factory reverted to the earlier spelling, and the ѳ makes a comeback!
One would almost suspect that the engraving or stamping was inexpertly done later, but I have seen machines of similar vintage with the same size of engraving, the same font and the same spelling. You will see that in the next machine, Nr. 5786, the ѳ is replaced again by ф. All of the machines have the pre-1917 Russian spelling with the "harsh" consonant ъ at the end of "Arithmometer". Now for some pictures, which show the machine in its locked "travel" configuration:
Another very early form of Odhner's Aritmometer, serial nr. 5786.
This machine was also made for the domestic market, and like the previous one, still with the small wingnuts and without any refinements in terms of error protection features, bells (although those existed as early as this), quick clearing, tabulating, and completely without comma indicators, not even holes to stick a button in to indicate the units position ... the true original form of Odhners's machine, with the exception of the long crank.
The state of this machine is obviously used, but unrestored, and still quite decent. It is fully functional, and can be used as well as on the day it was made. How's that for quality ?
Odhner's Arithmometer Ag
The next two machines are Odhner Ag machines, which have the added bell. They are somewhat later in serial Nrs, and have such refinements as comma sliders. The earliest one, Nr. 11957 was for the export market, sold in Stockholm, hence the Latin characters, the later one Nr. 13097 was for the domestic market, and thus marked in Russian. The text has now changed to Aрифмометръ Однерa.
