Coin scale
Probably England
1780-1830
December 20, 1894
Maker
Pratt (further details unknown)
Measurements
1-1/2 in x 7 in x 3-1/4 in
Materials
Oak, iron, brass, lead, twine
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp
Accession Number
1959.3656
Inscription
“PRATT” in a serrated rectangle is stamped into three weights.
Provenance
Ex coll. H. Rodney Sharp
Comments
The simple shallow, rectrangular box made of oak is nailed together. Its lid, attached with wire hinges, is stamped with Xs arranged in bands near the edges.
Inside, the box contains a balance bar designed to be suspended. It holds two shallow pans. Weights may be determined by adding known weights also in the box to one of the pans. Some of the weights are made of lead, a less expensive and less precise material than brass, which was typically used in finer scales.
Three of the lead weights are marked "PRATT," presumably the scale maker, although the name has not been identified. The style of marking, namely capital letters in relief within a serrated rectangle, suggests a date range for its use.
