letter scale, named Frans Svanström patent
FRANS SVANSTRÖM PATENT is engraved in this handheld letter scale. In 1857 Frans Svanström (1832-1909) started a stationary store and paper trade in Stockholm in Sweden. This letter scale shows the weight up to 250 grams and the corresponding rates for letter post in Öre. This Swedish postal tariff was valid in the period from January 1, 1885 to January 10, 1907.
There exists a Svanström letter scale with an older rate, namely that of the period January 1, 1880 to January 1, 1885.
This scale model is called goose neck. It can be found in England, among others Parnell England, in The U.S.A. for example Let-R-Way, in Germany, in France, and later also in the Netherlands see here. In Sweden Lindells came with several goose neck models, see for example this Lindells.
Below some more pictures of this letter scale.
back of the letter scale
