« INTUS »
letter scale

letter scale, model «Intus»

This solemn tin box is a letter scale of German origin. Several sources claim its a design made by Marianne Brandt (1893-1983) who worked with the Bauhaus group (1924-1929) and worked for the firm Ruppelwerke from Gotha (1929-1932). There is not a single trace in the catalogs of Ruppel to proof that Brandt designed a letter scale for this firm, the firm did not produce letter scales at all, according to my sources. So for now the designer is still unknown. Only recently it was revealed to me that this letter scale is a product of Ph.J. Maul from Germany also and this model is named «Intus».

back of the scale

The scale of 250 grams has a stripe of measure per gram up to 50 grams. Above 50 grams there is a stripe of measure per five grams. A version with the logo of LUS at the front exists also. I presume its a promotional article for a firm or product named LUS. I still don't know this firm at all. Several specimen offered for sale at internet auctions had a postal rates label of Ph.J. Maul at the letter plate. The label down right has Ungarn (Hongary) and Tschechoslowakei (Czechoslovakia) separately next to Sonstiges Ausland (remaining foreign countries). The inland postal rate for letters is from the period 1932-1938. The mark of Ph.J. Maul is not on this letter scale, nor is the name of the model. Below some more pictures of this black box letter scale.

top view	frontal view	letter plate
partly chromium-plated	red pointer	sticker of shop
many stripes	detail of housing	capacity 250 grams
the zero leveling screw	assisting base plate	covered bottom

with LUS advert at the front

Ph.J. Maul postal rates at the letter plate

again Ph.J. Maul postal rates at the top plate