Scales: Antique Weighing Instruments
Antique scales encompass the full range of historical weighing devices, from ancient balance beams to ornate Victorian counter scales and precision pharmaceutical balances. Used in commerce, science, and daily life for millennia, scales represent both functional engineering and decorative craftsmanship. Collectors are drawn to them for their mechanical ingenuity, visual appeal, and connection to the history of trade and measurement.
Types and Categories
- Balance scales (beam scales): The oldest type, using a fulcrum with pans suspended from each end; includes apothecary, assay, and coin balances
- Counter/mercantile scales: Used by shopkeepers; includes Roberval, Howe, and platform types
- Spring scales: Measure weight by spring extension; hanging types (Chatillon, Salter) and platform types
- Steelyard scales: Single-arm balance with sliding counterweight; ancient Roman design used through the 19th century
- Egg scales: Specialty grading scales for poultry farming
- Postal scales: Designed for weighing letters and packages
- Candy/confectionery scales: Ornate brass or nickel-plated counter scales
- Gold/coin scales: Precision balances for weighing currency and precious metals
Notable Makers
- Fairbanks (Vermont) — America's most important scale manufacturer; founded 1830
- Howe Scale Company — platform and counter scales
- Chatillon (New York) — spring scales, hanging scales
- Henry Troemner (Philadelphia) — precision pharmaceutical and assay balances
- W. & T. Avery (Birmingham, England) — major British manufacturer
- Salter (England) — spring balances
- Ohaus — laboratory balances
Auction Price Ranges
| Type | Description | Typical Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Cast iron counter scale | Standard, no maker mark | $40 - $150 |
| Fairbanks platform scale | 19th century, painted | $100 - $400 |
| Apothecary balance | Brass, in mahogany case | $150 - $600 |
| Ornate candy scale | Brass or nickel, decorative | $200 - $800 |
| Gold/coin balance | 18th-19th century, cased | $200 - $1,000 |
| Egg grading scale | Various makers | $30 - $100 |
| Steelyard | Wrought iron, early | $75 - $300 |
| Computing scale (Dayton, Toledo) | Early 20th century | $150 - $500 |
| Precision assay balance | In glass case, complete weights | $300 - $1,500 |
Condition Factors
- Completeness: All original pans, weights, chains, and accessories must be present for full value
- Working condition: Scales that still balance accurately are more desirable
- Paint and finish: Original painted decoration on cast iron scales adds substantial value; repainting reduces it
- Brass condition: Original patina on brass scales is preferred; over-polishing removes detail
- Glass cases: Apothecary and analytical balances with intact glass cases are worth significantly more than those with missing or replaced panels
Collecting Tips
- Complete sets of original weights are essential — a fine balance without its weight set is worth a fraction of a complete example
- Ornate mercantile scales with brass or nickel fittings make striking display pieces and cross over into the decorative market
- Pharmaceutical and apothecary balances in original mahogany cases appeal to medical antiques collectors
- Early American steelyards with decorative finials and maker marks are genuinely scarce
- Computing scales (the type with fan-shaped charts) from Dayton, Toledo, and similar brands have a growing following among industrial design collectors
- Condition of moving parts matters — check that knife edges, bearings, and pivots are not worn or replaced