GRANT, George (1849-1917) Computer Pioneer. "A New Calculating Machine", pp 277-284, in American Journal of Science and Arts, edited by James Dana and Benjamin Silliman, third series, vol VIII (whole number 108) nos. 43-48, July-December 1874. New Haven, 1874. viii, 484pp, 7 plates. Beautifully rebound in half-leather with marbled boards, with raised bands stamped on their horizontals. VG copy. The first three pages are a review of the history of calculating machines while the last four are a description of how Grant's machine functions. $600
Condition—there are a few old bumps in the text at the Grant article, otherwise this volume is in excellent condition.
"While a student at Harvard, Grant worked on the problem of inventing a mechanical calculator. With the encouragement of his professor, Oliver Wolcott Gibbs, he set about improving on the work of Babbage and Per Georg Scheutz. He published this work in the American Journal of Science and Arts (see below), and was awarded two patents as a student. Shortly after college, Grant designed and built two calculating machines that were displayed at the Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1876. One of them, known as a difference engine, was eight feet long and five feet high, and weighed 2,000 pounds. It may have been the largest calculator ever built (pictured below). The other, known as the "Centennial Model", is among the Smithsonian collection of Grant's inventions. The Smithsonian Institution has nine of Grant's inventions in its collection in Washington, D.C. Grant's calculating machine business was known as "Grant Calculating Machine Company of Lexington, Mass".
Although Grant's sales of calculating machines were modest (125 of the "Rack and Pinion Model" were sold commercially), his machines were considered sturdy and reliable. Grant's calculators won a number of awards: the Centennial Medal, the Scott Medal of The Franklin Institute, and the Gold Medal of the Massachusetts Mechanics Association."--Wikipedia
"Grant is reported to have invented this machine (so called Centennial Model) while a student at the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University (between 1870 and 1872). This machine was reported to be intended for us in counting houses, insurance offices, etc., and was described as a smaller instrument for common operations in multiplication, division, etc. It is a foot in length by half as much in height and width, weighs twenty pounds, and contains less than 400 pieces, less than 75 of which are working parts. It takes numbers up to nine decimal places. According to an exhibition report, this machine, or arithmometer, successfully rivals the well-known one of Colmar." History Computer site/the History of Computers.
"The American engineer and entrepreneur George Barnard Grant (1849-1917) is a notable figure in the world of mechanical calculator. He was the creator of several all-purpose calculators, but also of a magnificent Difference Engine. As a whole, Grant devised four different calculating machines: three all-purpose calculators, and a sophisticated machine for computing tables. While in Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University, in 1869, George Grant got interested in calculating machines while he was computing a table for excavations and embankments, but he soon became discouraged with his initial efforts when he realized the subject was more difficult than he had anticipated. Thus between 1870 and 1872 he devised firstly a simple calculator, and later continued with several more complex calculating machines. All his devices were well designed and workable machines, and although none of them achieved market success, they fully deserve our attention." Computer Timeline online
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