Guinigi

Arithmetic Manipulator

1858

In the notes of Tito Gonnella and in the "Monitore Toscano" of 10 February 1859, there is a mention of a calculating machine built by Niccola Guinigi. The calculating machine itself was considered lost until 2010. 150 years after Niccola Guinigi had presented his calculating machine at the Tuscan Academy of Arts and Crafts, the object, which was considered lost, was rediscovered in the Milanese antiquarian bookshop Subert.

Niccola Guinigi constructed the arithmetic manipulator, as he himself writes, in order "[...] to carry out the addition in such a way that the arithmetic operation becomes an easy game for everyone, since one needs neither calculation nor carryover and one can always count on the result."

The manipulator performs an operation digit by digit, starting with the smallest.