The Curta.org Bulletin Board

[cbzero]

Hello,

I recently got bit by the Curta bug and am looking to buy one, probably a type II, in the near future. I had a few questions I am hoping someone can answer. Apologies if these are FAQs; I browsed through the archives here but I didn't see anything on point.

I gather that most people here are collectors, which is great. Is anyone using a Curta for day-to-day work? How reliable is it for regular usage in an office environment? The environment is pretty clean so I am not worried about dust or dirt getting in it, but will it be a problem if I am cranking it a few hundred times a day?

Information as recent as a couple of months ago says that the going price on auction sites was about $1,000. Right now the prices seem to be a bit higher, around $1,400 or more. Do we think prices are going to come back down in the near future?

What sorts of things should I be asking a seller when checking the condition of a unit for sale? I want one that is in working order - is it enough to ask whether all the slides and knobs move freely without sticking?

Besides ebay, anywhere else I should be looking to purchase one? I see there is a "Wanted" section on this forum, it's not clear how active it is though.

Finally, this is not really Curta-related, but when I registered on this forum, the system sent me an email with my password shown in plain text. The only way this could happen is if the passwords are stored insecurely in the database. I strongly encourage the admins here to upgrade the site to newer, more secure software, for the protection of everyone.

Thank you!

[murff]

Yes the prices for Curtas have risen quite a bit lately - I don't think they will fall back. eBay is kind of a price driver, two to three sellers have had very high prices for quite some time... and keep finding (wealthy) buyers!

There is nothing better for a Curta, to use them daily!
My best running Curtas are not the unused ones but the well used ones - for this purpose they were designed and built...

If you can't find a Curta Type 2, maybe I can help (PM me).




_________________
:: m u r f f
:: curta.li

[cbzero]

Thanks for confirming about the reliability. It makes sense - they were not designed to be museum pieces!

That's what I suspected about prices. Unfortunately it seems like prices will only go in one direction, since they are not making any more after all.