National Class 31 Bookkeeping Machine on Stand

During the years immediately following World War II, demand for National Cash Register products boomed. In late 1949 the company introduced a new line of accounting machines, successors to the class 2000 and class 3000. It included the Class 31 and Class 32. This is an NCR Class 31 machine from 1952.

The machine combines an electric typewriter at the front with an adding machine in the center. The adding machine has ten columns of digit keys and four columns of keys for indicating dates and types of transactions to the left of these. It has diverse function keys and bars.

A wide variety of forms could be fed through the carriage at the back of the machine and printed out. A serrated metal bar is in front of the wide carriage and has 20-odd plastic and metal pieces clipped to it. Two other bars and a cover are loose with the machine.

A mark above the typewriter keyboard reads: National. A metal label on the right side reads: 5025100 (/) SP-RB (/) 31-10-10(18)26. The first part of this mark is the serial number. The phrase “SP-RB” indicates that the machine has a split platen and an extra removable bar. The next numbers indicate that the machine is a Class 31 capable of printing ten totals and ten amount rows. The 18 signifies the style of the machine — one with a keyboard dater with months, days and years; five year and four symbol keys in row 11; and a typewriter keyboard.

Accounting machines were used to prepare monthly statements, type checks, record payroll, and do general ledger work. This example was used at the Lansburgh department store in downtown Washington, D.C.

References:

NCR, Reference Manual Class 31A Class 32A, August, 1965, Montgomery County Historical Society, Dayton, Ohio.

Accession File.

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