Narcisse Briais balance
This balance was ever made in France by Narcisse Briais. His mark is on the letter tray. Under these distinctive initials N.B. is the phrase DÉPOSÉ indicating a protection of the design with a patent or the like. The fun of this balance with unequal arms is that the counterweight part can be pulled out more or less of the tubular part until an equilibrium is reached when weighing a letter. The 100 grams scale at the left has a stripe per ten grams. At the right are the weight limits 7½ 15 and 22½. The capital G near 7½ confirms gram is the unit of measure. This letter scale does not have engraved postal rates, it does have the weight limits of letter mail. The weight limit of van 7½ grams was used in France until 1862. Also the weight limit 22½ grams is indicated separately. Only in the postal traffic between France and Britain (since 1833 until 1875) and between France and Prussia (since 1837 until 1875) the postal weight limits were divided per 7½ grams, so also the 22½ grams weight limit existed. The wooden basis of this balance has an unusual unique shaped edge. Below some more pictures of this letter scale.
back of the balance
