BALANCE
with bottle weights

TJ & J. Smith balance with seven bottle weights

This balance with the typical shaped weights was supplied by the firm T.J. & J. Smith from London in England. This firm was founded in 1839 by Thomas John Smith and his brother Joseph. The firm mainly produced luxury diaries, almanacs, quill pens, and metal paper. Most likely the company is not the maker of this balance but a reseller or dealer. The company name is on the left front of the balance arm. On the right front is warranted accurate, which suggests a certain accuracy. Balances with bottle weights can be found with different supplier names. I saw Criterion, STS by Samuel Turner Senior, Johnson Bros Birmingham, John Heath of Birmingham, ...... In the surface of the large plate on the right, intended to place the letters or parcels, the postal rate for letters, sometimes also for samples and books, is often engraved. This helps the dating enormously. Unfortunately, there are no postal rates on this balance.

back of the balance

The balance has seven bottle-shaped weights with a total weight of 1 Lbs, or 16 ounces (oz). The weights are 8 oz, 4 oz, 2 oz, 1 oz, ½ oz and 2 x ¼ oz. The weights do not all appear to be original and some do not look too good. The two ounces actually turned out to weigh two and a half ounces. By drilling holes in the bottom and filing the curvature I brought the weight to the desired two ounces.
These balances can be found with other ranges, I saw one with 1 Lbs as largest weight, that specimen had 8 weights, with the smallest also 2x ¼ oz. Other balances have 6 bottle weights with 8 oz as largest and 2x ½ oz as smallest. Usually the recesses are in one row, with some specimens, like here, the smallest two weights are placed perpendicular to the main row. The wooden base has four rounded feet (bun feet), or the wooden base stands directly on the surface without feet. The dimensions of the wooden base are 22.4 x 12.3 centimeters. The cast brass plate for the weights is 8.1 x 5.2 cm, the letter plate measures 9.4 x 9.4 cm.
Another balance with bottle weights has been shown on this website before, see here. That balance has no name of maker or supplier, but does have postal rates on the letter plate.
Below are some more images of this old English balance with the characteristic bottle weights.

side view

animation: put the bottle weights in the recesses [move the pointer over the photo]

side view

TJ & J. SMITH LONDON

WARRANTED ACCURATE

the two smallest bottle weights are a quarter ounce each

the seven bottle weights together equal 16 ounces 8 ounces, 4 ounces, 2 ounces, 1 ounce, ½ ounce and 2 of ¼ ounce

animation: balance with 8 ounces left and added up to 8 ounces on the right side of the balance [move the pointer over the photo]

the seven bottle weights with the balance in the background

six of the seven recesses in view

the balance stands on four rounded feet

the bottom with four rounded feet