COLUMBIAN
postal scale

Columbian letter scale

The Columbian was made by Pelouze Scale & MFG. Co., Chicago, USA. The dates of several patents are given at the front and also at the back of this scale. The oldest patent dates June 2 1896. It's US patent 561,309 with the title: Spring-balance weighing-scale. This is the core patent of this letter scale. The inventor is Essington N. Gilfillan, of the Gilfillan Scale and Hardware Company, Chicago, Illinois. The chart of the scale is ergonomically positioned and better to read by the user. The arc shaped chart is placed concentric with the movement of the index arm of the mechanism. This letter scale is a spring balance. The mechanism with attached extension spring, can be tuned by rotating the adjusting knob, visible at the top of the housing. The patent of June 2 1896 is also given at the designs  Star and  Crescent.  These are  both smaller

back of the scale

scales, also produced by Pelouze. The postal rate for letters at the chart is 2c per 1 ounce. It's not clear whether this is the local or the domestic rate. As domestic rate, this was valid in the period 1885-1917, but also again in the period 1919-1932. Also indicated at the upper right of the chart is the rate for foreign letters of 5c for the first ounce and thereafter 3c per ounce extra. Elsewhere, see the picture with the postal rates at the page of the Postalett scale, this foreign letter rate is printed next to a domestic rate of 3c for the first ounce. Domestic of 3c per ounce is the period 1932-1958. Therefore, probably the chart of this Columbian gives the local letters rate. At the back, the following countries are engraved next to the dates of the patents: U.S., Canada, England, France, Belgium, Germany. Below some more pictures of this letter scale.

plate with ornamental edges	adjusting knob	different rate columns
the mechanism	the model name	patent information at the back
patent information	capacity 2 pounds	patent information