Universal Adding Machine

"This piece appears to be substantially earlier than the popular Locke Adder. It consists of two nickel plated end caps and nickel plated sliding rods all mounted on a piece of very had tropical wood (exact species as yet identified).

I have seen an illustration of a slightly different Universal Adding machine, which shows a patent date of July 15, 1890. An earlier Fowler adding machine in the Russo collection shows an 1863 patent date. My guess, so far, is that this particular Universal Adding Machine fits somewhere in between the Fowler and the 1890/patent Universal. There is no patent data or any other kind of number or mark apart from the name on my machine.

The slide set numbers are engraved in the wood. The result numbers are engraved in the sliders and are visible through holes in the back of the piece.

What I would hope to find is some evidence, perhaps in the advertising record, that would help place this machine accurately along the timeline."

Darryl Rehr