Partners & Spade are Bringing Vintage Calculators Back

Not sure if anyone still uses an abacus like the one featured in the Partners & Spade Redundant Calculators, but when it’s attached to a calculator then you got yourself something new in hybrid calculators. But these aren’t new. These calculators were first produced by Sharp in Japan when digital calculators first broke out during the 70s and now Partners & Spade are bringing these vintage calculators back.

With many centuries of using the soroban, the Japanese variant for an abacus, the Japanese were doubtful of the new age calculator and would continue to use the abacus to check their work. In Japanese primary schools, the abacus is still in use extensively today.

These Redundant Calculators really take it back to the process of humans trusting technology and show the history of mathematics; abacuses have been dated back since Ancient Rome. Partners & Spade are a New York City art studio and the products available for purchase on the studio’s website for $80 (USD).