Uploaded February 2020 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
The Purse Adding Machine is a small dial adder, with three digits for dollars, dimes, and cents. It has a built-in stylus, and was probably made in the 1920s or 1930s. Its mechanism is reminiscent of the Lightning Adding Machine.
Since making this video I have found that it was sold by Glamour Unlimited, of Providence in Rhode Island. An almost identical adder called Shop-N-Add was sold by Gift Craft Inc, also of Providence.
For more information on this or other calculators in my collection, visit my website:
jaapsch.net/mechcalc
0:00 Introduction
0:35 Addition
1:03 History
1:40 Carry mechanism
2:15 Clearing
2:37 Mystery
3:00 Outro
The Purse Adding Machine is a small dial adder, with three digits for dollars, dimes, and cents. It has a built-in stylus, and was probably made in the 1920s or 1930s. Its mechanism is reminiscent of the Lightning Adding Machine.
Since making this video I have found that it was sold by Glamour Unlimited, of Providence in Rhode Island. An almost identical adder called Shop-N-Add was sold by Gift Craft Inc, also of Providence.
For more information on this or other calculators in my collection, visit my website:
jaapsch.net/mechcalc
0:00 Introduction
0:35 Addition
1:03 History
1:40 Carry mechanism
2:15 Clearing
2:37 Mystery
3:00 Outro
