MONOS
Interesting and rare machine. This one came off ebay, unfortunately it has been way overrestored. I absolutely hate it when someone fills in the numbers and logos with bright white paint. It can be done so much more subtle... TO add insult to injury "MONOS - BRAUNSCHWEIG" was added to the back plate in white stick-on letters. Why ? Only the previous owner knows, I suppose. The Monos Aktiengesellschaft was based in Braunschweig, established 1923, and went bankrupt in 1925, having made and sold probably around 2000 machines. The machine actually looks rather Hannovera-like. I have no clue who is behind the design, but it isn't very good really. It does what it has to do, in the new world of ivory-handled smaller machines with tens carry in the counter register (the bulge at the back is to accomodate a gear wheel for driving the ten's carry cylinder). The rezeroing of the setting levers can be done by pushing a (spring-loaded) button on the right hand side of the machine until it locks, but the main crank can then not be turned back - the turn has to be continued, which then increases the counter register, so that has to be reset as well. The same system serves for addition - the setting levers are rezeroed at each turn. You can of course avoid difficulties by pushing the button to reset the setting register on the last positive turn you make in the calculation.
