5.10 Keuffel and Esser, USA
Keuffel and Esser was one of the first American firms to import slide rules from Europe, and became the first company in the United States to manufacture slide rules starting in 1891. They remained a giant in the field throughout the next century. Based in Hoboken, New Jersey, with major branches in Chicago and elsewhere in the U.S, the “K&E” rules were very popular among engineers and scientists, as well as professionals in the fields of banking, commerce, and other industries. In 1976 K&E manufactured their last slide rule, which was immediately donated to the Smithsonian Institution.
A separate listing of K&E rules in the collection in order of Model Number can be found in K&E Rules by Model.
Keuffel and Esser American/Favorite, c. 1898.
Keuffel and Esser 4083 16-inch rule, c. 1918.
Keuffel and Esser 4058 early “Student’s” model, c. 1916-1925.
K&E Student’s Rule (back)
Keuffel and Esser 4035-S 8-inch rule, 1922.
Keuffel and Esser 4083-3, 1947 (back).
Keuffel and Esser 4094 with magnifier, 1951.
Total number of K&E slide rules in the collection: 78.
| Model | Year | Serial | Typ | Mat | L0 | Case | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American/Favorite |
|
1898 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | no model number or patent info; labeled as Keuffel & Esser Co. N.Y. on LHS of slide; metal cursor; prod. marks 59 on LHS end; extended cm scale in well; similar to early American example, though markings on case say Favorite; pi gauge marks on A/B; lid to case missing; early predecessor to 4054 | |
| 4041 |
|
1900 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Mannheim; Rule in nice condition; quite yellowed; prod. mark A11 on end of rule; square metal/glass cursor; no model number on rule | |
| American |
|
1900 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Very early Mannheim; no model number; labeled 0.5 divisions; Pat. June 5 1900; fine divisions on SLT; 1/16 division on in scale; marks 87 on end; similar to American described in JOS 10.2p59; owner George L. Cooper; + initials DEH | |
| 4054 | 1900-1914 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Favorite Mannheim, early model, wood edges; very nice condition, box as well; prod marks 102 on edge; my 200th slide rule | ||
| 4041 |
|
1901 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Mannheim; early 4041, prod mark 408 on end, owner F.L.Clark, leather case | |
| 4056 | 1909-1914 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Early version 4056; marks 132 on end; 26 cm long; in/cm on sides; 25 mm metal cursor; Mannheim Slide Rule case; original owner Henry Jones, civil engineer for Bethlehem Steel railroad | ||
| 4053-2 | 1910-1914 | L | wd | 8.0 | no | Polyphase; Nice 8-inch variant of 4053; prod. mark 404; square metal cursor; ends of 8 inch ruler are worn | ||
| 4053-3 | 1910-1914 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Polyphase; good condition; no cursor; prod. marks 374* on end of rule | ||
| 4092 | 1913 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; very rare early 4092 with column cursor; prod marks 244; from Green Bay, WI, dairy farm, owner Ray Harkness | ||
| 4133 | 1913-1922 | L | wd | 8.0 | no | Roylance Electrical Slide Rule, mahogany, early release; prod mark 255; used and in poor condition; missing original 3-hairline cursor | ||
| 4058 |
|
1915 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | good condition; very early 4058; Xylonite indicator; old table on back; no indication of Student/Beginner but marked 4058 | |
| 4041 | 1915-1921 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Mannheim; Rule in good condition; prod. mark 207 on end of rule | ||
| 4100 | 1915-1922 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Stadia rule, early model, for use in surveying; instructions on back; all-glass cursor; prod marks 268 on end | ||
| 4083 |
|
1916 | L | wd | 16.0 | yes | Duplex Rule; rare 16-in model; some wear; tan leather case is very worn; prod. marks 27 on end; Sally G: this belonged to my grandfather; He was born in 1897 in Griffin Ga; he ran Cotton mills in several states through his career; I have no idea how he used it | |
| 4088-2 | 1916-1920 | L | wd | 8.0 | yes | Polyphase Duplex; good condition for its age; all-glass cursor, no s/n, prod. marks 41; leather case; owner Merrill Russell, Wenton, WV | ||
| 4088-3 | 1916-1922 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Polyphase Duplex; Rule in good condition; prod. mark 324 on end of rule | ||
