[BCMA] What is it?

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv]

Hi Maureen,
My husband had fun with this one. Here is his response:

This looks to be a circular adding machine, or "adder".  See https://www.si.edu/es/spotlight/adders/circular-adders for some other examples.  And I agree, there are all sorts of fractional equivalents, many relating to 16ths, some to 12ths and others.  So the idea that it is for adding up weights of things in pounds or lengths in inches or dozens is appealing.  I just haven't got that yet.  Whether it was for incoming or outgoing goods, I'm not sure.  Some of the fractional equivalents look like different ways of making up the amount, such as might be used if one was dispensing goods.
I would think about the industries that were active in that area at that time.  It seems late for fur trade, too small for grain terminal activity, but for someone who knows the history better a solution might suggest itself.
Best Wishes,
Robin Digby
Digby Heritage Services.


Thank you / way̓ limləmt,
Linda
[L Digby 2019 email signature]

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Subject: [BCMA] What is it?

Hi everyone!
A family friend is trying to identify the object in the attached image. This is all the information he had:

Does anyone know what this was used for calculating? Both rings rotate clockwise freely but lock in this position when rotated counterclockwise. It seems to be a very specific type of calculator but the Google has not been very helpful.

Might deal with weights with the references to 16 (= number of ounces in a pound)

The image seems to be from around 1904 to 1908



Has anyone seen one of these before? It's from Ontario, around Thunder Bay.



Thanks if you can help!

Maureen
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