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About Bill & Jan Berning
Expertise
We can answer almost any question regarding antique scales of any type.
Experience
We are dealers in antique coin operated penny scales and parts. We collect antique scales of all types.
Bill has been buying and selling scales and mail order penny scale parts since 1983. Jan started collecting small scales of all types in 1977. Our combined collection of antique scales contains over 2200 scales. We are the authors of the book Scales: A Collector's Guide and The revised & Expanded 2nd Edition of Scales: A Collector's Guide. Jan is the editor of "Equilibrium" the journal of The International Society of Antique Scale Collectors. Our website is www.PennyScale.com
Organizations
The International Society of Antique Scale Collectors www.isasc.org, Coin Operated Collectors Association
Publications
Articles by or about the Bernings have appeared in issues of “Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine”, “This Old House”, "Reminisce", “Equilibrium” and “Country Living”.
Education/Credentials
Jan: BS FACS & Art University of Georgia
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You are here: Experts > Hobbies > Antiques: UK > Collectibles-General (Antiques) > Agricultural (Potato?) scale?
Expert: Bill & Jan Berning - 10/24/2009
Question
This looks a pretty basic scale, possibly for weighing bags. It is marked '56 - Hall & Sons B'ham - 1917' (presumably Birmingham, England). It is marked 1-15 on one side of the bar where the ball weight is and 15-60 on the other side of the bar.
Answer
Hi Colin,
According to "The Handbook of Old Weighing Instruments" by Michael Crawforth and published by the International Society of Antique Scale Collectors: "A steelyard has a beam with unequal arms. The long arm has a weight suspended from it, which can be moved along the arm until equilibrium is obtained, the weight being indicated by graduations on the beam. The load is suspended from the short arm of the beam.
Essential features of a steelyard are that the position of the weight along the beam varies according to the load, and the graduations are equally spaced. A major advantage of the steelyard is that only one weight is required to balance a whole range of load.
There are many variations on this principle, including ones with weights that slide on the beam, weights that swing over into two positions, and beams which slide and act as weights. They were used for shop scales, person scales, large warehouse scales and weighbridges."
Your scale is the classic design of a British steelyard, with two load hooks provided for use with sacks. It is a turn over type of steelyard as it has two weight ranges by using alternative suspension hooks and flipping the weight. This enables the user to weigh light loads on the beam side marked 1-15 and heavy loads on the beam side marked 15-60.
Retail value in USA might be $25-$50.
Hope this helps.
Weigh Daily!!!
Bill & Jan Berning
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