| 4058 (student) | 1916-1925 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Student’s Rule; nice condition; glass/metal cursor | ||
| 4088-5 |
|
1920 | L | wd | 20.0 | yes | Polyphase Duplex; no serial number, but improved cursor; prod. marks 64 on end; laminated edges; used by draftsman for a steel company | |
| 4035 | 1922 | L | wd | 8.0 | yes | Mannheim; rare; slanted top face w/ 8 in rule; stitched case; very nice condition | ||
| 4088-3 | 1922 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Polyphase Duplex; good condition; box too; prod. marks 55 on end of rule | ||
| 4092-3 | 1922 | 6742 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; serif; pre-K-Scale, early first-year serial number; mahogany sides; prod marks 44 | |
| 4088-3 | 1923 | 39516 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Polyphase Duplex; good condition | |
| 4088-1 | 1923 | 54353 | L | wd | 5.0 | yes | Polyphase Duplex; broken all-glass cursor; leather case; owner E.C. Merrill | |
| 4092-5 | 1923 | 63063 | L | wd | 20.0 | yes | Early 20in version of Log Log rule; no K scale | |
| 4092-3 | 1923 | 64163 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Log Log Duplex; near-last of early scale set for 4092-3, just before transition rule; laminated edges, serif fonts; initials W.G.B. | |
| 4092-3 | 1923 | 64405 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; serif type; all-glass cursor; rare – K scale on bottom below L scale; Doc McClain, Joliet, 1925, and Haddie Langdon, Notre Dame; stitched case | |
| 4092-3 | 1925 | 131217 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; early K scale, serif type, all-glass cursor; owner J. A. Stawicki, Brooklyn, NY, Poly ’28 | |
| N4053-3 | 1925 | 140188 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Polyphase; stitched case; C.H. Drake O.S.C. | |
| 4058 | 1925-1936 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Beginner’s Rule; celluloid cursor; L scale increases to right | ||
| N4053-3F | 1928 | 258978 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Polyphase Mannheim with very fine markings; rare; all glass cursor | |
| 4092-3 | 1929 | 277653 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; sans serif; all-glass cursor; stitched case; missing flap | |
| 4092-3 | 1929 | 295472 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; improved metal framed cursor; stitched case; R.W. Bluhm | |
| 4058C | 1929-1937 | L | wd | 10.0 | no | Beginner’s Rule; wood cursor frame; version 2 Equivalents | ||
| 4093-3 | 1930 | 322530 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | First year of the first Vector rule | |
| 4058W | 1930-1935 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Beginner’s Rule; wood cursor frame | ||
| 4093-3 | 1933 | 429961 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Vector; First of the Vector rules; very nice condition | |
| Mystery | 1933 | 434918 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | no model number, no patent info; labeled as K&E CO.; same scale set as 4097D 5-inch; nice condition; improved metal cursor | |
| 4092-3 | 1933 | 441408 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; improved metal framed cursor; stitched case; J.A.B. | |
| Mystery | 1934 | 471354 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | no model number, no patent info; labeled as K&E CO.; same scale set as 4097D 5-inch rule, but 10-inch mahogany model; improved metal cursor; owner Frank H. Colburn, b. 1908 | |
| 4095-3 | 1934 | 478354 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Merchants Rule; nice condition; leather case; owners L.S. and S.F.Gleb | |
| N4096 | 1935 | 509054 | L | wd | 20.0 | no | Merchants Desk Rule with heavy legs, exceptional condition; no box | |
| N4092-5 | 1936 | 547636 | L | wd | 20.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex; long scale; improved metal framed cursor, missing spring; stitched case, missing flap | |
| 4058W | 1936-1943 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Beginner’s Rule | ||
| 4081-3 | 1937 | 589003 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Decitrig; very worn-out case – U. Illinois engraved as well as Gates | |
| N4053-5 | 1937 | 633813 | L | wd | 20.0 | yes | Polyphase; 20in slide rule; very nice condition; serial numbers on left bottom edge and slide | |
| N4100 | 1938 | 694091 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Stadia rule, for use in surveying; instructions on back; metal rimmed cursor | |
