DATE: Art Deco, c.1930

I ain't no abacus but you can count on me - Jamie T, Operation

A 14 karat gold working abacus charm dating from the 1930s. I say working (it is) but admittedly it's really quite fiddly to move the individual beads. Until today - to my shame - I actually had no idea how to use an abacus. It's really quite fascinating, and extremely clever. The technology (aka counting board) spans back to ancient times, and while the exact origin is unknown, they predate the adoption of the Hindu-Arabic numeral system by centuries, and can aid with complex calculations including square and cubic roots. Thouroughly recommend a browse of the  page if you have a spare 10 mins. 

MEASUREMENTS 

2.0 x 1.0cm

WEIGHT 

1.0g

MARKS 

Stamped 14k

CONDITION 

Very good, with light antique patina