calculating machine, "The Millionaire"
Date: circa 1900
Inventory Number: 1997-1-1736
Classification: Calculating Machine
Subject:
Maker: Hans W. Egli (fl. 1900 - 1923)
Supplier: William A. Morschhauser (1872 - 1940)
Inventor: Otto Steiger (1858 - 1923)
Cultural Region:
Dimensions:
18 × 64.9 × 29.1 cm (7 1/16 × 25 9/16 × 11 7/16 in.)
DescriptionThe Millionaire calculating machine is encased in a black, rectangular, metal box with a lid attached to the back. There is a metal key hole on the bottom half of the box. There are two small knobs on the rim of the top half of the box that fit into two holes above the key hole on the bottom half. Attached to the inside of the lid is a beige instruction card containing the name and purpose of each part of the calculator and instructions for performing addition, subtraction, multiplication, and addition. The card also contains a divider and dividend chart with a sliding metal display bar to aid in calculations.
The internal calculating mechanisms are encased in the bottom of the box and covering the surface, flush with the walls of the bottom of the box is the black metal control panel. There is a metal crank in the top right-hand corner of the control panel. It has nine possible positions located on an arc of just under 90 degrees, each labeled with a numeral from 0 at the top to 9 at the bottom. To the right of the position label 0 is engraved "ADDITION-SUBTRACTION".
There are eight vertical tracks, each supporting a sliding metal knob, centered at the top of the control panel. Each knob has a small arrow pointing to the left. Alongside each track, the numerals from 9 to 0 are engraved in white beginning with 0 at the top and increasing to 9 at the bottom. Beneath each track is a small, circular numeral display window through which can be seen whatever numeral the accompanying metal knob is pointing to in black writing on a white background. In between the tracks and the display windows is written in white letters "DIVISOR". Beneath and to the left and the right of each display window is a small hole.
To the right of the eight tracks is a lever with a metal handle on a horizontal track with four discrete positions. They are labeled, from left to right, "A", "M", "D", and “S" in white letters. The letters stand for Addition, Multiplication, Division, and Subtraction respectively. Beneath the horizontal track is a vertically aligned display window. When the lever is in any of the four possible positions, the appropriate operation name appears in the window in white letters.
To the right of the operation selection lever, in the top right hand corner of the control panel, is a metal crank. Above the crank there is an arrow pointing in the clockwise direction.
Beneath the eight display windows for the eight vertical tracks, is a horizontally sliding carriage. The carriage slides beneath three horizontal tracks. The middle track is located on the left-hand side and is very slender. The main metal handle for the carriage slides in this track.
The top track is thicker, longer, and extends further to the left of center than to the right. The carriage has eight, circular, numeral display windows that are visible in the top track. To the right and left of each display window is a small hole. Above the track, in white lettering, there are numerals counting down from 8 at the leftmost end, to 0, and back up to 8 in equal increments. At the rightmost end of the top track there is another embedded track with a brown metal sliding handle in it. At the rightmost side of the control panel, in line with the top track, is a small brass knob.
The bottom track is thicker and longer than the top track. It extends as far to the left of center as the top track and all the way to the right side of the control panel. The carriage has sixteen small metal knobs that stick up through the bottom track. Slightly above and in between each knob is a small hole. Below the track, in white lettering, there are numerals courting down from 8 at the leftmost end, to 0, and then up to 16 in equal increments. The numerals line up with those along the top track, and extend an extra eight on the right-hand side. To the left-hand side of the metal knobs is a slightly larger brass knob. When the carriage is all the way to the right, the brass knob is at the 0 marking for both the top and bottom track. At the rightmost end of the top track there is another embedded track with a metal sliding handle in it. In between the top and bottom tacks, in white lettering is written "DIVIDEND".
An excellent resource for the history, technical specifications, and design features of Hans Egli's Millionaire Calculator is the entry in Jon Wolff's Web Museum that can be accessed here.
The internal calculating mechanisms are encased in the bottom of the box and covering the surface, flush with the walls of the bottom of the box is the black metal control panel. There is a metal crank in the top right-hand corner of the control panel. It has nine possible positions located on an arc of just under 90 degrees, each labeled with a numeral from 0 at the top to 9 at the bottom. To the right of the position label 0 is engraved "ADDITION-SUBTRACTION".
There are eight vertical tracks, each supporting a sliding metal knob, centered at the top of the control panel. Each knob has a small arrow pointing to the left. Alongside each track, the numerals from 9 to 0 are engraved in white beginning with 0 at the top and increasing to 9 at the bottom. Beneath each track is a small, circular numeral display window through which can be seen whatever numeral the accompanying metal knob is pointing to in black writing on a white background. In between the tracks and the display windows is written in white letters "DIVISOR". Beneath and to the left and the right of each display window is a small hole.
