Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This is a super-edit of my "12 Days of Curtsmas" series, cut into a single episode. No new content here. I suppose this is episode 79 of my video series about old calculating devices.
This is a Curta Type I, built in 1952. Eternal thanks to the person who gave me the Curta.
Steve Jobs photo by Joi Ito, CC-BY-2.0, flickr.com/photos/joi/522695099
Curta parts 3D-model from thingiverse.com/thing:1943171
CC-BY
Stephen Freeborn's Archimedes F Junior video
youtube.com/watch?v=tp7ga-2maIc
Robert Baruch Monroe model K video
youtube.com/watch?v=wTwea3Vxq5U&t=784s
Curta case photo by Wikimedia user Nol Aders, CC-BY-SA-3.0 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta-99.jpg
My main source for Chapter 5 is the interview by Erwin Tomash available here: https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/107359
Modern Buchenwald photo by Wikimedia user Zairon, CC0-1.0
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KZ_Buchenwald_Torgeb%C3%A4ude_1.JPG
Portobello Road photo by Wikipedia user Papertree, CC-BY-SA-3.0, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Portobello_Road,_Notting_Hill.jpg
Portobello Road Market photo by Wikipedia user Arpingstone, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Portobello.market.london.arp.jpg
Get the Road Rally Handbook by Clint Goss here:
roadrallyhandbook.com/handbook.htm
Curta tables were downloaded here: curtamania.com/curta/code/curta_manuals.html
Marketing images from www.curta.li
Black Curta Type 2 from Wikimedia user Prioryman, CC-BY-SA-4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_-_National_Museum_of_Computing.jpg
Type 1 & Type 2 together from Flikr user Bephep2010, CC-BY-2.0,
flickr.com/photos/52724211@N02/9064000240
Early Curta with "Curta" logo from Museum of Science and Technology Belgrade, donated to Wikimedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ra%C4%8Dunarska_ma%C5%A1ina_CURTA.jpg
Top of Curta Type 2 ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_II-1128.jpg
Curta Type 2 with red ring of doink ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Curta_II-1124.jpg
Curta Type 2 with box ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_II-1129.jpg
Gray Type 2 shot from above from Wikimedia user Oldsoft, CC-BY-SA-4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mechanick%C3%BD_kalkul%C3%A1tor_Curta,_typ_II.JPG
Several Curtas with cases from Wikimedia user Daderot, CC0 1.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_calculators_-_Ridai_Museum_of_Modern_Science,_Tokyo_-_DSC07524.JPG
How the CURTA works video: youtube.com/watch?v=loI1Kwed8Pk&t=317s
Petersson's Calculator image © Tekniska museet, Stockholm
Mercedes Gauss Calculator images from this Webb's Auction listing: auctions.webbs.co.nz/m/lot-details/index/catalog/212/lot/33566/A-nbsp-Mercedes-Gauss-Calculator-C-1905
Alpina photo on white background from this auction listing: liveauctioneers.com/price-result/alpina-universal-calculator-1961
Steven Freeborn's Alpina video:
youtu.be/RoIrgj6JvKk?si=I03pylw_jkqYYBAj
End song inspired by "Hotter than a Molotov" by The Coup. youtu.be/X8AW7PmsxAY
00:00 - Intro
1:30 - Addition and Subtraction
5:33 - Multiplication
10:03 - The Stepped Drum Mechanism
14:45 - Design
20:50 - Curt's Story
28:28 - Gibson's Pattern Recognition
33:49 - Division
40:21 - Rallying with the Curta
46:29 - Roots and Other Diversions
53:45 - Variations & Marketing
1:02:33 - Curta Mailbag!
1:09:44 - Why the Curta?
This is a super-edit of my "12 Days of Curtsmas" series, cut into a single episode. No new content here. I suppose this is episode 79 of my video series about old calculating devices.
This is a Curta Type I, built in 1952. Eternal thanks to the person who gave me the Curta.
Steve Jobs photo by Joi Ito, CC-BY-2.0, flickr.com/photos/joi/522695099
Curta parts 3D-model from thingiverse.com/thing:1943171
CC-BY
Stephen Freeborn's Archimedes F Junior video
youtube.com/watch?v=tp7ga-2maIc
Robert Baruch Monroe model K video
youtube.com/watch?v=wTwea3Vxq5U&t=784s
Curta case photo by Wikimedia user Nol Aders, CC-BY-SA-3.0 commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta-99.jpg
My main source for Chapter 5 is the interview by Erwin Tomash available here: https://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/107359
Modern Buchenwald photo by Wikimedia user Zairon, CC0-1.0
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:KZ_Buchenwald_Torgeb%C3%A4ude_1.JPG
Portobello Road photo by Wikipedia user Papertree, CC-BY-SA-3.0, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Portobello_Road,_Notting_Hill.jpg
Portobello Road Market photo by Wikipedia user Arpingstone, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Portobello.market.london.arp.jpg
Get the Road Rally Handbook by Clint Goss here:
roadrallyhandbook.com/handbook.htm
Curta tables were downloaded here: curtamania.com/curta/code/curta_manuals.html
Marketing images from www.curta.li
Black Curta Type 2 from Wikimedia user Prioryman, CC-BY-SA-4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_-_National_Museum_of_Computing.jpg
Type 1 & Type 2 together from Flikr user Bephep2010, CC-BY-2.0,
flickr.com/photos/52724211@N02/9064000240
Early Curta with "Curta" logo from Museum of Science and Technology Belgrade, donated to Wikimedia, CC-BY-SA-3.0,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ra%C4%8Dunarska_ma%C5%A1ina_CURTA.jpg
Top of Curta Type 2 ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_II-1128.jpg
Curta Type 2 with red ring of doink ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plik:Curta_II-1124.jpg
Curta Type 2 with box ©Raimond Spekking / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons),
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_II-1129.jpg
Gray Type 2 shot from above from Wikimedia user Oldsoft, CC-BY-SA-4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mechanick%C3%BD_kalkul%C3%A1tor_Curta,_typ_II.JPG
Several Curtas with cases from Wikimedia user Daderot, CC0 1.0, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Curta_calculators_-_Ridai_Museum_of_Modern_Science,_Tokyo_-_DSC07524.JPG
How the CURTA works video: youtube.com/watch?v=loI1Kwed8Pk&t=317s
Petersson's Calculator image © Tekniska museet, Stockholm
Mercedes Gauss Calculator images from this Webb's Auction listing: auctions.webbs.co.nz/m/lot-details/index/catalog/212/lot/33566/A-nbsp-Mercedes-Gauss-Calculator-C-1905
Alpina photo on white background from this auction listing: liveauctioneers.com/price-result/alpina-universal-calculator-1961
Steven Freeborn's Alpina video:
youtu.be/RoIrgj6JvKk?si=I03pylw_jkqYYBAj
End song inspired by "Hotter than a Molotov" by The Coup. youtu.be/X8AW7PmsxAY
00:00 - Intro
1:30 - Addition and Subtraction
5:33 - Multiplication
10:03 - The Stepped Drum Mechanism
14:45 - Design
20:50 - Curt's Story
28:28 - Gibson's Pattern Recognition
33:49 - Division
40:21 - Rallying with the Curta
46:29 - Roots and Other Diversions
53:45 - Variations & Marketing
1:02:33 - Curta Mailbag!
1:09:44 - Why the Curta?
