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Charpentier Calculator - Calculimetre G. Charpentier

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Calculimetre G. Charpentier (obverse) Brevete S.G.D.G circa 1882
 
  The Charpentier is a beautiful example of a circular slide rule dating from approximately 1882. A nickel plated metal body with a log scale along its outer diameter holds a brass inner ring also stamped with a log scale that rotates along with the cursor arm. The forked pointer is fixed to the brass ring via rivets and thus also rotates with the cursor arm.
 
Calculimetre G. Charpentier (reverse) Brevete S.G.D.G circa 1882
 

Calculimetre G. Charpentier Brevete S.G.D.G circa 1882
 

 
 Though Charpentier is French for 'carpenter', this rule was not necessarily intended for tradesmen, rather the inventor was Monsieur G. Charpentier.
 

   
British Patent 2119 was provisionally granted in 1882 to A. J. Boult for G. Charpentier with the title "Slide Rule and Computing Scale." 
 

 

Here is a nice photo of another example:
Calculimetre G. Charpentier Brevete S.G.D.G Keuffel & Esser Round Slide Rule Calculator
Calculimetre G. Charpentier
(Courtesy G. Martin of PhotoCalcul.)
 
In some instances, the calculimetre is also stamped with the mark of Keuffel & Esser Co. of New York and Chicago, and K&E acted as an importing agent and distributor. Below is a reference from the 1895 Keuffel & Esser catalog
 

Charpentier K and E 1895 Catalog

1895 Keuffel & Esser Catalog pg 185

  

Calculimetre G. Charpentier Brevete S.G.D.G Keuffel & Esser Round Slide Rule Calculator
The above is a line drawing (strikingly similar to that in the K&E catalog shown above), apparently from a work circa 1899, referenced in Cajori's History of the Logarithmic Slide Rule, which can be found here: sliderules.info/pdf/cajori.pdf
 
Charpentier Calculator Excerpt From the Journal of the Oughtred Society Vol 0 No. 0 1991 pg 10 by Bob Otnes
An excerpt from the Journal of the Oughtred Society Vol 0 No. 0 1991
which includes this interesting 3 page article by the inimitable Bob Otnes
Back issues of the Society's journals are available to members
 
Charpentier Cercles a calcul Emile David Advertisement rearranged (source: reglasdecalculo.com)
Advertisement for the Charpentier Calculim�tre Cercle a Calcul
Emile David Maison 1901 (advert rearranged -- see source: reglasdecalculo.com)
 
 
Charpentier Cercles a Calcul Calculimetre G. Charpentier from the Proceedings of the Royal Society Victoria 1889 James J. Fenton
From the 1889 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria
(source: books.google.com)
 
Unusual boxed Charpentier Calculimtre without Y cursor Obverse (source ebay.fr
Above and below is a most unusual Charpentier in its original case
Here the forked pointer of the classic Charpentier is replaced by a solid radial cursor attached
to the fob, and this cursor has a single rivet attachment to the brass inner ring.
(source ebay.fr)
 
Unusual boxed Charpentier Calculimtre without Y cursor Reverse (source ebay.fr
The reverse has a stubbed radial cursor attached to the fob.
The diameter of this unusual piece is the standard size of 6cm.
(source ebay.fr)
Unusual boxed Charpentier Calculimtre without Y cursor Case (source ebay.fr
The original case (source ebay.fr)
 
 
Charpentier CALCULIMETRE CHARPENTIER de la maison TAVERNIER-GRAVET (source ebay.fr metabolith) Calculimetre G. Charpentier with circular case
Fabriqu� par la maison TAVERNIER-GRAVET 19 rue Mayet � Paris
(source ebay.fr)
 
Links   
 
Operating instructions - in French - are here (posted by G. Martin of PhotoCalcul)
Rod Lovett has some nice Charpentier calculator photos and some additional details
Giovanni Breda has some good photos/details for the Charpentier (here is just the photo).
The reglasdecalculo.com site has old ads for the Charpentier and other circular slide rules.
The 1889 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria has a few pages on the Calculimetre.
The mccoys-kecatalogs.com site has the Keuffel & Esser Co. model numbers for the Charpentier.
Gallery of very nice photos of slide rules and calculators PhotoCalcul (French Language).
An obverse/reverse photo from rekeninstrumenten.nl..