Laskutelineen

Laskutelineen is a Finnish term referring to a stand or frame designed to support calculation devices or to organize billing equipment. The word is formed from lasku (calculation, invoice) and teline (stand, rack), and the genitive form laskutelineen is used in phrases such as “to the laskutelineen” or descriptions labeling the stand itself.

Historically, laskutelineet were common in bookkeeping rooms, retail shops, and offices where clerks performed arithmetic or processed invoices. A laskuteline could hold adding machines, early calculators, or tally counters, and often included trays, drawers, or slots for receipts, coins, or ledgers. Materials ranged from wood to metal, and designs varied from simple mounts to more elaborate, height-adjustable consoles that improved ergonomics and workflow.

In contemporary Finnish usage, the term is specialized and appears mainly in museum catalogs, technical descriptions, or historical analyses of accounting technology. Modern discussion tends to use more specific terms referring to the particular device being supported or displayed, while laskutelineen remains a useful generic label in historical context.

See also: adding machine, cash register, tally counter, accounting technology, furniture.