General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Metal

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

47.0 cm

Width

25.0 cm

Height

41.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Computing Technology

Category

Calculating devices

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Much has been written in the history of mathematics and computing about Babbage’s engines (Swade 2000; Schaffer 1994). Due to the fact that Babbage famously never completed his ambitious plans for the automatic calculating engines, the rare surviving artifacts at the Science Museum in London and the Computer Museum in Mountain View, California have become icons for enthusiasts in these fields. Being a history with few artifacts, the replicas therefore have taken on an important role in computing culture and history. This Babbage machine replica derives from IBM’s use of these replica’s to place themselves within this historical lineage of automatic computing. The exact provenance of the device is uncertain; however there is evidence that it was connected to IBM Canada through IBM New York and was part of a 1980s IBM exhibition on Madison Ave., called “A Calculator Chronicle: 300 Years of Counting and Reckoning Tools” which featured various historic calculators and computers. This replica was most likely not the one in the exhibition, but rather may be one of a few sent to various IBM head offices around the world at that time. .

Function

A mechanical calculating device developed to produce astronomical and mathematical tables free of manual calculations and processes. The device uses the principle of finite differences to make calculations (calculating mechanism), and would then print the results automatically (separate printing and control mechanism never constructed).

Technical

Babbage wanted to develop a machine for producing error-free calculations for the production of mathematical tables.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

N/A

Missing

Handle for lever on top; linkage from rear, proper right column, 2nd from top section.

Finish

Unknown

Decoration

N/A