Nowadays we just grab our cell-phones to perform even simply calculations. But how did people get by 100 years ago, when there were no microelectronic devices? They used mechanical calculators. Just like Koepfer’s “Calculator“ model, these devices were able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. Yet, they were quite large and heavy. No wonder, with all those gearwheels and levers!
This complex technology had its cost: In 1911, the “Calculator” cost 360 Marks – one-quarter of the average annual income at the time. This is why calculating machines were only used in offices.
Why did Koepfer suspend the manufacturing of the “Calculator“ after only a few months? The company was a renowned gearwheel manufacturer, and it is likely that they had literally miscalculated on this occasion. Apparently, major customers from the calculating machine industry were not amused about their supplier launching its own competitor product.
Calculating machine “Calculator“, Jos. Koepfer & Söhne, Furtwangen 1911, Inv. 2023-013