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Soroban, or Japanese Abacus

American History Museum

Japanese Abacus, Front View
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  • Japanese Abacus, Front View
  • Japanese Abacus, Back View

    Object Details

    Description

    This tiny abacus has an open black plastic frame with a black plastic cross piece. It contains seven metal rods. Each carries one white plastic bead above the cross piece and four below. There are no maker's marks on the instrument.

    Location

    Currently not on view

    Credit Line

    Gift of John White

    ID Number

    1981.0922.18

    catalog number

    1981.0922.18

    accession number

    1981.0922

    Object Name

    abacus

    Physical Description

    plastic (overall material)
    metal (overall material)

    Measurements

    overall: .4 cm x 4.4 cm x 2 cm; 5/32 in x 1 23/32 in x 25/32 in

    See more items in

    Medicine and Science: Mathematics
    Abacus
    Science & Mathematics

    Data Source

    National Museum of American History

    Subject

    Mathematics

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a5-150f-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

    Record ID

    nmah_690533

    Discover More

    Wooden abacus with a wooden cross piece separating eleven bamboo rods. Above the cross piece are two beads, and below it are five

    The Japanese Abacus

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