Description:
Set of folding, brass scales in a shagreen-covered rectangular, wooden case probably used as a coin scale, but could also be used by an apothecary. The printed paper label pasted inside the case cover is inscribed: "John Snart / Scale Maker Liucing / att the Heart & Scales in Maiden / Lane over against / Goldsmiths' / Hall in London / I S", on either side of the English Royal coat of arms of James VI and I (1566-1625) with "HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE" (Shamed be he who thinks ill of it), the motto of the Order of the Garter, and "DIEU ET MON DROIT"(God and my right). James, who was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James I, inherited the English and Irish thrones in 1603 (Union of the Crowns); his coat of arm quarters the Royal Arms of England with those of Scotland, and for the first time, the Royal Coat of Arms of Ireland was added to represent the Kingdom of Ireland. This 1603 version of the coat of arms was used from 1603-1649; restored in 1660 by Charles II after the English Interregnum from 1649-1660, and used until 1689 when William III & II and Mary II assumed the throne; and returned by Queen Anne in 1702 until the Acts of Union in 1707. John Snart is listed in Adler Planetarium database as working in London from 1690-1700. However, the archives of the Corporation of London Record Office has a listing for Southwark (1715-1721) for a John Snart, who may be same person: "Bill of John Snart for work done to the Beam for weighing of Hops in Southwark, i.e. repair work, new chains, weights, &c." Scales were made by a range of craftsmen such as silversmiths, pewterers, clockmakers and blacksmiths until the mid 18th century when scale making became a specialist activity. Smaller, portable scales, which were either held in the hand for weighing or hung from a metal stand, used the Roman system of the scruple, drachm, grain. These beam scales were used to measure the overall quantity of metal such as coins brought in by a client or provided by the silversmith for fashioning an object; measure the mixture of metals for solder in deterimining the amount of metal needed for casting; and calculate the client's cost by weight of finished piece. Brass weights have been used tradtionally since brass can be milled to exact weights. These scales were also used by apotheicaries and physicians for weighing and compounding drugs and calculating fees. The case has an elaborately stamped brass lock, with part of the hasp of lock broken off. The wooden case has four compartments carved out in the shapes required to hold: a hand-held scale with a steel balance beam with swan neck pivots and a triangular-shaped blade or fulcrum point, and two round, brass balance pans suspended by thread from the beam; a set of four round cup weights which fit into each other; the other two compartments are missing their objects (probably other scale weights).
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+53.079 |
