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Sample case with 33 parts / assemblies Curta Type 1

 
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
Posts: 592
Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:01 pm    Post subject: Sample case with 33 parts / assemblies Curta Type 1 Reply with quote

back in May 2018, this topic: New "Demo" scam

Quote:
Wow!!! That's a really poor effort. I sincerely hope no-one was hoodwinked by this



I was asking
Quote:
Scam?


Quote:
not everything is scam, even if it is unknown





Coincidentally, I recently bought exactly the same "demo scam" suitcase - it was part of the so called Final Contina Summer Sale.

What I learned is that it's a big difference between a small picture and an object in reality.

This sample case with 33 parts / assemblies is excellent built - name it professional. All parts are carefully mounted and even on the back side of the wooden montage plate you will not see anything else than red velvet.

I published some pictures and this description:

Sample case with 33 parts / assemblies Curta Type 1




Cool
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Last edited by murff on Sun Mar 27, 2022 10:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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Pete



Joined: 04 Mar 2010
Posts: 201
Location: Great White North

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 1:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quality construction and blank baseplate notwithstanding, this is not on the same level as a genuine demo box. And since the genuine demo boxes were for earlier machines, I'd guess that this wasn't a Contina product but something made aftermarket. Are there any parts in that case that aren't the pieces of the one machine? Because it just looks like a nicely displayed disassembled machine.

Perhaps an office supply company made these for their salesmen? Wouldn't be so difficult.
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 7:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The green box has an adapted form for the items but otherwise it's on a similar level (construction or production method). It's branded CONTINA and inside CURTA - and of course, it contains a demonstration model.

For the sample case parts from two Curtas were used - so it would be a bit costly to disassembly two of them...




But yes, the story behind this mystery briefcase is still in the dark Cool
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Pete



Joined: 04 Mar 2010
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 1:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The thing that stands out to me is the unfinished rough wood. I've never seen an instrument display case that didn't have ALL the elements "finished" to some degree, usually you'd expect wood in such a display to be sanded smooth, probably stained, and wax polished.

The green boxes look to be made on the same basis as musical instrument cases, or scientific instrument cases. You wouldn't expect to see unfinished wood in those. It makes me think the briefcase wasn't made by the same people who made the green boxes.

Anyway thanks for posting!
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davhamm



Joined: 08 Nov 2015
Posts: 148
Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 2:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I gotta agree, the raw pine, does not look like quality construction.

Not sure what about that makes you think its to high a quality for an individual to do. Felt cover foamed is easy to cut, heck lots of people state side have personal cnc and laser cutters that would work fine.

Anyhow, not sure where you found a 2nd one but well done.

I find your comment about the first one being sold at a well known auction house interesting, as I have seen lots of questionable listings from that auction house, and when questioned they often say, well thats what we were told and buyer is expected to do there own research.
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some points:

- Turning wood for mounting the different parts is not typically DIY (... but possible)



- CNC and laser cut were not available for private use before 1994 - the only dated picture of the briefcase is from 1994

- Auction Team Breker is a well-known auction house which is in the business for more than 30 years (so what is so interesting? ... I can't understand your thought about "questionable listings")
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davhamm



Joined: 08 Nov 2015
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Location: Michigan

PostPosted: Sun Sep 16, 2018 1:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

murff wrote:
Some points:

- Turning wood for mounting the different parts is not typically DIY (... but possible)


Really,

Over here (USA) you can pick up a lathe for about $150. Lots of people have dabbled in turning. Yes it is a very DIY thing over here. Even in the 80's

But if I were DIYing it I sure as hell would not have wasted my time using a cheap wood like pine.

And that is how / why I look at it and think its not well done. If you were doing it to be classy you would have used a hard wood. Not saying some company didn't make these, just saying its not like they used high quality material in the build.

Of course these might have been done near the end as they were running low on funds who knows.

Still a cool find and neat thing to add to a curta museum. And more interesting to know there are at least 2 of these out there now.

I will stick with my original comment selling this as a demonstration unit is scamming someone as it is not a working model to demonstrate its a nice display of components though.
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2018 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here I'm trying to collect the characteristics and the known facts of both boxes...


Curta Type 1 - Demonstrations Modell - Demo box | Musterkoffer - Sample case


PS: also inside the green box only pine was used - no mahagony Very Happy
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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Location: Switzerland

PostPosted: Mon Oct 29, 2018 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

update

Another Curta sample case popped up... So there are a total of THREE cases known.


[ source: Auction Team Breker, Cologne Germany]

This gives some more indices that these suitcases are Contina origin and not private produced.

- a total of about 100 parts / assemblies are used
--- a private collector would have to disassemble six Curtas for this.

- The Original papers included seven manuals / brochures (in English, French, Spanish and Italian) and one flyer
--- a private collector would have to own a least one set of originals to make some reprints... (the Spanish and Italian manuals are very rare..., also the flyer).

- With this third case it's likely that there was a small series produced - maybe too late to use near the end of Contina AG (around 1970).



...also popped up: Curta Type I Demonstration Kit, 1954 No. 26573, Contina A.G.


[ source: Auction Team Breker, Cologne Germany]

... together with four Curtas - It can be assumed that everything comes from the same collection.
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davhamm



Joined: 08 Nov 2015
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I so regret proving the link to the previous Auction on that site. Oh well. Another source of curta's I can stop watching.

I was waiting for this auction to end to post this. Seems very odd, that None of these ever had come to market or even know by anyone then in a few months 3 appear.

Also that auction puts the date of the unit at 1994.

Oh and thank you, I got the o-ring the can looks so much better now.

Still a very mysterious product. Will be interesting to see how the auction of those 2 items go.
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murff



Joined: 27 Oct 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 31, 2018 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Seems very odd, that None of these ever had come to market or even know by anyone then in a few months 3 appear.


To be precise... here a short summary of this discovery:

Jan 10, 2017 --- An old advertisement was found in a Swiss trade journal (1995) about "Liquidation of the largest collection of CURTA calculators" - which shows this Curta Sample Case (a first time...).

May 04, 2018 --- a (first) Curta Sample Case was offered and sold (May 26, 2018) by Auction Team Breker.

Sep 06, 2018 --- independently of this auction I bought an identical Curta Sample Case (the second one) from a private collector. And learned about the possible origin / path back to Contina (the last days in 1970).

Oct 29, 2018 --- now a (third) Curta Sample Case is offered (will end Nov 10, 2018) by Auction Team Breker



Quote:
Also that auction puts the date of the unit at 1994.


This is a mistake by Auction Team Breker - I wrote them (at the first auction) that 1950 is the wrong year (also the term "Demonstration Model"), correct would be "end of seventies" and gave them the reference to the 1994/1995 advertisement.



Quote:
Still a very mysterious product.


True Cool
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murff



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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sold today morning...



US$9020.00 (including Buyer's Premium and VAT)




US$5110.00 (including Buyer's Premium and VAT)
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davhamm



Joined: 08 Nov 2015
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just checked in on it (forgot about it) WOW... Even the 2 curta's went for a lot. But speechless on those prices.
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