Palmer's Pocket Scale, with Rules for its Use in Solving Arithmetical and Geometrical Problems

Rochester: Aaron Palmer, 1845. First Edition.. Original publisher's cloth.. Very good; some finger abrasion to the surface of moving dial around the silk "pull" - there is no loss of printed surface.. 12mo, 48 pp. A movable circular slide rule (issued as an integral part of the book) is affixed to the rear pastedown.

The first calculating rule of American design. A most unusual and ingenious calculating device published by Aaron Palmer who is best known for his large circular nomograph calculating boards. This pocket calculator, however, is based on two logarithmic scales laid out in a circular pattern. The scales rotate against one another and are affixed to a heavy card stock and mounted to the inside of the rear cover of the book; a metal pin flattened at the ends secures the rotating scale to the rear cover. The scales are printed on glazed paper and are in a very good state of preservation. The 45 pages of text consists of instructions in the use of the scales for practical arithmetic problems, e.g., areas, percents, arithmetic functions, business calculations of all kinds, complex geometric problems, weights and measure problems of a complicated nature, etc.. A remarkable instrument of historical importance. Cajori, p. 61; S & S #45-5052 - only the later Boston imprint; not in Karpinski. See Feazel, Journal of the Oughtred Society, Vol. 3, #1, March 1994, pp. 9-12,