To the right of the eight tracks is a lever with a metal handle on a horizontal track with four discrete positions. They are labeled, from left to right, "A", "M", "D", and “S" in white letters. The letters stand for Addition, Multiplication, Division, and Subtraction respectively. Beneath the horizontal track is a vertically aligned display window. When the lever is in any of the four possible positions, the appropriate operation name appears in the window in white letters.
To the right of the operation selection lever, in the top right hand corner of the control panel, is a metal crank. Above the crank there is an arrow pointing in the clockwise direction.
Beneath the eight display windows for the eight vertical tracks, is a horizontally sliding carriage. The carriage slides beneath three horizontal tracks. The middle track is located on the left-hand side and is very slender. The main metal handle for the carriage slides in this track.
The top track is thicker, longer, and extends further to the left of center than to the right. The carriage has eight, circular, numeral display windows that are visible in the top track. To the right and left of each display window is a small hole. Above the track, in white lettering, there are numerals counting down from 8 at the leftmost end, to 0, and back up to 8 in equal increments. At the rightmost end of the top track there is another embedded track with a brown metal sliding handle in it. At the rightmost side of the control panel, in line with the top track, is a small brass knob.
The bottom track is thicker and longer than the top track. It extends as far to the left of center as the top track and all the way to the right side of the control panel. The carriage has sixteen small metal knobs that stick up through the bottom track. Slightly above and in between each knob is a small hole. Below the track, in white lettering, there are numerals courting down from 8 at the leftmost end, to 0, and then up to 16 in equal increments. The numerals line up with those along the top track, and extend an extra eight on the right-hand side. To the left-hand side of the metal knobs is a slightly larger brass knob. When the carriage is all the way to the right, the brass knob is at the 0 marking for both the top and bottom track. At the rightmost end of the top track there is another embedded track with a metal sliding handle in it. In between the top and bottom tacks, in white lettering is written "DIVIDEND".
An excellent resource for the history, technical specifications, and design features of Hans Egli's Millionaire Calculator is the entry in Jon Wolff's Web Museum that can be accessed here.
Signedengraved on a brass plaque on the right: Hans W. Egli / Ingenieur / Fabrikation von Rechnunmaschinen / Pat O Steiger / ZURICH II
engraved on a brass plaque on the left: W.A. Morschhauser / Sole Agent / 1 Madison Avenue / NEW YORK CITY
engraved on a brass plaque on the left: W.A. Morschhauser / Sole Agent / 1 Madison Avenue / NEW YORK CITY
Inscribedengraved in white in the middle: THE MILLIONAIRE
engraved in white in the bottom righthand corner: No. 240
engraved in white in the bottom righthand corner: No. 240
FunctionInvented by the Swiss engineer Otto Steiger (1858-1923), the "Millionaire" calculating machine was invented to make the four simple arithmetical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Such mechanical devices go back to the seventeenth century, with the famous inventions of Pascal and Leibniz. This one here was the first machine commercially sold that was able to make direct multiplications, that is without having to make repeated additions, as did earlier machines.
Over 4000 Millionaire machines were built between the 1890s and the 1930s. This one has serial number 240. It was manufactured and marketed by the Hans Egli Company of Zurich and sold in the United States via the New York City firm W. A. Morschhauser.
The Millionaire calculator can be used to perform all fundamental arithmetic operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division.
Unlike many other calculators of its era, the Millionaire calculator performs multiplication and division directly instead of in a series of additions and subtractions.
In order to perform an operation, the machine has to be cleared of all values and the carriage set in its rightmost position. The user then selects the operation she would like to perform using the knob at the top right-hand side of the control panel. Each operation proceeds using a combination of number inputs, and turning the crank in the most top right-hand corner of the control panel. For a detailed explanation of how to perform each operation see here.
An excellent resource for the history, operating instructions, technical specifications, and design features of Hans Egli's Millionaire Calculator is the entry in Jon Wolff's Web Museum that can be accessed here.
Over 4000 Millionaire machines were built between the 1890s and the 1930s. This one has serial number 240. It was manufactured and marketed by the Hans Egli Company of Zurich and sold in the United States via the New York City firm W. A. Morschhauser.
The Millionaire calculator can be used to perform all fundamental arithmetic operations: addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division.
Unlike many other calculators of its era, the Millionaire calculator performs multiplication and division directly instead of in a series of additions and subtractions.
In order to perform an operation, the machine has to be cleared of all values and the carriage set in its rightmost position. The user then selects the operation she would like to perform using the knob at the top right-hand side of the control panel. Each operation proceeds using a combination of number inputs, and turning the crank in the most top right-hand corner of the control panel. For a detailed explanation of how to perform each operation see here.
An excellent resource for the history, operating instructions, technical specifications, and design features of Hans Egli's Millionaire Calculator is the entry in Jon Wolff's Web Museum that can be accessed here.
Curatorial RemarksRear hinge broken.
