Title
Instruction Book - Facit C1-13 Calculator
Reference
YA2004.20
Production date
01-01-1956 - 31-12-1966
Creator
- FacitBiographyBiography
Facit, formally Facit AB, was founded around 1918 in Sweden, manufacturing office supplies such as furniture. The company was incorporated in 1922 into AB Åtvidabergs Industrier. Ten years later the firm began manufacturing ten-digit calculators under the brand name Facit. The calculators were a success, and ultimately the Facit subsidiary came to dominate its parent corporation. In 1965 the company changed its name to Facit AB to reflect its core product.
Åtvidabergs expanded globally, with a presence in over 100 countries and more than 8000 employees by the early 1960s. This decade saw the growth of the digital calculator. As a manufacturer of mechanical calculators, Facit sought to expand its range by collaborating with the Japanese firm, Hayakawa (or Sharp). Hayakawa wanted to increase its own foreign sales, however, and the relationship became difficult.
By 1970 Facit had 14,000 employees, but a catastrophic collapse in sales forced the sale of the business to Electrolux in 1973. The firm had failed to keep pace with digital technology.
In 1983 Facit was sold again, this time to Ericsson. Facit began to produce a home computer popular in Sweden, but as the product was not profitable production ceased in 1988. The company was divided up and sold to various foreign owners, with the last section known as Facit AB closing down in 1998.
Scope and Content
Manual for the C1-13 model of calculating machine, with instructions on how to perform various operations. The manual includes diagrams.
Physical description
The condition of the item is good. There is some damage to the front and back covers.
Language
English
Archival history
Manual for a Facit C1-13 calculator in the collection, given to the museum by the donor.
Level of description
ITEM
Repository name
Science and Industry Museum
Associated people and organisations
- Block & Anderson LtdBiographyBiography
Block & Anderson was established in 1922 and had premises in Durham and London. It became a public company in 1948
By 1947 the company manufactured "Banda" Spirit Duplicating Machines and supplies, "Simplex" Production Control Machines, "Victor" Portable Adding, Subtracting and Listing Machines, "Velopost" Envelope Sealing Machines, "Lightning" Envelope Opening Machines and "Bandafix" Stamp Affixing Machines.
In 1964 Block & Anderson was taken over by the British Ozalid Group. They entered into an arrangement with the American firm Smith-Corona-Marchant Inc. to market electrostatic copiers in the Britain. Four years later, in 1968, they became agents for Swedish Facit electric rotary calculators.
Conditions governing access
Open access.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.
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