Rod Lovett's Slide Rules

For over 300 years, since its invention in 1620 by William Oughtred, the slide rule played an ever-increasingly important role in the development of commerce, taxation, weaponry, navigation, astronomy and engineering. Becoming extremely sophisticated, the slide rule penetrated all branches of technology and by the middle of the 20th Century millions of rules had been produced.

During this time the slide rule took many forms. The linear slide rules with lengths ranging from 3 to 40 inches, circular slide rules, long scale slide rules of the tubular and grid-iron forms and watch type calculators. By 1968 they had reached their zenith in terms of refinement and popularity.

And then by 1975 they were gone.

Displaced by the development of the micro-processor, in the history of science and technology never had an invention of such importance disappeared so quickly.

On the following pages is a selection of my rules which demonstrate the slide rule manufacturer's art in, mainly, the 20th Century.

To observe these wonderful artefacts,to hold them,feel them, manipulate them, and know that for 300 years they were present in every corner of technological development is indeed to feel privileged of having lived during their time.

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