Sharp EL-5804 Handheld Electronic Calculator

This handheld electronic calculator was advertised in the Washington Post as “Sharp’s Super Slick Sliderule [sic] Built for Scientists.” It combined the shape of a slide rule with the functions of a scientific calculator, and even boasted a plastic leatherette carrying sleeve.

The calculator has a metal case and thirty-two rectangular plastic keys. The rightmost column of keys has three memory keys and a total key. Left of this is a column of four arithmetic function keys. Left of this are three columns with ten digit keys, a change sign key, and a decimal point key. Function keys left of this include logarithmic, exponential, trigonometric, square root, and degree conversion keys. If an F key is pushed, these keys also can be used to find powers of e, reciprocals, pi, and inverse trigonometric functions. The clear entry/clear key and the F key are left of these function keys. Still further to the left is an on/off key, which can be set for angular measure in either degrees or radians.

At the far left is an LCD display, which gives results in scientific notation, with a six-digit mantissa and a two-digit exponent. Text below the display reads: ELSI MATE EL-5804 (/) SHARP.

The back of the calculator has a scale at the top fifteen centimeters long, divided to millimeters. A compartment on the bottom right would hold three squat cylindrical silver oxide batteries. Text next to the battery compartment reads in part: ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR (/) EL-5804. It also reads: NO. 74302580 BM (/) SHARP CORPORATION (/) MADE IN JAPAN. Further text reads: U.S. Pats 3902169 3976994. The most recent U.S. patent number listed, 3976994, was issued in 1976 and assigned to Sharp.

A mark on the brown carrying case reads: SHARP.

References:

[Advertisement], Washington Post, August 12, 1977, p. D16. Advertised as costing $34.95.

Frank Macias, “Calculating Friends: Delegate That Everyday Balancing Act to These Little Guys with Big Brains,” Los Angeles Times, November 19, 1978, p. O64.

Currently not on view