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Beads & Abacii

The collection includes counting boards, bead counters and abacii from different parts of the world.  The abacii include the chinese Suanpan, japanese Soroban, russian Stcheti, replicas of roman and Mesoamerican abacus (Nepohualtzintzin). The versions of the Roman abacus are based on Velseri’s text or the few surviving ones found in Italy and old copies in London & Paris  museums.

Coin Counting Boards: Zeni Masu and Palaka

Zeni Masu 1 Japanese coin counting board
Zeni Masu 2 Japanese Counting Board
Indian Travancore Chakram coin counting board, Chakra Palaka 1 small 7mm holes.
Indian Travancore Chakram coin counting board, Chakra Palaka 2 with small 7mm holes.
Indian Travancore Panam coin counting board, Pana Palaka 3, with large 15mm holes.

Roman Abacus replicas

Roman abacus replica following Velseri 's text and some of the existing originals in Italy..
Left (cover of Velseri book. Top abacus description. Click to enlarge.
Roman abacus following an 18th century replica in the British Museum London. In this replica the column with three slots is shifted to the left by one position.

Chinese Abacus (suanpan)

Chinese abacus 13_5_2
Chinese abacus 9-5-2
Chinese abacus 9-5-2
Chinese abacus 13-5-2
Chinese abacus 15_5_2
Chinese abacus 17-5-2. Lanzhou University Finance Department gift.
Recent Chinese abacus 17_4_1 with reset. Gift of Tingming Jiang.
Chinese abacus 13_5_2
Chinese Tibbetan abacus 25_5_4 (recent copy)
Chinese brass small abacus 15_5_2
Chinese abacus 13-5_2 on box with drawer. VE

Russian Abacus (stcheti, счёты)

Russian abacus 10_6-3
Russian abacus 11_7-2
Small Russian abacus 7_2-5
Russian small metallic abacus VE
Russian metallic small abacus

Japanese Abacus (soroban)

Japanese abacus 13-5-2
Japanese abacus 13-5-1
Japanese abacus 15-5-1
Japanese abacus 17-5-1
Japanese abacus 17_5_1
Japanese abacus 23-5-1
Japanese abacus 25-5-1
Japanese abacus 25-5-1
Japanese abacus 21-4-1
Japanese abacus 23_4_1
Japanese abacus 21-4-1
Japanese abacus 25-4-1
Japanese abacus 27-4-1
Japanese abacus 25-4-1
Japanese abacus for blind 18_4_1 VE. It is somewhat unusual having 18 columns and not the more usual odd number.Gift of Valery Monnier.

Japanese Sorocals: abacus cum calculators.

Sharp Sorocal EL 428 VE
Sharp Elsi Mate 8048 VE
Sharp Elsi Mate 429 solar calculator VE

European abaci

French abacus "Mathéma Sudel". It is a 10 bead per line abacus with unusual recesses for beads.VE

Mexican “Nepohualtzintzin”.

This ia a rendering of a wearable abacus as described by David Esparza.

Gauntlet version of Mexican abacus. 12 columns, 4+3 beads Leather and wooden beads. The central cord allows to displace the beads to make a chinese 2+5 bead configuration. VE

Recent educational abaci

Indian switch type abacus 13_4_1. Used by Indian Abacus Institute (Chennai).
Indian switch type abacus 17_4_1
Canadian Numberaid abacus 5_10_2. 1959 patent. VE
Singapore third generation (3G) abacus 13_9_1 by Chee Geok Hwa.VE

Prayer Abaci

Boulier Chapelet - prayer counting, France. VE
Boulier de prière main libre par Soeur Grace , Paroisse de Banon 2022. VE

Counting beads

Ranger Beads
Podometer beads
Nichiren Rosary Japan Buddhist VE collection
Shingon Rosary Japan Buddhist VE collection
Jodo Juzu Budhist rosary
Budhist wooden bead mala VE