5.6 Faber, Faber-Castell, Germany

The German manufacturer A.W. Faber, who began as a pencil factory in 1761 (and is still making pencils!), began making slide rules in 1892. Their name changed to Faber-Castell in 1905. The company had a long and successful history of producing very high-quality slide rules. By the end of the slide rule era, Faber-Castell was making very complex color coordinated scales of exceptional craftsmanship. Their model 2/83N is thought by many to be one of the finest slide rules ever made by any manufacturer. Slide rule production ended by 1977.

Faber 365, c. 1898.
Faber 365, c. 1898.
Faber 367, c. 1900.
Faber 367, c. 1900.
Faber-Castell 1/87m, 1947.
Faber-Castell 1/87m, 1947.
Faber-Castell 2/82, 1957.
Faber-Castell 2/82, 1957.
Faber-Castell 1/54, 1960.
Faber-Castell 1/54, 1960.
Faber-Castell 2/83N, 1970.
Faber-Castell 2/83N, 1970.
Faber-Castell 62/83, c. 1973.
Faber-Castell 62/83, c. 1973.

Total number of A.W. Faber and Faber-Castell slide rules in the collection: 16. \(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\)

Maker Model Year Typ Mat L0 Case Note
Faber 360 1897 L wd 10 box no D.R.G.M. markings; no boxwood spring in groove; 1.5/15 aligned; indentation rhs only; Made in Germany; wooden measuring scales on edges; c.1897 box
Faber 365 1898-1900 L wd 10 box box, rule both in pristene condition; almost like new; rule: 1898-1900, but box says 1900; D.R.G.M. 98350; indentation rhs only; wooden measuring scales
Faber 350 1903 L wd 10 yes Early all-wooden Faber 350; gold logo; script M gauge mark; 1904 instructions (tattered)
Faber 367 1904-1905 L wd 10 box digit-registering cursor with dome/flat rivets, cracked glass; box has 1900 reference
Faber-Castell 378 1913-1914 L wd 10 box Electro rule; nice condition; Made in Germany; no date marks; DRP No. 206428; Dynamo / Eff and V scales in well; W gauge on C; serif M on A/B
Faber-Castell 363 1921 L wd 10 box instructions and original box; DRP 206428; square cursor; 1 stamped on rear
Faber-Castell 379 1923 L wd 5 box Electro rule; nice condition; pearwood; Made in Bavaria and date marks 3 and 12 on back; V and Eff scales in well; W gauge on C
Faber-Castell 387 1935 L wd 10 box 3 hairlines; nice rule; date marks 35 and 6 on back; french table on back; importe’ d’Allemagne on inside of stock
Faber-Castell 1/87m 1947 L wd 10 box 3 hairlines; nice rule; date mark 47 on back
Faber-Castell 67/54R 1953-1956 L wd 5 yes Addiator; Hatfield Electric Co. on case
Faber-Castell 2/82 1957 L pl 10 yes date marks 57 and 1; 7-hairline cursor; cm and in scales; D.B.P. Nr. 873 455
Faber-Castell 1/54 1960 L wd 10 case 3-sided 7-hairline cursor; very nice rule; date mark 860 on back
Faber-Castell 3/11 Statique 1960 L wd 10 yes Rare, for reinforced concrete calculations; Spanish version
Faber-Castell 2/83N 1970 L pl 10 yes famous rule; french instructions; 9 hairlines: q,d,360,kW,PS; date mark 5 70 on end; well used, but well cared for
Faber-Castell 52/82 1972 L pl 10 yes Made in Germany; D-Stab; nice condition, with instructions; date stamp 1272 on end
Faber-Castell 62/83 1972 L pl 5 no very nice condition; 9-hairline cursor; date mark 11 72 on end