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Subject:Japanese or Chinese Abacus? Antique?
Posted By: Richard Mon, Feb 16, 2015 IP: 183.89.117.85

I bought this abacus at a flea market in Thailand.

Any advice as to whether the writing is Japanese, age, origin, etc.

The abacus measures 16.5 inches (42cm) x 7 inches 18cm) x 1 inches (2.4cm).

Thank you.







Subject:Japanese or Chinese Abacus? Antique?
Posted By: rat Tue, Feb 17, 2015

Chinese, made in Zhejiang Province probably during the final quarter of the 20th century or slightly before, the company's address and phone number are given in the second line

Subject:Japanese or Chinese Abacus? Antique?
Posted By: Richard Wed, Feb 18, 2015

Haha. Yes, I noticed the phone number. I thought it might have been the number of the carrier pigeon before notes, which might have denoted it age as "antique".

Thank you, anyway.

Subject:Re: Japanese or Chinese Abacus? Antique?
Posted By: Bill H Thu, Feb 19, 2015

Hi Richard & Rat,

The character text on the abacus reads as follows from the left:

浙江永加上圹鎮工艺机电厂

(Zhe Jiang Yong Jia Shang Kuang Zhen Gong Yi Ji Dian Chang)

Zhejiang, Yongjia, Shangkuang Village Arts & Crafts Mechanical & Electrical Equipment Factory

厂址: 城关鎮浦東路 13弄 3号 电话7232448

Chang Zhi Cheng Guan Zhen Pu Dong Lu 13 Long 3 Hao Dian Hua 7232448

Factory location: Chengguan Village, Pudong Road Lane 13 No. 3, Phone 7232448

The characters are simplified, so the abacus would date to the post-1950 era. As best as I can tell, though, the address and factory mentioned no longer exist, although there is a Pudong Road in the vicinity of Shanghai (Pudong means "across from Shanghai", the character being from the name of the Huangpu River at Shanghai). My impression is that the abacus possibly was made before the Cultural Revolution, maybe before the regimentation of industrial units had been completed. One thing for sure, Chinese addresses and phone numbers nowadays seem to have added lots more digits for postal and area codes.

Best regards,

Bill H.


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