| N4053-3 | 1939 | 744677 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes + box | metal rim cursor w/ KERCS; black leather case; box; manual by Breckenridge; original owner Henry Jones, civil engineer for Bethlehem Steel railroad | |
| 4110 | 1940 | 808703 | L | wd | 6.5 | no | Power Trig Slide Rule; very rare; not listed in any catalog; developed at US Naval Academy | |
| N4041 | 1941 | 833535 | L | wd | 10.0 | box | Mannheim; Rule and box in nice condition | |
| 4058D | 1942 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes + box | Beginner’s Rule; celluloid cursor; rare version; with box + instructions | ||
| 4058D | 1942 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Beginner’s Rule, rare version | ||
| N4133 | 1944 | 414 | L | wd | 8.0 | yes + box | Roylance Electrical Slide Rule, mahogany; 3-hairline cursor; scale set #3; original case and box | |
| 4098A | 1944 | 42379 | L | wd | 5.0 | yes | Pocket Slide Rule, nice condition; box and case | |
| 4097D | 1944 | 65234 | L | pl | 5.0 | yes + box | Ever-There, very nice condition; instructions, box; K&E circular logo; owner Lt. Milton S. Shaw | |
| 4139 | 1946 | 167058 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Cooke Radio Slide Rule; Case: Polyphase Duplex DeciTrig 4071-3S | |
| 4054 | 1946 | 219646 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Favorite Mannheim; nice box; broken cursor block | |
| 9071-3 |
|
1948 | 10192 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes | Polyphase Duplex Decitrig DORIC rule; case deteriorating; only made for 2-3 years |
| 4083-3 | 1948 | 339747 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Vector, good condition | |
| N9081-3 |
|
1948 | 40304 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes+box | Log Log Duplex Decitrig DORIC rule; very nice condition; black leather case + original box; only made for 2-3 years; same as one owned by American Astronaut Gordon Cooper |
| N4058W | 1950 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Beginner’s Rule | ||
| 4070-3 | 1950 | 550030 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Polyphase Duplex Trig | |
| 4055 | 1951 | 568414 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Favorite Mannheim | |
| 4094 | 1951 | 590068 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Merchants Rule, excellent condition; case, too; my 100-th slide rule! | |
| 4080-3 | 1953 | 762828 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Trig; riveted leather case; McIntyre; missing screw on cursor | |
| N4081-3 | 1954 | 790072 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes + box | Log Log Duplex Decitrig; most parts, but cursor is broken one glass missing and slide is corroded; needs major cleaning | |
| 4081-3 | 1955 | 912871 | L | wd | 10.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Decitrig; riveted case; metal ring; O’Neal | |
| 4181-3 | 1956 | 60477 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes | Jet Log Log Duplex Decitrig; came with copy of A Self Instruction (1955); from owner, Ken Olson, Mendota, IL | |
| 4081-5 | 1956 | 70019 | L | wd | 20.0 | yes+box | early decitrig, pristine condition, as is the leather case; box, but tattered | |
| 4181-1 | 1957 | 111945 | L | pl | 5.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Decitrig; black leather; stitched | |
| 4097C | 1957 | 135473 | L | wd | 5.0 | no | Ever There 5-in pocket rule, nice condition | |
| 4181-1 | 1957 | 143610 | L | pl | 5.0 | yes | Log Log Duplex Decitrig; dark-green leather; with metal clip | |
| 4158 | 1961 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes | New K12 variant of Beginner’s rule; only made for 1 year | ||
| 68-1892 |
|
1965 | L | pl | 10.0 | no | K-12 Prep; last of the K&E Beginner’s Rules; replaced Model 4058; Learning to Use the Slide Rule instructions | |
| 68-1565 | 1967 | 20460 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes | Early GP12; late-model K&E slide rule | |
| 68-1130 | 1967 | 25531 | L | pl | 5.0 | yes | Deci-Lon 5 | |
| 68-1130 | 1967 | 37819 | L | pl | 5.0 | yes | Deci-Lon 5, leather case, good condition | |
| 68-1100 | 1969 | 167135 | L | pl | 10.0 | yes | Deci-Lon 10; original owner: Erin Sommer; Maryland; 1962 Deci-Lon hardback instruction book | |
| 68-1892 |
|
1970 | L | pl | 10.0 | no | K12 Prep; last of the K&E Beginner’s Rules; replaced Model 4058; Special Desktop Edition, mounted on leather pad |
Keuffel and Esser 4139 Cooke Radio Slide Rule, 1946.
designed by Nelson M. Cooke, author of Mathematics for Electricians and Radiomen, McGraw-Hill, New York (1942).
Keuffel and Esser 4181-1, 1957.
Keuffel and Esser N4096 Desk Rule, 1950.