Name/Title
Beam ScaleEntry/Object ID
1978.36.1Description
300-pound beam scale; long, thin edge is serrated, and the end is hooked and curved. There are two additional hooks attached to screw eyes near the curved end: one for attaching the scale to a beam and the other for attaching the object being weighed. Manufacturer's name and location are stamped into the metal, as well as the number 300 flanked by two stars, indicating that the scale can measure up to 300 pounds.Use
Beam or steelyard scales have been used for over 5,000 years. With the scale attached to a beam, the object being weighed would be hung on the hook and a counterweight would be placed on the serrated edge and then adjusted up or down the edge until the load was balanced. This scale—manufactured around the turn of the 20th century—was likely used to weigh cotton, tobacco, and other agricultural goods.Made/Created
Manufacturer
SargentDate made
circa 1900Place
State/Province
ConnecticutInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
Makers MarkTranscription
SARGENT
NEW HAVEN CONN
MADE IN USA Type
EngravingTranscription
300Notes
300 flanked by stars
