Gilson Circular Slide Rules

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Gilson Slide Rule Company was founded by Clair Amasa Gilson (1889-1962) in 1915 at his home at Niles Michigan and later relocatedc to Stuart, Fla. They sold unique designs of Binary and Atlas circular slide rule models. Gilson manufactured slide rules under U.S. patent 1,404,019issued to Clair A. Gilson for a "Mechanical Calculating Device" on January 17, 1922. The company did not typically "re-Brand" its products as they were sold by many distributors like Dietzgen, Bruning, Lietz and others. You can see other manufacturers in the Circular gallery and view the Concise line of products and Pickett circular slide rules in their respective galleries. Construction is simple as the only only fastener is the single screw or rivet at the center of the disk. A spring washer allows the three cursor arms to sync with each other.

Post Binary 8inch Circular Slide Rule (Model 1464)
ISRM 18.09.17.20

Post Binary 8inch Circular Slide Rule (Model 1464) 8in 21.1cm dia.
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co.
Front Scales
C,CI,A,K,Log,LL1,LL2,LL3,LL4,Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Back Scales
Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Fractions
Gift of Donald J. Bachelor Collection

Manual 0.98Mb

Gilson Binary Early Steel Version
REF

Gilson Binary Early Steel Version
Made in USA by Gilson. Printed on steel plate.
Front Scales: C, S-Log.
Back Scales: Degrees, Sines, Cosines, Tangents, Cotangents.
Archive - Originally part of the Conrad Schure Collection. Scan by Jim Bready.

Gilson Atlas Type1 Version II (Square base)
ISRM 24.07.04.41
Higher Resolution Image

Gilson Atlas Type1 Version II (Square base)
Made in USA by Gilson in Niles, Michigan. 23.5 cm diameter scale printed on 10.25-in square aluminum plate with radiused corners.
Front Scales
C, spiral (46 foot overall length)
Back: Blank
Tom Dilatush Collection

Gilson Slide Rules Part II by Ed Chamberlain JOS V9.2P47

Gilson Atlas Type-3 21.1cm dia
ISRM 15.09.27.02

Gilson Atlas Type-3 21.1cm dia.
Made in USA by Gilson
Front Scales
C, S-Log, C (25 spirals), C-Log, Coils, Constants
Back Scales
Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Fractions

4.08MB

Gilson 8-inch dia. Binary Circular - Version 1
ISRM 22.04.11.01

Gilson 8-inch dia. Binary Circular - Version 1
Made in USA by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida (Gilson - 1931, 1940 Copyrights) - 21.4cm dia
Note: the center hub fastener must have been lost or damaged since it has a conventional bolt and nut.
Front Scales: C,CI,A,K,Log,LL1,LL2,LL3,LL4,
Back Scales: Binary, Fraction, Drill, Thread, Millimeter
Original owner: Earl B. Ayres.
Gift of Joseph S. Ayres of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Belonged To Earl B. Ayres
Erle Bingham Ayres, was born 1910 in Boston, Mass, died 1996. He had a PHD in Organic Chemistry (from Duke?), worked for Mine Safety Appliance, Callery Chemical Co., Carnegie Mellon, and others, ending his career teaching physics and chemistry at Drexel University in Pennsylvania. His wife, Janet McAfee Ayres, taught biology. Joseph writes: "My dad said that if you owned it, you need to know how to fix it. He took his mechanical typewriter apart and cleaned an oiled it! He got a Crescent wrench, and taught me to fix bicycles. I moved up to Motorcycles, cars, then worked for industry teaching the engineers how to run the machines and the maintenance guys how to keep them running. I am still fixing things. Spent part of the day fighting a stubborn serger.". The slide rules were passed down from his older brother Erle Danial Ayres (1942-2020).

Gilson 8-inch dia. Binary Circular - Version 2 w/yellow highlight
ISRM 21.06.16.01

Gilson 8-inch dia. Binary Circular - Version 2 w/yellow highlight
Made in USA by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida - 1931, 1940 Copyrights) - 21.4cm dia
Front Scales
C,CI,A,K,Log,LL1,LL2,LL3,LL4,
Back Scales
Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Original owner: Robert Dehn.
Bob Dehn's Collection gifted by wife Fran (McGroary) Dehn of Menlo Park, California.

Robert "Bob" Dehn (1941-2000) graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in chemistry. Following his graduation, Bob started work as a pharmaceutical chemist at Stanford Research Institute, which later became SRI International. It was there that he spent his entire professional career. It was also at SRI that he met his wife of 52 years, Fran McGroary. After receiving his MBA from Santa Clara University, Bob moved into marketing and business development for the Life Sciences Division of SRI where he continued until his retirement in 2007..Bob began collecting with his first slide rule while studying at UC Berkeley. During his career he continued to collect from colleagues, antique shows and swaps.

Tavella Sales Branded Gilson Midget
ISRM 21.11.03.05

Tavella Sales Branded Gilson Midget- 10.2cm dia
Made in USA for Tavella Sales Co. 25 W.Broadway, New York. by Gilson Slide Rule Co.
Note: Only Gilson Midget that actually has been rebranded by the OEM
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1936) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668
Gift Of Karen Eccks of La Mesa, California.

Tavella Manual and catalog cover.

