1960s Calculator

[RosieGuthrie]

Hello,
I am looking for a 1960s calculator with a digital display to use on a TV Commercial that we are shooting this weekend.
I would love to make contact with anyone who may have something interesting looking and that is functioning that we might be able to hire or buy...most excellent care would be taken with collectables ... I have founs a couple of 70's pieces but really hope to find something a little bit more rare and interesting... anyone?
Thanks! Rosie ... rose.guthrie@gmail.com

[Gibsaw]

Well, calculators are not really the focus of this forum. The question is welcome, but I'm not sure who here shares that particular hobby.

I don't collect calculators, but it might help to clarify what look you're after.

Big? small? electronic? mechanical? Even the mechanical calculators have a "digital" display, but I take it you're meaning an electronic digital display, and there's a few different looks.

Here's a link to the various displays http://www.vintagecalculators.com/html/calculator_displays.html

The In the 1960's, a lot of calculators were still mechanical, with electronic versions only appearing in the mid 60's as fairly large desktop things like the Casio 001... and the first handheld pocket calculators were about 1970.

It really depends upon whether it is actually the 60's you want to represent... Depending on what you're thinking of, the look you have in mind may actually be the 1970's... ESPECIALLY in New Zealand.

New Zealand was late to get everything. As a young child, I was still playing with mechanical calculators and typewriters in my mum's office as late as the early 80's.

[Radar]

Agree, 1960s is pretty early calculator wise and I personally don't have any of this age, most would be "desk" format.
I do actively collect calculators when I find them in the "wild" but have 1970+' Pocket Calculators only.

[RosieGuthrie]

Hello and Thank you both for your replies.
Yes I see this is not the main focus of this group but there is a certain shared aesthetic... The link to the 1960's calculator you posted is certainly where I was hoping to get to in my search.
I have since come across a 1969 Casio which has valve like numerical display and is a fascinating object. Also, Like you say, most of the calculators in NZ I have found are 1970's era. I think we have found something we can use for the shoot but the 1960's look still interests me if anyone can uncover one.
Its always interesting to find and show the most ultimate cool and interesting representation of an era - through props - that works for the shot we are trying to achieve when we can.

Thank you both for your time!

[YetiSeti]

The only 1960s things turning up on trademe are mechanical adding machines like http://www.trademe.co.nz/antiques-colle ... 716168.htm . They most often are listed in Antiques. This Sany CY2166DP 1970s calculator has quite a bit of style and charm to it. I like the colours and shapes and is worthy of being dubbed the Tetris Calculator (I made that up, don't try google it). http://www.trademe.co.nz/antiques-colle ... 765640.htm

I tend to collect calculators as well when they turn up as well in stores, but I might only find a few a year and they're always the uninspiring ones with just basic functions. People seem to be willing to pay $15-$20 for some of these calculators now and there's a good handful of buyers out there.

[Gibsaw]

Yes I see this is not the main focus of this group but there is a certain shared aesthetic...

Indeed there is, and collecting "electronic calculators" overlaps two quite distinct eras of vintage computers. i.e. Pre and post "affordable" microcomputers, and "affordable" calculators happened about 7 years earlier in the late 60's.

The thing is though, that as soon as you get towards the mid 1960's, then you start talking almost exclusively about big heavy EXPENSIVE kit in both computers and most other equipment.

It ends up meaning there's a demarcation of who the enthusiasts are - because you're no longer talking about things that people could personally afford or own. I'm generalising here, but that wartime-through-post-war equipment tends to be the domain of the (slightly older) electronic engineers and radio enthusiasts that built the late 1970's - 1980's computers rather than the hobbyists that used, and now collect them.

... but as you can see, one or two people here have piped up, so the overlap is an interesting question in it's own right. Comments anyone? Maybe a new thread?

I have since come across a 1969 Casio which has valve like numerical display and is a fascinating object.

That's really efficient of you if you have a 1969 casio with "nixie tubes" already. That's a real piece of luck coming across one of those so quickly.

From what I can see even the US collectors seem to have 1965 Casio calculators as a wishlist item only, so that's probably about as early a NZ example as would be realistic... A fully electronic calculator would be an indulgence luxury most accountants would have probably struggled to justify in the mid 60's, so you're probably talking an electromechanical adder... maybe with a printer.

It really does depend on what you're trying to represent or even IF there's something/somewhere you want to represent or if it's not era-specific, and it's just the whole 1960's postwar with "built-for-the-military" anodised steel cases look you're after. I know that being a film/tv project you probably can't say too much.

Also, Like you say, most of the calculators in NZ I have found are 1970's era. I think we have found something we can use for the shoot but the 1960's look still interests me if anyone can uncover one.

Are you in Auckland? There's a junk/antique shop in Oratia called "Just Plane Interesting" which has surprised me once or twice. They also tend to have things that are 1940's - 1960's military or radio in look, and the woolshed cafe is enjoyable, so it's not a real hardship to drop in.