I've been an admirer of those elaborately decorated cash registers, so when I built a miniature printing press several years ago, I was inspired to add decorative side plates, this time in Art Nouveau style.

I owned one similar those in the middle distance for many years, discovered in the basement of a hotel where I worked as a bellhop. The owners (parents of a classmate) offered it to me for $5! As I recall, it had two or three locks that each needed a separate key, and I found those at a local shop that serviced cash registers. They said they sometimes got those old brass machines on trade and would break them up for the scrap. Such a pity!

My parents' retail store had a very ornate manual cash register. I do not recall if it was NCR but from the descriptions here, it was likely. I recall there was no power involved -- you'd push a series of keys, turn a crank, and the sale would be rung up. At some point they replaced it with a newer model, this one run by electricity with no crank involved. (I presume the new register had some features they needed or the old register needed too many repairs.) The store and my parents are long gone so there's probably no way to find out exactly what that earlier model was. (Photos? Not that I know of!)

Most definitely ahead of its time. Mr. Patterson was somewhat of a Philanthropist in his dealings with everyone. He treated all his workers as precious jewels. That, for the most part, was why his product was not only ahead of its time, but also superior to all others.

I worked for NCR during college as an intern and I was treated like any other member of the staff who worked there. His philosophy prevailed even in the late 1980's.

Unfortunately, NCR shut down the production here in Dayton, moved the factory, and sold the main offices and buildings to the University of Dayton.

I truly appreciate the style put into everyday items like cash registers and scales many years ago. A local manufacturer here, Pennsylvania Scale Co., made scales at the same time as these registers, built sturdily and with ornate details, and like the registers, collectible. How far we've come, though, both of these previous devices having become simple plastic and metal boxes with electronic innards.

I was pleased to see that there are no kids in this picture. This is one factory that Lewis Hine did not have to visit. Was NCR ahead of its time?

The large wall of windows provided the majority of lighting in these old mills and factories. In this photo, we see the knob and tube wires and hanging electric task lighting and no overhead or high bay lights. Just the green energy from the sun and the likely green painted shades of the pendant lights.

[And all those carbon arc lamps? - Dave]

Indeed I missed those at 1st glance.

Who has that phillips screwdriver ...

Is it a stool or a chair after adding a plank?