Bruning 2472 (Gilson Midget)
ISRM 17.06.14.03

Bruning 2472 (Gilson Midget)- 10.2cm dia
Made in USA for Bruning by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
Note: Copyright 1931 & 1936
Front Scales
C, CI, A, K, Log, LL1, LL2, LL3, LL4,
Back Scales
Binary, Fraction, Drill, Thread, Millimeter
Gift Of Bruce HildenBrand

8MB PDF

Bruning 68-471 (Gilson Binary) 21.1cm dia
ISRM 17.06.14.01

Bruning 68-471 (Gilson Binary) 21.1cm dia.
Made in USA by Gilson for Bruning. Copyrighted 1940.
Front Scales
C, CI, A, K, Log, LL1, LL2, LL3, LL4, Binary, Fraction, Drill, Thread, Millimeter
Back Scales
Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Fractions
Gift Of Bruce Hildenbrand

Manual 8Mb

Dietzgen 1797B (Gilson Binary) 21.1cm dia
ISRM 17.07.27.02

Dietzgen 1797B (Gilson Binary) 21.1cm dia.
Made in USA by Gilson for Dietzgen (1931 and 1940 Coprights(
Front Scales
C,CI,A,K,Log,LL1,LL2,LL3,LL4,Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Back Scales
Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Degrees, S, T, Fractions
Gift of Linda N. Boclair, Voohees, New Jersey. Belonged to Step father Spafford W. Schanck.

Manual 3.42Mb

Compass 8" Binary (Gilson) Circular
ISRM 17.08.24.01

Compass 8" Binary Circular (Gilson - 1931, 1940 Copyrights) - 21.4cm dia
Made in USA for Compass by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
Front Scales
C,CI,A,K,Log,LL1,LL2,LL3,LL4,
Back Scales
Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter

Gilson Midget (1919 Patent Pending) Early Artwork
REF

Gilson Midget - 9.9cm dia - 1919 Patent Pending
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co., Niles, Michigan
Scales front: C, CI, L, A, Binary, LL (Spiral), Fractions, Drill Scale (1/2 turn), Thread Scale (1/2 turn) Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Scales back: Sin/Cos, Degrees, Tan/Cot, Frac/Dec Equiv.
Scan contributed by Ronald Kuc

Gilson Midget (Patent 1-17-1922 Niles, Mich.)
ISRM 13.11.23.01

Gilson Midget - 10.2cm [4in] dia - Patent 1-17-1922
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co., Niles, Michigan
Scales front: C, CI, L, A, Binary, LL (Spiral), Fractions, Drill Scale (1/2 turn), Thread Scale (1/2 turn) Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Scales back: Sin/Cos, Degrees, Tan/Cot, Frac/Dec Equiv.

Catalog from 1922 (4.06MB PDF)

Instructions from 1922 (2.25MB PDF)

Gilson Midget (Patent 1-17-1922 Stuart, Florida)
REF

Gilson Midget - 10.2cm [4in] - 1927-1931
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
Scales front: C, CI, L, A, Binary, LL (Spiral), Fractions, Drill Scale (1/2 turn), Thread Scale (1/2 turn) Binary, Fraction,Drill,Thread, Millimeter
Scales back: Sin/Cos, Degrees, Tan/Cot, Frac/Dec Equiv.
Archive - Ted White Collection

Gilson Midget (1931, 1936)
ISRM 11.05.16.01

Gilson Midget (1931, 1936) - 10.2cm dia
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
OEM to Dietzgen (1797M), Pickett.
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1931) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668
Donated By Ric Turley, Pinecliff Colorado, in memoriam for Roy Glenn Wood (1932-2005)
Roy owned this circular slide rule and had attended the University of Colorado at Boulder. He worked as an engineer for Public Service Company of Colorado for more than 30 years.

Gilson Midget Binary 8in Circular Slide Rule (1931, 1936)
ISRM 04.09.27.03.D1 (in display shadow box)

Gilson Midget Binary Circular Slide Rule (1931, 1936) - 10.2cm dia
Made in USA - Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
OEM to Dietzgen (1797M), Pickett, Lietz, Compass, etc.
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1931) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668
Adv (on Case): JVG

Compass Midget (1931, 1936)
ISRM 10.09.14.02

David Viscusi

Compass Midget (1931, 1936) - 10.2cm dia
Made in USA for Compass by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1931) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668
Donated by David Viscusi, Carlsbad, California David bought this slide rule when he was a Drafting apprentice at General Electric, Schenectady NY (1971). Already well used, it was purchased for $5 from a retiring engineer that helped design Large Steam Turbine Generators. It helped get him through his BSME night courses. David is now an Engineering & Technical Services Supervisor at Gemological Institute of America (GIA)

Instructions

A. Lietz Co. No.3077 Midget Circular Slide Rule
ISRM 21.08.07.20

A. Lietz Co. No.3077 Midget Circular Slide Rule (1938)
Made in USA by Gilson for A. Lietz Co. San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.
3 plastic cursors on aluminum disk
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1931) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668

Dietzgen 1797M (Gilson Midget) V2
ISRM 08.04.10.01

Dietzgen 1797M (Gilson Midget)- 10.2cm dia
Made in USA for Dietzgen by Gilson Slide Rule Co., Stuart, Florida
Note: Copyright date removed from the previous artwork (circa 1960-70) and the background is a darker green.
Front Scales (Copyright 1936) twin cursor:
C, CI, A, K, Log, Log-Log, Fraxction Drill, Thread.
Back Scales (Copyright 1931) single cursor:: 1) Degrees,Sines, Tangents 2) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 3) Degrees,Sines, Tangents, 4) Fractional/Decimal conversion.
Gauge Marks: M=1463, N=2527, W=438, Y=668
Donated by Bruce Chelf of Porter, Indiana

3.72MB PDF