1994.14.9

Holy bead soroban prototype

Cranmer, Terrence V., designer

Abacus prototype has 11 columns with 1 bead above the bar and 5 beads below. The beads are small iridescent glass beads used for making rosaries. The frame, made of wood topped with piano-key ivory, is glued into a plastic holder. Beneath the metal rods that hold the beads is a red felt liner that is backed with a piece of foam rubber resting on a piece of cardboard. On the reverse of the cardboard is an ad for Dr. Scholl's foot supplies.

H-2.7 W-5 D-0.4 inches

1961

Terrence V. Cranmer

Louisville, KY

Gissoni Abacus Collection

Fred Gissoni owned this prototype before donating it to the Callahan Museum. It is one of a few made by Tim Cranmer, which helped lead to the development of the Cranmer Abacus, which was later produced by APH. The prototypes provided knowledge about bead spacing and movement, etc. Fred Gissoni bought the rosary beads at a bead store in Chicago. He wrote an instruction book for the prototype and sent it in audio format (on a 3-inch reel tape) along with one of these abacuses, to Robert Gunderson, a blind man, who used the device.

Gift of Fred Gissoni, 1994.14