5.14 Nestler, Germany

Another German maker of fine slide rules, Albert Nestler AG was founded in 1878 and lasted 100 years in the slide rule business. According to the Oughtred Society Albert Einstein favored the Nestler in his work, particularly the No. 23R. The same claims are made for Wernher von Braun, the famous German-American aerospace engineer.

Albert Nestler made his own dividing engine that he used to place scales on stocks, first those purchased from Dennert & Pape, and later stock that Nestler manufactured themselves. Prior to World War II, Nestler was shipping slide rules around the world, including to the USA. (For example, see Kolesch and Company, USA.) Their slide rule production ended in 1978.

Total number of Albert Nestler slide rules in the collection: 6. \(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\)

Model Year Type Mat L0 Case Note
1a
1920 L wd 10 yes rule in very nice condition; case: No 1a Albert Nestler AG; back: SLIDE RULE DATA SLIPS, compiled by C.N. Pickworth, Wh.Sc.; no Nestler name on rule itself; no scale on sides of rule; interesting curiosity
37 1922-24 L wd 10 yes rule in very nice condition; stamp 391 on end; steel leaf springs
33 Chemiker 1924-1933 L wd 10 yes Early Chemical Rule, Albert Nestler A.G. LAHRi/B D.R. Patent Germany; Pickworth Data Slip on back; wide 1-line cursor
41 Pocket
1925 L wd 4 yes small 4 inch rule; marked Germany on inside of stock and on leather case; similar items elsewhere marked Nestler
24
1930 L wd 20 yes rule in very nice condition; original wooden box with felt liner and Nestler logo inside
23R 1937-1945 L wd 10 yes rule in very nice condition; lid to case is missing; top of sleeve has acceptance stamp of the Kriegsmarine – Reichsadler with a swastika in an oak leaf ring and the letter M for Marine