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.](images/Faber365.jpg)
Faber 365, c. 1898.
![Faber 367, c. 1900.](images/Faber367.jpg)
Faber 367, c. 1900.
![Faber-Castell 1/87m, 1947.](images/FaberCastell1_87m.jpg)
Faber-Castell 1/87m, 1947.
![Faber-Castell 2/82, 1957.](images/FaberCastell2_82.jpg)
Faber-Castell 2/82, 1957.
![Faber-Castell 1/54, 1960.](images/Faber1-54.jpg)
Faber-Castell 1/54, 1960.
![Faber-Castell 2/83N, 1970.](images/FC283nCombo.jpg)
Faber-Castell 2/83N, 1970.
![Faber-Castell 62/83, c. 1973.](images/Faber6283both.jpg)
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 |