This one is probably from the (late) 1930s and in very good condition. It may not have been used much, or at all. Even the box and the instruction sheet are fine and the original stylus is there too.
It was made after 1928 when the trademark was registered, and will not be later than March 1945. In April a new, updated design was introduced. Note that during the entire run of this type of Baby Calculator, the image in advertising was never updated and always said "patent applied for" instead of trademark registered.
It was made after 1928 when the trademark was registered, and will not be later than March 1945. In April a new, updated design was introduced. Note that during the entire run of this type of Baby Calculator, the image in advertising was never updated and always said "patent applied for" instead of trademark registered.
The price clearly advertised on the box as $3.50 and again stated as $3.50 in the instruction sheet.
Even more puzzling, although the company's own ads keep stating $2.50 throughout the 30s and 40s, it is also sold via American novelty mail-order firm Johnson Smith & Co for $1.50. And that is bundled together with a novelty magic notepad. Here listed in their 1936 catalogue.
So the price of this little calculator is a bit magical - somewhere between $1.50 and $3.50. Maybe the 3.50 number was printed to make a buyer feel better about paying 2.50.
The odd thing is that in all advertisements found so far, the price is $2.50. It's $2.50 from the start of the Baby around 1925, right up to the new design first advertised in April 1945. Older specimens of the Baby Calculator do say on the box that the price is $2.50.
When was it changed to $3.50 ?
When was it changed to $3.50 ?
Even more puzzling, although the company's own ads keep stating $2.50 throughout the 30s and 40s, it is also sold via American novelty mail-order firm Johnson Smith & Co for $1.50. And that is bundled together with a novelty magic notepad. Here listed in their 1936 catalogue.
To give an impression of the type of product the calculator is lumped in with; an example full-page magazine ad of the company from 1930:
As a slide adder the Baby Calculator is fine, but not great. Compared to an Addiator it is relatively flimsy and a bit rough to operate - frankly, inferior in quality.
It does work though. As with all slide adders, the claim of doing all four arithmetic functions is an exageration that might rightly disappoint a buyer. Perhaps even in the 1930s, this was more a novelty item than a serious calculating tool.
Giving the buyer the impression it was a dollar-off bargain may have helped :)
Giving the buyer the impression it was a dollar-off bargain may have helped :)
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