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Rare, early reel of magnetic tape from a UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer I), the first commercially produced general-purpose electronic digital computer in the United States. The heavy-duty 8˝-diameter metal spool is marked "UNIVAC" in block lettering on one side, and bears cleaning and inspection labels on the other, which is stenciled: "Electronic Machine Bureau, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co." Unlike modern mylar magnetic data tape, the UNIVAC UNISERVO 8-track tape drive reels utilized 1,200-foot-long, 1⁄2-inch-wide strip of nickel-plated phosphor bronze called Vicalloy; this metal tape makes the reels quite heavy, with this single unit weighing 4.8 lbs. In very good to fine condition.
The UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer I), introduced in 1951, was the first commercially produced general-purpose electronic computer in the United States. Developed by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly, it used 6,103 vacuum tubes, weighed 16,686 pounds, consumed 125 kW, and could perform about 1,905 operations per second running on a 2.25 MHz clock. The computer was designed for large-scale data tasks, utilized for census data analysis, weather forecasting, and complex financial modeling. A defining moment came in 1952 when it correctly predicted Dwight D. Eisenhower’s victory in the presidential election, showcasing the powerful potential of computers to the public.
