This was reported by a correspondent from Turmush.
Aizhan shared that the Soviet mechanical adding machine was bought for pennies by her husband at a flea market.
“My husband has been gone for a year, he passed away, but this acquisition is carefully preserved in memory of him and that era. This once-popular mechanical calculator was called 'Iron Felix' and was named after Felix Dzerzhinsky,” she said.
According to available information, the adding machine was produced from 1929 to 1978 with a total circulation of several million units. The main manufacturers were the counting machine factories in Kursk, Penza, and Moscow. And it is certainly not a gadget with a lot of electronics. This device could perform four arithmetic operations — addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. “Advanced” models, such as the 'Felix-M' model, like the one owned by the Kara-Balta resident, had the capability to work with fractions. To perform calculations, the necessary numbers were input using levers, and turning a handle executed the operation. One turn was for addition or subtraction, while several turns were for division and multiplication.
“My husband bought this calculator about eight to ten years ago at our 'flea market.' He came home with the purchase so joyful and happy and said: 'Do you know what I brought you? This is the very first calculator.' I am an accountant myself, but I didn’t know about such things. I went online and read about it. My husband loved interesting items and paid attention to everything unusual. He bought it for a small price — for 100 or 150 soms. Of course, I was curious to see such a rarity and touch it. Previously, people used a piece of paper and a logarithmic ruler for calculations. Therefore, to speed up calculations, some bought such mechanical adding machines. The last of them was produced in 1978. This marked the twilight of the adding machine era. I don’t know how to calculate on it, but it works — all the gears and levers move. Of course, if there is a desire, one can learn. There are videos on the internet. This is what Soviet quality means. After half a century, the device continues to work, and it doesn’t even need lubrication. And most importantly, it doesn’t require electricity or solar batteries for this mechanical adding machine to perform calculations. The price is even marked on it — 15 rubles. My 'Felix' was produced in 1970, very heavy, weighing three and a half kilograms,” Aizhan Atabekova shared.
In addition to the retro calculator, she has other interesting antique items. For example, a spinning wheel. It was gifted to her by an elderly neighbor. The family also keeps one of the first national banknotes, which was defective because the design on the reverse side was upside down.
The Kara-Balta resident loves vintage items so much that even her wall clock is made in a retro style.
“If you have items from the Soviet era lying around in your garage, at your dacha, in the attic, or in the shed, don’t rush to throw them away. You may possess something that antique collectors are hunting for. Many of these items we don’t even pay attention to; we are used to them. They are part of everyday life. Sometimes at flea markets, you can find interesting and unique specimens, often for pennies. Such 'flea markets' deserve special attention. For some people, wandering through antique markets is akin to a sport or fishing. Therefore, I understand those who collect antique items. Each antique object holds the history of the life of the person who owned it. Many of us have relatives who carefully preserve items connected to their previous generations, and it’s not necessary for them to be expensive; often, they are just trinkets. And an item reflects memories even better than a photograph. For example, sometimes you can see a powder compact or a mirror that was used by their grandmothers or even great-grandmothers. There is something magical and mysterious about this,” Aizhan added.
In her opinion, touching the past is a great way to feel a connection with history. Without it, there is no present or future.
But why do modern people look back into the past and study history? Some do it to avoid repeating mistakes, while others, it seems, indulge in nostalgia. But old things remind us that the past cannot be returned…
