Antique Thales Mod. CE Version 2 Calculator. Germany, Circa 1925

Antique Thales Mod. CE version 2 calculator made in Germany circa 1925, in excellent condition and great working order. This beautiful machine is entirely original from the time, showing a design and a mechanish which were all the rage in the early 20th century. The calculator has a fine black-enameled finish, wonderfully preserved and with a shiny and uniform surface. The numerals are marked in the metal and preserve the original white and red enamel. The bone-colored bakelite pommels of the levers located at the right side of the machine are also original. To the left of the numerals we can see the Thales logo in white lettering. At the back of the calculator, a fine brass plate indicates the name and address of the original distribution company, Ebstein Frères, located in Brussels. The levers, pointers and springs move fluidly and softly, turning the use of the calculator into a real pleasure. This antique Thales Mod. CE version 2 calculator will be the starring piece on a study desk, a sideboard or a collectors showcase.Thales Calculators History The history of Thales started with Emil Schubert. In 1906 he was a foreman at the Triumphator-Werke, and was involved with the development of pinwheel calculators from the beginning on. In 1911 he decided to form a company (together with a businessman called L. Haberer) to produce calculators of his own. The later success of the Thales was due to Max Mueller, a talented businessman who had also good connections. In 193 Mueller was found guilty of embezzlement and was forced to leave the company. In 1936 the National Socialists forced E. Schubert to leave his company without taking his patents. He then found a new company to produce calculators under his own name, Schubert. After WWII, Max Mueller came back to head the Thales-Werke in Rastatt. Their pinwheel calculators were successful on the world market until the late 1960s.