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Pete
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 203
Location: Great White North
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 Posted: Wed Apr 13, 2011 9:25 pm Post subject: Weird case on early type 2 |
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Hi All,
Just saw 500406 go on Ebay...has anyone seen a case like this before? Here's the link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-CURTA-Mechancal-Calculator-TYPE-II-EARLY-no-500406-/360357778829?pt=UK_Collectables_Scientific_MJ&hash=item53e6ff558d#ht_1286wt_1144
Any information would be appreciated.
EDIT: Okay, when I said, "Just saw 500406 go..." what I meant was, "I have an itchy trigger finger on 'buy it now' items". I bought it. I have it now and the strange case indeed looks like a production item (moulded plastic, raised logo, reverse threads, same-as-other-Curta-cases foam and bumper and gasket). Perhaps it was a prototype that was rejected in favour of the finalized plastic cases with which we are all familiar, but I'd be surprised to find I have the only surviving example - anyone else got one?
I have taken slightly better pictures (they're still awful, I am no MURFF), comparing it to other cases I have. I don't have a website though - if you want to see them, please PM me on this site and give me a proper email address. Admin, if you have the facility to post the pictures here on the BB, please let me know.
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murff
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Here are Petes pictures (hosted at curta.li):
And this picture shows that this canister was provided by
AUTOMATIC BUSINESS MACHINES LIMITED. London
(based on the label fragments...):
So it's likely that this Curta canister was an official model
(a fabrication sample would not have a distribution label on it...).
Maybe a replacement canister fabricated outside of Contina SA...
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Pete
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
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Location: Great White North
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murff
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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hmmm... US $3,999.00 
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Pete
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 203
Location: Great White North
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| Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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Well, considering the guys on this forum have mostly already bought their collections I'm not hugely against some small appreciation in the prices! But yeah, you're right, USD4000 is a bit much for what is a simple early type 2. And the prototype case is, frankly, flimsy and crude in comparison to the metal canisters, even the plastic canisters are very much better made. The Frenchman will sell his machine to a deep-pocketed collector who must have EVERY type...there's buyers out there for Demo Boxes, after all, and you could buy a car for what those cost.
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murff
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 3:41 pm Post subject: |
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After a long time...
an update on this topic:
It is now known that this canister is a prototype of Contina AG, which was developed together with the prototype of the Curta 2a.
After the three already known canisters (P-004, 500406 and 500421), Number Four has now appeared...
Interestingly, also from Automatic Business Machines Limited, London.
Are any other specimens known?
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Pete
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 203
Location: Great White North
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| Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Well done Murff! Mine's still sitting in storage. And your machine looks all original, much better than the one that came in my prototype case!
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murff
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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... haven't heard from you for a long time 
The Curta has also been repaired by Automatic Business Machines Limited and is currently not functional - the axis can be turned but not switched to subtraction...
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Pete
Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 203
Location: Great White North
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| Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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| murff wrote: | | ...the axis can be turned but not switched to subtraction... |
Agh! Good thing you have some working machines to keep you interested. As for the length of time I most recently used a Curta yesterday - I keep an old Type 1 on my desk, under a glass dome of course - I just don't spend as much time online looking at them these days!
Glad to see the prototype case on your excellent site, too. Looks like you have all the variations in one place.
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murff
Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 594
Location: Switzerland
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| Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2025 7:38 am Post subject: |
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The rare duo has now been restored to its former glory
The first attempt to repair the defective Curta failed. The axle could be turned without resistance, but switching to subtraction did not work.
A second attempt revealed that the Zero Positioner Disc was solidly "glued" to the axle - even a 48-hour bath in solvent didn't help.
With a lot of luck and a little force, the Zero Positioner Disc came loose and could be replaced with a new one...
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