A Measure of Satisfaction

Searching for an item on eBay is always an adventure. For me, it's a lot more exciting than Amazon or an online retailer, because you never know what odd thing a person is trying to barter that day. I end up wanting half the stuff I see, though not needing it, but simply looking is fun. There's a good chance I'll get a large cauldron from eBay someday; thankfully, from both an earlier cauldron-buying experience and my own father's knowledge, I learned one of the most important criteria: always buy from a seller rated 100%! Anything less, even 97% or 98%, is hanging your arse over a hot cauldron.

This time, I was sniffing for an item I've wanted for years: a scale! Specifically, an old-fashioned portable scale to use with my craft. It didn't have to be fancy, or a genuine antique (I'd age it up soon enough). But it did have to work.

I admit it, though: As with a number of old things, I totally geek out over antique scales.

Type "brass" or "antique" scale into eBay and the results quickly come back, myriad and fantastic, devices designed for measuring everything from eggs to melons, postal letters to candy. Here is a sampling of some of my favourites, including this vintage marble Italian balance-scale.

Exquisite details. . . .

Balance scales are common, but certain types of them are not. Here's a cast-iron balance scale with curious cauldron-like bucket pans:

I hope to get a balance scale of a very portable type, for addition to a kit. Here's an example of a vintage one, with a box and weights.

Another boxed Jeweler's balance, and look at the tiny compartment for the weights! These weights can be as small and light as one milligram, and very easily lost, if not stored properly.

Rather woebegone old balance, but perhaps reparable with a few parts:

Some balance scales are free-standing, from an erect pole or wire, and some must be held in the hand or hung somehow. Vintage Lampert hand-held balance scale, from Germany:

Finally, a delicate antique German balance of the hanging type with carved horn pans:

Truly elegant and precise.

In my exploration of scales, I found others, of the "Midnight in the Garden" pan variety, used for small produce, postal fees, or other small to medium-size items. This person's photo display is nice:

An unearthly glow, as if for weighing souls, and a nearly full set of weights included for sale:

One-siders. Turning one pan into a large bowl and making the other flat allows for quick weighing of produce and other bulky items; some of the bowls even come off, so their contents can be dumped into a bin or box easily after measuring. I like some of these scales, for they almost resemble odd creatures:

Some scales replace the weight pan with a beam and hook, on which the weights are stacked. This otherwise drab, utilitarian scale with a large capacity is given lots more character thanks to its clover-shaped stability foot and set of matching trefoil weights:

Rather than a clover foot, a crow foot!

This one is missing its bowl, but has a charming pear-shaped calibration weight:

An interesting example, this scale is of the bowl and sliding weight variety, but it also calculates prices for several types of mailing formats --- quite clever! Pelouze brand cast-iron and brass balance Postal scale, circa 1900:

I love the calibration of weights to prices on this one, and especially its cute little feet; note how they flare out sideways, for stability. Alas, the shipping on this one cost twenty-nine dollars, the same price as the item itself(!); no doubt it's pretty heavy.

If I had more funds, space, and a use for it, I'd buy it in a moment!

Some of these antique scales, retail store pan-variety or otherwise, are beautifully painted. Vintage cast-iron colorful candy scale:

Off-Center again! Two examples of steelyard-style, asymmetrical weighted beam scales. The detail on the lower one is truly lovely:

Some scales have a mechanism inside, where you don't need to fuss with weights. Whether thanks to a spring, internal counterweight or some other method, you need only plop the item on the receiving side and the scale displays a number on a measured rule. Nice and quick for use in a retail or grocery. Again, these can be gorgeous, or at least kind of charming. Toledo brand "honest weight" springless wedges and other merchant scales:

I'll take an honest measure of fudge, thanks, yes:

Lit from inside, this one has a round readout instead of a wedge-shaped one:

Basic kitchen scales. These simple dial-readout scales can be quite elegant of form or embellished with beauty and whimsy. I like the photo arrangement here:

Look at the beauty of this painted specimen! I think it's Dutch but am not positive:

Columbia Family Scale by Landers, Geary and Clark. The mushrooms are too cute, and speak of that whimsy I mentioned:

An old farm, wholesale or retail scale needn't necessarily be put to active use to have an appeal. Antique hanging farm scale, repurposed as decor:

Cheerful yellow: a farm scale by American Family Company.

Lovely ornate details on this German-made kitchen scale:

I like the pleasing shape of the readout on this one, and its retro style. Lindell kitchen scale manufactured in Sweden:

Then there are the odd, the miscellaneous, the tailor-made for one use, because such is the human ability to specialize tools. Here, a simple little scale perfectly made for a single purpose. Antique egg-weighing scale:

A beautiful brass scale that fits in its own (unfortunately rather well-used) wooden box:

One of my favorite odd scales so far is this vintage buffalo-hide scale, in the pleasing shapes of its structure and measuring rule. It works by a simple but clever stress-pull mechanism. At the top of the rule is a brand stamp, featuring an arrow and snake:

A random small scale with an elegant mechanism:

For free-weight scales, another interesting feature is the weights themselves. From tiny to massive, some with unique shapes, there's a measure for the job:

Scales come in all sizes and types, but if you're going to design them, why not call your brand "Accurate"? People are bound to trust you then, are they not?

And here's the scale I hope to get! Portable, practical, cute but not too pretentious, I plan to make active use of it . . . for potion ingredients, what else.