FORTUNA B.S.A.
letter scale

This special and ugly letter scale comes from Blikman & Sartorius from Amsterdam. Blikman & Sartorius was an Amsterdam merchant's house that was started as early as 1749. The history of Blikman & Sartorius is described by C.C. van de Graft in an anniversary book entitled: Lotgevallen van een Amsterdams koopmanshuis 1749 - 1949 (Dutch, translated: Adventures of an Amsterdam merchant house 1749 - 1949). This Fortuna letter scale is not depicted. Fortuna is the model name, taken from the wheel of Fortune used by the company in the old first logo. The letter scale has a turn-over counterweight and this gives the scale two weighing ranges. The low range goes from 0 to 250 grams. The higher range goes from 250 to 2000 grams. The position of the counterweight and the part of the scale to be used is indicated by the markings I and II. The Dutch postal rates are on the scale. This is not limited to letters. It has been expanded with samples, printed matter, deeds and parcels. The scale is clearly intended for use in the larger offices and not for home use. To make reading even somewhat possible, there is a large shield on the indicating arm with a repetition of all the text that is on the right of the scale. The scale has as many as twenty! lines. The interlocal letter rate on the scale was valid from November 1, 1929 to September 1, 1937. The scale rotates around the same axis as the pointer, making the scale self-adjusting. In Meten & Wegen of March 2010, on pp. 3546-3549 the article by Rein Kok entitled Geluk: een brievenweger van Fortuna [Dutch, translated: Luck: a letter scale from Fortuna]. The copy described there bears the M logo of Ph.J. Maul on the scale frame. My copy does not have this logo. In Equilibrium 2014, No.2 is on pp. 4044-4045 the Fortuna scale is described again in the article A Unique Dutch Letter Scale by Rein Kok. The Fortuna is 35 centimeters high when the counterweight is folded down, and with a folded up counterweight 34.5 cm.
Below some more pictures of the Fortuna B.S.A. letter scale.