Postal letter scales
Postal letter scales weigh letters and other light mail so their weight can inform postage calculation. Older examples are also collected as objects of office and postal history. They differ from paperweights, which simply hold papers in place.
Science Museum Group documents one example, A38725, made of brass and mahogany, with five weights in a wooden stand and postal rates engraved on the letter pan. It shows how weighing and postage information could be combined in one instrument. Those materials and the number of weights describe that example, not every letter balance.
When buying, check pans, weights and moving parts for omissions. Record units, inscriptions and any postal rate tables. Old postage rates are historical information, not current prices. Accompanying weights should not automatically be considered original accessories without comparison or documentation.
