The Curta.org Bulletin Board

[davhamm]

How many different versions were there? I know there were Metal and Plastic.

Plastic, were there only 2 Type I and Type II?

Metal. Boy I have no clue. 3 Type 1 and 2 Type 2?

Part of my reason for choosing this topic is I now own a Type 2 and the metal can has no name or other markings on it.

[Pete]

There has been quite a lot of variation in the cases. Firstly you have the matte case, seen on the earliest Type 1, which went through a couple of variations including, early, reversing the screw threads (all later versions were reverse threaded, you turn it clockwise to open). Canister paint changed from matte to gloss as well, before moving to the only-one-version plastic cases after 40xxx. Then we have Type 2. Originally metal cases (again, seeing variation in lettering and paint but structurally identical) but before they too moved to plastic there was a weird intermediate case, of flimsy plastic, with the lettering being part of the mold. I have one of these and saw the Frenchman sell one fairly recently (for quite a lot of money) but aside from those two, haven't seen any others.

I think murff might've posted some pics here on the site over in the History section, have a look eh
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Cheers, Pete

[murff]

some of them...





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[davhamm]

Ever seen a Type II that is all black no Curta on it? If not, guess I'll have to post pic of mine.

[davhamm]

On the metal can's is the writing just printed on? For some reason I got the impression it was engraved or something in the metal?

[murff]

... engraved
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[Graham Nash]

I quite like the canister variations as they appear to provide a basis for collecting that does not get completely out of hand. Nevertheless, as far as I can gather there is still quite a few of them (at least 13).

I have seen a total of nine type one canister variations .... referring to Murph's photo above:
I have seen the first type with "Universal-Rechenmaschine" engraved on it in both the grey anodised finish, and in a more durable shiny (painted?) finish.
There is the type with the right handed lid and "Curta" with exclamation marks and a square "A" (pictured).
The third type shown by Murph (with the square letter "A") occurs with both left and right handed lids.
The fourth type (with the round letter "A") comes both with and without the word "open" engraved on the opposite side of the lid.
There is also the later metal type (not pictured) that has a "Curta" decal stuck to it (rather than engraving). This is similar to the label on the plastic canister shown in Murph's picture.

Incidentally, it would be my guess that any metal canisters with no markings whatsoever are simply ones where the sticky label has fallen off (but I could be wrong).

Type two canisters variations are not as numerous, and appear to comprise either a black painted metal canister with engraved labeling, a black metal canister with a stuck on label, or the later type plastic canister with a stuck on label. There is also the very unusual (prototype?) plastic container held by Pete (I found this very canister (and its strange bitza contents) on ebay about 5 minutes after it was listed, and foolishly engaged the seller in question asking rather than just pressing the buy button, it lasted about a day before Pete saw it ... the only similar example that I have ever seen was recently being sold by the French dude for several times the price ... oh well).

I'd post some pictures, but I'm too useless to figure out how its done.[/img]
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Lost on the far side of the world, where Curtas are seldom seen.

[murff]

[davhamm]

Would love to understand the containers on the Type II.

Ebay listing right now for Type 2 Curta serial number is 508586. Has a metal container, with the sticker. The Curta is all black with metal crank so it seems to be an early. Where mine is like 531xxx plastic crank, and nothing on the top (maybe stickered at one point? but no signs anything was ever there)

[murff]

Curta Type II canister (estimated):
- serial number up to ca. 514000 are metal and engraved
- between 515000 and 517000 are metal with a sticker
- from 518000 plastic with sticker

In transition period (1960/1961) there are about 3000-4000 Curtas Type II with canister in metal with sticker (or metal with lost sticker)...

Other than this categories any canister can be used as a replacement - so no surprise for any unusual combination.
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