Gestetner's rotary cyclostyle no 6 duplicator (copier), 1902

Gestetner's rotary cyclostyle no 6 duplicator (copier), 1902. This is a two drum rotary stencil machine used for copying. The double-drum design inked the stencil with rollers, which picked up the ink from a tube.

A plate on back of machine includes a caution: 'Each sheet of Rotary Cyclostyle Paper and each Tube of Ink must bear my signature as follows D. Gestetner'.

In 1881, David Gestetner (1854-1939) invented a simple stencil perforator using what was called the Cyclostyle pen which had a tiny toothed wheel on the end. The wheel was rolled along, punching tiny perforations in a sheet of wax coated paper. The next step forward the Rotary Cyclostyle in 1901. This was a rotary stencil machines allowing copies to be rolled out on a continuous basis. This discovery was the birth of office automation.

Gestetner set up a business to manufacture duplicators in Tottenham, North London, England.