Standard Desk Calcumeter
Physical Object
2019.07.02.07
; ; ;
The Calcumeter was designed by James J. Walsh from Elizabeth, New Jersey, and he was granted a patent for it in 1901. In 1903, Walsh with the help of Herbert North Morse put the adder into production. At first the Calcumeters were inscribed with "Morse & Walsh Co.", but from December 1905 it was just "H. N. Morse Co.". Walsh then invented and patented a clearing mechanism, and when the clearing mechanism was added to the Calcumeter in December 1907 it was renamed the Standard Desk Calcumeter. Many variants exist, ranging in size from 5 to 12 number dials, with or without reset wheel, and/or with larger wheels for pounds/shillings/pence/farthings or feet/inches/sixteenths, etc.