CARYATID
letter scale

This stately letter scale can be found in a few catalogs from ± 1908. According to these catalogs, the Caryatid letter scale was available in four versions and the scale in grams, ounces, or Loth:
1. with a fixed single range of 50 grams (2 oz. or 4/12 russ. Loth);
2. with a double range of 50 and 250 grams (2 oz./9 oz. or 4/20 russ. Loth);
3. with a double range of 60 and 350 grams (5/28 russ. Loth);
4. with a double range of 100 and 500 grams (4 oz./18 oz. or 8/40 russ. Loth).
Whereby "russ. Loth" "bez. Solotnik" is also listed; Solotnik (also written as Zolotnik) is an old Russian measure equal to 4.266 grams. 1 Loth (also written as Lot) is equal to 3 Solotnik, is 12.798 grams, rounded to 12.8 grams.
Caryatid = female statue (later also male figure) as a buttress (=support column) or pilaster (= 1. ornament that projects slightly forward from a wall or from the corner of two walls as a square, flat column; 2. main post of stair railings, also of a monumental fence).
In the catalogues of Kistler and Ph.J. Maul, this letter scale is not named Caryatid. Only later was this letter scale with the winged female figure described in publications as a letter scale with a Caryatid. A winged Caryatid supports the main axis of the scale.
The weighing range of the Caryatid shown here is 50 grams and 250 grams respectively, selectable by moving the counterweight up or down. A Caryatid with higher weighing ranges, namely 100g and 500g, has already been shown on this website; see here.
The Caryatid letter scale is captured below in a series of detailed photos. The scale is also shown in its unpolished dull state, and in its shiny state after prolonged polishing.