Description:
Set of folding brass scales in a rectangular, textile-lined wooden box with nailed corners, which contains a steel balance beam with swan neck pivots; 2 brass pans suspended from the beam with cords; and 10 brass scale weights in a small compartment in the lower left corner. A folded piece written in pencil states: "These scales belonged to William Simpkins - father of Mary Simpkins who married Robert Rand. Wm Simpkins was a goldsmith of Boston." The son of Thomas Simpkins (1671-1706) and Margery (Barton) Simpkins (d.1756), William Simpkins (1704-1780) married Elizabeth Symmes (1706/7-1794) in 1726, and had 8 children - the youngest Mary (b. 1744) who married Robert Rand (1719-1794) of Boston in 1773. After his apprenticeship, William Simpkins worked as a silversmith and goldsmith in Boston, his shop located near the drawbridge where he advertised for sale in "The Weekly News-Letter" (June 20/27, 1728), "Goldsmith near the Draw Bridge, Boston, the library of the late Rev. Robert Stanton of Salem" (his brother-in-law). These 10 brass scale weights include 4 weights marked with a stamped lion within a reserve indicating that the weight has been calibrated and certified correct. There are traces of a paper label on the inner lid with is probably the maker's trade card on the left, and a list of "Coins," "Value" and "Weight" on the right. 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. See silver cann (HD 96.059.1) by William Simpkins.
Subjects:
Textile fabrics; Brass Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+67.172 |
