Coin Scale c1760 by John Wood

Scale with a steel beam with swan neck terminals in a shark skin (Shagreen) covered case 5½ in x 2½ in.

 

These were made by John Wood about 1760 when he had a shop at 'ye Angel & Scales, ye corner of Queen Street in Watling Street, London'.

 

In the 18th century, they did not have addresses as we know them today, not many people could read them anyway.  So instead, a shop would be known by its sign, in this case it is the Angel & Scales.

 

The case tells us that Mr Wood 'Makes and Sells all sorts of scales and weights and steellards and cocks.  What were these?

 

A steelyard is a straight-beam balance with arms of unequal lengths.  It has a counterweight which slides along a longer arm which has markers of weight along its length.  The steelyard was used to weigh heavier items such as a carcass or a whole turkey.  Herberts sold the steelyards until about 1960.

 

The cock is the pointer which points to the correct weight.

 

On the right hand side of the case is a list of the true weights of coins.