Description: ANTIQUE FINE FEDERAL EAGLE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH POCKET SCALE 1848 - 1850's ANTIQUE FINE FEDERAL EAGLE CALIFORNIA GOLD RUSH PERIOD POCKET SCALE IN ORIGINAL OVAL TIN CASE COMPLETE WITH 10 WEIGHTS ~ CIRCA 1848 - 1850's This is a Fine Antique mid-19th century American Federal Eagle decorated California Gold Rush period medium size oval pocket gold scale, painted tin case & weights complete set, circa 1848 -1850's, carried as a pocket scale and favored by both gold prospectors then, and collectors today. All of these scales with oval shapes with stenciled gold paint Eagle and fancy borders tops were made in Germany and imported to America for gold seekers headed to California to seek their fortunes. This scale is unmarked, as are most; but some scale beams are stamped GERMANY. These come in a variety of shapes, sizes, decorations, and eye appealing colors. A similar scale, also made in Germany comes in squarish to rectangular sizes and are mostly found with green paint. This chocolate color is scarcer than most of the commonly found colors. Scales with the gold American Federal Eagle motif, along with the gold leaf and flower border in the oval shape are especially sought after. The tin case has almost all the original color; paint that is delicate and easily pocket worn. Usually, the color has faded over time but almost all the original paint is intact with deep color; with, as expected, with surface scratches and paint chips, mostly to the edge borders. Note there are a few random drops of old white paint on the top and side of the front panel that have been left in as found condition. The top domed oval cover has a wide gold paint border leaf and flower decoration with a center panel of the American Federal Eagle clutching arrows and olive branches in gold with a center Union shield. The gold paint ages naturally to a dark gold coloration. When you add the hand oils from handling combined with naturally occurring aging, the gold paint turns darker in some areas. You expect to see these tin cases with lots of dings & dents, as is almost always encountered; but this piece has no big dents; just 3 light shallow surface creases on the top that are hard to photograph but are visible to the human eye when tilted in the light. The bottom usually is worn the most; but this scale has almost all of the bottom paint; testimony to its light use overall. This medium size painted oval tin case is about 6" long X 3 1/8" wide X 1 1/8" thick. This medium size scale was intended to weigh gold nuggets and gold dust that were mined via placer mining. Most of the easily accessed gold nuggets that were found along the riverbanks were gone by the mid 1850's. This entire set, including the case, scale and weights is 6.6 ounces, or 190 grams. There is a 1" wide two-piece hinge that holds the top and bottom together at the back that is intact, constructed of two pieces of tin soldered to the top and bottom, and joined by a rectangular wire loop. This hinge is solid but is often found broken away from the case. The top lid closes properly and has a snug fit with the base. Note the best way to store the scale and make the top close tightly is to place one of the pans in the case and pull the chains outward to make the bottom pan flat inside so the top pan will flatter with less height so when you place the scale bar on top, the height is less to easily close properly. Usually, the top and bottom of the inside case has lost considerable amounts of the original paint due to the scale & weights moving inside the case when pocket carried. However, this set has almost no loss of paint on the inside bottom and a few spots of paint flaking to the inside top. The small shaped 1/4 oval weight compartment is original and never had a lid to hold the weights, as some of the smaller scales have that secure the tiny weights. There are 10 graduated old weights from small to large size that are appropriate for this size scale. Note the small weights are the first thing to be lost in a set, and almost all of these scales have mixed weights, and sometimes find nails, washers, pieces of metal, rocks with a known weight that were used as weight substitutes. The weights are in 3 different sizes: DRACHMS, SCRUPLES, and GRAINS. Their weights respectfully are 2, 1, 1/2 ~ 2, 1, ½ ~ 6, 5, 3, 2. Note that all the weights have additional stampings that appear to be export markings. The brass balance scale beam is about 5 7/8" long and is complete. Note the thin top brass wire figure 8 hanger has an added rotating watch key chain connector for better grasp and to attach a hang chain. The iron balance pointer has natural aged patina. The concave brass pans are about 2 9/16" in diameter with a fine down turned border edge and nice natural aged untouched patina. The original brass chains & connectors are original. The pans have the same natural patina as the beam. This set was intended to carry around in the pocket at the gold fields; and is in fine overall condition with very light wear, considering its extreme age of around 165 - 175 years or so. These scale sets are hard to find complete; especially with the tin case in fine condition with almost all of the paint, gold eagle and border paint, with no big dents. This handsome, eye-appealing medium size pocket case, gold Federal Eagle and border scale is in the desirable oval shape tin pocket gold scales that was favored by gold prospectors (and collectors today); and would be great for any mining, miner, pocket scale, Old West, Gold Rush, '49er, California or Western Americana display, Office, Den, or Man Cave conversation piece. 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Price: 382.5 USD
Location: Fairfield, California
End Time: 2024-11-01T22:07:45.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted