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A classic American tin toy inspired by a real-life “educated” chimpanzee. Consul was a performing monkey who gained worldwide acclaim in the early 1900s. He rode a bicycle and ate his food with a fork and knife. This colorful tin recreation does mathematics!

Multiply any two numbers from one to twelve, and Consul will calculate the result with 100% accuracy. A fun, analog way to help kids learn their multiplication tables.

More advanced mathematical thinkers will appreciate the clever hinged mechanism and underlying geometry required for the successful outcome of the Consul’s binary operation. Appealing on every level.

Plus, who doesn’t love a monkey in a bowtie?

Want to know more about this inspiring invention? Read What Consul, the Educated Monkey Can Teach Us about Early-Twentieth-Century Mathematics, Learning, and Vaudeville by Caitlin Donahue Wylie on Cambridge University Press.