Underwood Manuflex Finger Excercise Machine: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This finger and wrist exerciser was made by the Manuflex Company, in Portland, Oregon, about 1950. It is an Underwood Manuflex, has a black plastic base with black plastic "palm" or channeled base to rest fingers and palm. Base has six metal pins. "Palm" and the finger channels are attached underneath by springs which can be moved, positioned, and held by the metal pins on the base. The "palm" rests on the base and can be removed. Comes with manual and cloth cover.

“Underwood Manuflex is a practical, efficient device for manipulating and stretching joints of the fingers and wrist…and for strengthening intrinsic muscles of the hand. Instantly adjustable for many variations of movement.”

Austrian-American violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler’s endorsement appears in The Violinist magazine from August, 1918:

“Some must, unfortunately, practice incessantly on technical difficulties which have long been mastered mentally. Through the application of the MANUFLEX the fingers are quickly made supple and responsive. Instead of wasting time, nervous energy, will power and imagination on tedious practice to accomplish this, the hands are brought to their best condition in a few moments by mechanical means. This should mean much to every player and Give more time for the cultivation of artistry. I therefore earnestly recommend Mr. Underwood’s invention to artists and students alike for daily use.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date made: ca. 1950
• maker: Underwood
• Object Name: finger exerciser
• Physical Description: plastic (overall material)
• Physical Description: metal (overall material)
• Physical Description: rubber (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 7.5 cm x 28 cm x 22 cm; 2 15/16 in x 11 in x 8 11/16 in
• Measurements: overall, storage: 2 1/2 in x 22 7/16 in x 14 1/2 in; 6.35 cm x 56.99125 cm x 36.83 cm
• place made: United States: Oregon, Portland
• ID Number: 2002.0099.01
• accession number: 2002.0099
• catalog number: 2002.0099.01
• Credit Line: Gift of Albert S. Benoist
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.