Pickett Model 40 Slide Rule, c. 1940s | R.C. Pickett Simplex Trig Engineering Rule

The Piece

A vintage Pickett Model 40 slide rule, c. 1940s.
White-coated metal simplex trig engineering rule with aluminum end brackets, clear cursor, slotted hardware, and printed mathematical scales.
Marked “40,” “Pickett,” and “International Copyright R.C. Pickett.”

This early-to-mid-century Pickett slide rule was made for mathematical, drafting, engineering, and technical calculations before electronic calculators replaced skill with button pressing and then somehow called that progress. The rule includes multiple calculation scales for multiplication, division, logarithms, square and cube functions, and trigonometric work, with printed definitions and instructional examples on the reverse.

The piece has a white-coated metal body, black printed scales, aluminum end brackets, slotted screws, and a clear sliding cursor. The Model 40 marking, R.C. Pickett copyright notation, slotted hardware, and early white metal construction support a 1940s-era presentation, with possible continuation into the early 1950s.

Product Details

→ Object: Slide rule / engineering calculation rule
→ Maker: Pickett
→ Model: Model 40
→ Period: Vintage, c. 1940s
→ Markings: “Pickett,” “40,” and “International Copyright R.C. Pickett”
→ Type: Simplex trig slide rule
→ Materials: White-coated metal body, aluminum end brackets, clear plastic/acrylic cursor, metal screws
→ Scales Visible: K, A, B, S, T, C, D, L, and related reference scales
→ Reverse: Printed definitions, instructions, and calculation examples
→ Dimensions: Approx. 11 in L × 1.4 in W
→ Weight: Approx. 4 oz

Condition + Updates

Good vintage condition with age-appropriate handling wear. The white-coated body shows discoloration, surface marks, light scratches, and patina from use. The black printed scales remain legible. The aluminum end brackets and slotted hardware show light oxidation and wear. The clear cursor is present with visible surface wear and remains intact. The reverse-side instructional text is readable, with expected age toning and marks.

The piece retains strong display value as a vintage scientific, drafting, engineering, or academic object.

Why This Belongs in Your Home

This slide rule brings a sharp technical presence to a desk, bookshelf, office, drafting table, study, or collected vignette. It belongs in spaces that appreciate instruments with purpose: architecture offices, engineering collections, libraries, workshops, academic interiors, and anyone tired of decor that exists solely to be beige and emotionally vacant.

Its graphic scales, metal construction, and compact form make it easy to style with old books, drafting tools, brass objects, framed diagrams, industrial lighting, or mid-century office accessories. It is small, precise, and visually intelligent, which is more than can be said for most objects currently labeled “desk decor.”