AboutBill & 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
Question hello- my grandmother gave me this old scale - she said that they used it for hanging their hogs on it. it is in pretty good shape and still works - just wondering what year that it was made? - don't really care about the value because it is neat and i am glad to have it. - thanks
Answer Hi Darrin,
According to an article written, for Equilibrium the journal of The International Society of Antique Scale Collectors, by Stan Hanssen who once owned the Hanson Brothers Scale Co.: "The Viking straight spring balance, in the 160 lb capacity version was approved for use in weighing cotton in Texas. Hanson sold 40,000-50,000 of these "Texas Cotton Scales" every year. The two-hundred pound capacity model 8920 was sold in other states for farm use.
These were the first hanging spring scale to incorporate an adjustment screw on the bottom of the case to compensate for wear on the spring. The Marius Hansen patents for these scales no. 2296923 of Sept. 29, 1942 and no 2299980 of Oct. 27, 1942 are the only improvements that were ever made on the Salter and Chatillon spring balance."
Patents may be viewed here: http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en , by entering their numbers one at a time.
Scales like yours were manufactured from the 1940s to the 1960s by Hanson.
