Accession No

6153

Brief Description

Security cradles and cases for HP electronic pocket calculators, early to mid 1970s.

Origin

Maker

Hewlett packard

Class

calculating

Earliest Date

1972

Latest Date

1980

Inscription Date

Material

Paper; plastic; metal; cloth

Dimensions

Length 320mm; width 230mm; height 105mm

Special Collection

Hookham collection

Provenance

Donated by an individual in 1987.

Inscription

Description Notes

Two security cradles for Hewlett-Packard calculators (in their original boxes), and three synthetic leather carrying cases for calculators.

6153.1. Security cradle for use with HP-35, HP-45, HP-55, HP-70 and HP-80. Pink and black box containing black plastic cradle, two keys, a cable with metal loops at each end, a pack of screws, two strips of double-back tape, and an instruction manual.

6153.2. Security cradle with yellow and black box containing cream plastic cradle (smaller than 6153.1), key, instruction blloklet and a security cable with metal loops at each end.

6153.3-5. Brown leather-effect calculator cases, with soft, synthetic, fur-like material inside, and carrying straps.

Condition: good. Carrying strap to 6153.5 is missing. Degraded foam on inside of the plastic cradles of 6153.1 and 6153.2 has been removed.

References

Events

Description
Electronic pocket calculators were expensive and valuable; security cradles allowed the calculator to be firmly fixed to a desk whenever the owner desired.
Turning the key in the lock on the cradle releases the top part of it, which can then be lifted up. The calculator could then be placed inside, the top part of the cradle slotted back in place on top of the calculator and locked, so that the calculator cannot be removed. The bottom part of the case has three holes so that it could be screwed into a desk, or it could be stuck down using the double-sided tape. Alternatively, instead of attaching the base permanently, the security cable could be used. Its lug end could be placed inside the cradle, underneath where the calculator would sit, and its other end looped through a fixed object.

FM:45071