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earliest known surviving Curta?
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MrSmith



Joined: 28 May 2012
Posts: 19
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:53 am    Post subject: earliest known surviving Curta? Reply with quote

I was curious if anyone here knows the earliest known surviving Curta serial number(s) ?
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 592
Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Curta Type I - 912 (lowest is 901)

Curta Type II - 500002 (lowest is 500001)
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MrSmith



Joined: 28 May 2012
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Location: Australia

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thank you murff
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stenella



Joined: 03 Jun 2008
Posts: 45
Location: Antwerp, Belgium

PostPosted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 10:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...and the next one is probably 00923 - which I have Smile
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MrSmith



Joined: 28 May 2012
Posts: 19
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does any earlier numbered Curta mean its more valuable?
Were there any minor changes within the Type 1/2 before serial numbers that would make earlier units more rare?

Or is it more just a cool numbering thing to have a low number unit?
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Please have a look at variations of Curta Type I and Type II
These different production variations give us the rarities...

And maybe the older Curta didn't survived in the same number as the younger ones...
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stenella



Joined: 03 Jun 2008
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Location: Antwerp, Belgium

PostPosted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 10:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi MrSmith,

All good questions - a Curta these days is worth what a fool will pay for it. Recently, a Curta of the earliest type (n° 2032) in absolutely derelict condition and in need of total restoration - if it can be saved at all!- sold on our favourite auction site for over 1300 EUR. look for item nr. 391700245867

So apparently the notion that it is "cool" does indeed drive up the price. But the price that we consider "normal" for a Curta - say, 600 EUR, if you're lucky these days - is it really ? I would say a Curta, with the numbers of them that are left today, should be worth about 20-40 EUR. So is there a "Curta bubble" ? In that case there has been one for a long time ...

And yes, there are a few detail differences apart from the serial number in the first 1200 or so machines that allow to discern them from slightly later ones. One of those is the occurrence of engraved numbers at the bottom of the top shroud, above the setting columns, and a matte black instead of gloss canister.
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MrSmith



Joined: 28 May 2012
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Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Mar 29, 2017 11:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you to both of you for the info,

Its great to learn more about the Curta and it is also great to see people chatting here and helping each other out.


Last edited by MrSmith on Sun Apr 02, 2017 7:42 am; edited 1 time in total
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davhamm



Joined: 08 Nov 2015
Posts: 148
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think the 600 EUR price is a bit low. If you get lucky pretty darn lucky you can find one for that price more likely higher than that and you will be taking a chance on condition.
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curtafan



Joined: 01 Jul 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi murff, do you know if there are three-digit Curtas known with the later "Curta" face and not with the expected "Contina" face?
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

From the first 80 Curtas are about 7 known (901 - 980). As I know they are all labeled "CONTINA", in one case "PATENT CURT HERZSTARK".

In the range of 980 to 1900 are no Curtas known

In the range 1900 to 2000 there are about 7 known Curtas, all labeled "CURTA".

The name "CURTA" was registered October 5, 1948


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curtafan



Joined: 01 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wanted to know something about the first labels because I'm going to buy Curta #921. And this Curta is labeled "Curta" and not "Contina" as it would be supposed. What might be the reason for this?

Last edited by curtafan on Tue Aug 09, 2022 11:34 pm; edited 1 time in total
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would say this is not an authentic Curta Type I #921 - at this time the name CURTA was not born.

Can you post some pictures?
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curtafan



Joined: 01 Jul 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 05, 2018 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll post some pics later because currently I have disassembled it for cleaning and installing a new clearing lever. The serial# 921 is triple existent and matching.
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Tue Nov 06, 2018 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

stenella:
Quote:
...and the next one is probably 00923 - which I have


His Curta is also labeled with "CURTA" Question
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