GORHAM
Sterling silver letter scale

Gorham letter scale

This is an extremely rare letter scale made of Sterling silver by Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, in the state of Rhode Island, U.S.A. The original counterweight and counterweight arm were missing from the blackened example purchased with the help of a collector friend in France! See the small photo further down this page. Through contacts of the collector friend, the scale was cleaned and made complete again with a stainless steel counterweight on a matching arm. Afterwards, the refurbished Gorham was sent to me by post. The specific gravity of stainless steel is significantly lower than that of Sterling silver, namely 7.8 – 8.0 grams per cubic centimeter, depending on the type of stainless steel, compared to 10.3 grams per cubic centimeter for Sterling silver. Consequently, the restored letter scale does not reach zero with the stainless steel counterweight. The upright of the letter scale is still somewhat kinked and bent, and the new counterweight is a bit too light. For the photos on this page, the scale has been fixed at zero ounces. Later, I might try to simply arrive at zero on the scale using a lead version of the counterweight yet to be made, as making a Sterling silver counterweight is beyond my reach. On one side of the weighing scale base are the marks of Gorham Manufacturing Company, namely the small lion in an octagon, the anchor on a shield, and the decorative letter G, also in an octagon. Next to this is STERLING. The small letter scale is made of Sterling silver, which is 92.5% pure silver, usually supplemented with copper and some nickel or zinc. Next to the word STERLING is B3501. This is supposedly a model number; the letter B is unclear to me. Just above the bottom edge it says: LEAD WEIGHTED. Meaning: made heavier with lead. Upon disassembly, it appears that the base of the letter scale is weighted with a lead slab secured to a covering wooden plate; see the photos.

back of the Gorham letter scale

This letter scale has a scale up to 6 ounces (= ± 170 grams, 1 ounce = 28.35 grams). The information on the scale is extensive; it lists the following mail types with the corresponding postal rate at that time in US dollar cents. (= ¢):
 - Ounces / MDSE (= merchandise), (merchandise / small packages), is Fourth-Class Mail, 1¢ per ounce;
 - Papers (newspapers and periodicals) is Transient Second-Class Mail, this applied to ordinary citizens, 1¢ per 4 ounces
   [For printing houses and other businesses, 2¢ per pound applied from 1884 to July 1, 1885, and from July 1, 1885, to 1925, it was even 1¢ per pound.];
 - BKS & C (books and commercial printed matter, advertising, etc.) is Third-Class Mail, 1¢ per 2 ounces;
 - Letters (letters) is First-Class mail, 2¢ per ounce.
The periods during which the various rates were in effect differ:
 - Fourth-Class May 1, 1879 to January 1, 1913
 - Third Class July 1, 1885 to April 15, 1925
 - Transient Second-Class June 9, 1884 to April 15, 1925
 - First Class July 1, 1885 to November 2, 1917 and July 1, 1919 to July 6, 1932.
The period during which all four Mail-Classes were in effect can thus be traced back to from 1 July 1885 to 1 January 1913.
The letter scale is 11.5 centimeters high, the scale width is 9.4 cm. The letter platform is 5.0 cm round. The scale base is 7.4 x 5.3 cm. The scale with stainless steel counterweight weighs 281 grams.
Gorham also produced other models of letter scales; see the images at the bottom of this page. The "Beehive" model with the number B2669 from 1904 is better known than the pendulum model letter scale shown here. William Christmas Codman received a design patent for the "Beehive" design with number D37253 on December 6, 1904. Also better known is the hand scale up to 12 ounces with the carrier pigeon, according to sources from the period 1891-1910. The small Bowfront scale up to 16 ounces with a closed housing is also better known. Only this Bowfront model was advertised a few times during the Christmas period of 1896 and 1897. In addition to these letter scales, at least one particularly rare model was produced, namely a model up to 16 ounces with a round dial displaying the postal rates for Letters, MDSE, Books & C, and Papers per ounce; see the collage photo at the very end of this page.
Below are more photos of this rare silver Gorham letter scale with model number B3501.

side view

front view

side view

from an angle

diagonally front view

from an angle

the types of mail and the associated rates	the measuring scale goes up to six ounces	this Gorham is 115 millimeters high (= ± 4½ inches)
the letter plate is 50 mm round	mirror, mirror...	the scale base is 74 x 53 x 10 mm
the Gorham markings are on one side of the base	Gorham markings: the lion, the anchor and the stylized letter G and the Sterling silver designation	additionally the model number B3501 and the text: LEADWEIGHTED
with a small weight on the letter plate	the Gorham has a long pointed pointer	maximum load, the letter plate touches the upright

the Gorham has been made complete and shiny again

as purchased: an incomplete and heavily oxidized Gorham

the Gorham has been made complete and shiny again

the partially dismantled scale parts

the lead slab is secured to the wooden cover plate with 2 pins, the whole fits into the cavity of the scale base

these postal rates applied from July 1, 1885, to January 1, 1913 in the U.S.A.

The beehive-model letter scale from 1904 from Gorham, model B2669

the drawing of Design Patent 37253 by Codman dated December 6, 1904

the Gorham letter scale with the carrier pigeon model 10

Gorham letter scale no. 20 the bowfront model, it was advertised during Christmas periods

Gorham letter scale with round dial, model B398