Blitz the self-calculating letter scale
I don't know who made this special letter scale. The scale reads Selbstrechnende Briefwage BLITZ D.R.G.M. Auslandpatente angem. (German, translated: self-calculating letter scale BLITZ D.R.G.M. Foreign patents registered). I couldn't find a German patent, a Deutsches Reich GebrauchsMuster yet, by the way, no foreign patents of this letter scale either. The special feature of this scale is that the surface above the scale of measurement is completely filled with a brass surface printed with German postal rates. The surface is fixed with 7 rivets on the scale and scale arms. This letter scale has a long vertical reading strip that extends from the main pivot point to beyond the scale. The postage due for several types of mail can be read directly here. From top to bottom it says:
Warenproben (= Samples) from 0 to 250g costs 10 Pf, from 250g to 350g costs 20Pf.
Geschäftspapiere (= Deeds) from 0 to 250g costs 10Pf, from 250g to 500g costs 20Pf, above 500g costs 30 Pf.
Drucksachen (= Printed Matter) from 0 to 50g costs 3 Pf, from 50g to 100g costs 5 Pf, from 100g to 250g costs 10 Pf, from 250g to 500g costs 20 Pf.
Briefe ( = Letters) for local postal traffic 0 - 250g costs 5 Pf, for other postal traffic from 0 to 20g costs 10 Pf, and from 20g to 250g costs 20 Pf.
The validity period of these postal rate types differs, the shortest period applies to the rate of the Warenproben, the Samples, namely from January 1, 1899 to July 1, 1906. Because on April 1, 1900 the letter weight limit was changed from 15 grams to 20 grams and this weight limit is on this letter scale, the period of the Blitz can be shortened to April 1, 1900 - July 1, 1906. [Source used: Michel Postgebühren-Handbuch Deutschland, 2001].
Below some more pictures of the rare BLITZ letter scale.
back of the Blitz letter scale
