At this Curta the two bottom plate screws are locked with red color.





So my questions are:
a) does anybody have the same on a Curtas?
b) is this made by Contina or by the dealer?
c) was it maybe a kind of seal, related to some guarantees
d) any other ideas???

This Curta was an export model (Colombia )

Thank you


murff

::curta.li

Hi Murff,

More pictures please. I know you can do it.
a) no idea
b) no idea
c) no idea
d) Anti-industrial-espionage...nah, patents available for all to see...I have no idea.

I guess the 0000 serial indicates a demo model, but I've never seen the red paint used. What production run did it come from (which year)?

Hi Pete

There wil be more pictures in the next weeks...
here is a preview:
curta de cúcuta (my photoblog)

So I will take pictures from all sides, also planned is a comparsion (like with the three Curtas II)...

The Curta need some inside cleaning... but I don't know what's about the red seals - should they stay intact?


m u r f f

...and no, it's a normal Curta type I - 0000 is a...... fake

Go on, Murff, open the machine. I also think you should clean the red off the base and screws; if you can`t get the paint off, there`s a guy in NZ who might have replacements. I cannot think of any reason to keep it as-is unless you plan to lend it to someone you do not trust not to open and damage it (or perhaps you have curious, screwdriver-equipped children!) In that case it would be an effective deterrent to a would-be tamperer.

<looks at preview pics>

Nice, Murff, I know you've been after one of those. Looks identical to my 8335 except for the sliders. I'll be in the market for one myself when I'm finished building this darn house.

And where did you get it?

OK I think it will be the best to remove the red color (or I got some better advice by someone here...)

I found this nice Curte here in a local bidding portal (ricardo, it's similar to eBay). It was bought in Cúcuta, Columbia in 1955 (I learned the story behind by the seller who is the son of the former owner).

(and Pete, thank you for your comment!)


m u r f f

The red paint was likely added to prevent the screws from accidentally loosening. The factory never applied such paint to the bottom screws.

The paint used is probably "Glyptal", a tamper indicator coating which also prevents small screws or adjustment potentiometers from moving.

http://www.glyptal.com/Glyptal_Product_Data_Sheets.htm

r e m o v e d !



(jack, thank you for your answer)

"0000 is a fake"...I must be missing something here, it sure looks real on that last pic, and is also visible on the interior....

Demo model, for sure. But 1955 couldn't have been the original sale date unless they had it sitting around at Contina for YEARS, that Curta looks like it was made much earlier.

Also, thanks for the information, Jack, but to prevent loosening? As you said this wasn't normally done, and I haven't noticed the screws in any of my machines making a break for freedom...my guess would be antitampering. That then brings up the question as to why they'd do it (as previously noted it's patented, therefore plans are available for the curious).

I suppose if they sent the machine around potential distributors to show it off, but without a Curta rep present, this might be a good idea. Otherwise I'm mystified (unless this was done in the intervening 55 years by one of the owners). Maybe the sales rep at the time was the one with the curious, screwdriver-equipped children!

Yet another mystery. Oh, and that looks to be in wonderful condition, at least cosmetically, well done Murff!