ODHNER Willgodt

Willgodt Theophil ODHNER was a Swedish engineer and entrepreneur, working in St. Petersburg, Russia.
He was born in 1845 in Dalby, Värmland (Sweden).
Wikipedia reports:

He was the inventor of the Odhner Arithmometer, which by the 1940s was one of the most popular type of portable mechanical calculator in the world.
According to a brochure distributed by Odhner’s company at the Paris World exposition of 1900 …“Odhner had, in 1871, an opportunity to repair a Thomas calculating machine and then became convinced that it is possible to solve the problem of mechanical calculation by a simpler and more appropriate way”. It took him 19 years to perfect the design of this new machine so it could be manufactured effectively. 

ODHNER had invented a small-size portable calculating machine in the 1870s. He associated with Russian business partner Carl KÖNIGSBERGER who took care of obtaining patents for the invention.
Further details on the history of ODHNER’s calculating machine and its patents can be found in the “Rechnerlexikon”.

ODHNER died in 1905 in Saint Petersburg (RU).

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