Calcu-pen (1975)

The Calcu-pen is a very unique calculator from the 1975 to 1977 time-frame. One of the earliest ads from 1975 shows the Phenix International company of Wayne, New Jersey (USA) selling the Calcu-pen for $79.95. Ads in Scientific American from early 1977 show the price as low as $19.95. The actual manufacturer is not known and is not present on any of the currently-known printed materials for the calculator (such as sales ads and operating manual). The back cover of the operating manual has a guarantee with returns to be sent to Tru-phonic Sound company of Bellwood, Illinois (USA), but that may have just been one US distributor or servicing agent. An LCD version of a Calcu-pen (with the same spelling) was made in 1981 by Satolex, an Asian company. There may be a connection.