Marks, logos and or names on letter scales are good starting points to search for more information about these scales. For instance, to recover who produced the scale, when, and in what period. Thus you are able to determine the minimal age of the scale. Most types of letter scales were produced during a period of several years. Also an article in one of the quarterly magazines - see underneath literature - could be of great use. Sometimes another already has researched the matter for you. In this way a lot of supplementary information can be found about a newly acquired letter scale.

the first mark of Philipp Jakob Maul. The firma is established in 1874 Mark used from June 1888 till June 1898	first mark of Philipp Jakob Maul pressed into the head of a leveling screw	best-known and most used mark of Philipp Jakob Maul It was registered in 1909 and renewed till 1950	the mark of Philipp Jakob Maul, as stamped into many letter scales
logo Ph.J. Maul + abbreviation D.R.P. = Deutsches Reich Patent	logo Ph. J. Maul with D. R. G. M. = Deutsches Reich Gebrauchs Muster, a model registration, quicker and cheaper than a patent registration	logo model Fertig (Ph. J. Maul) registered in 1912 renewed till 1932	logo model Rictus (Ph. J. Maul) D. R. P. = Deutsches Reich Patent Nr. 384478 (August 17, 1921) more information at Rictus

mark of model Reflex D. R. G. M. (Ph. J. Maul) the indication concav, with or without extra logo, marks more models.

Ph. J. Maul chart with the name concav. Better readable thanks to a form slightly bent out of the plane of movement of the scale. Applied on more models

mark Columbus (Ph. J. Maul)

Columbus in the base of letter scale (Ph. J. Maul)

double-lined mark (Ph. J. Maul)

large Ph.J. Maul mark at counterweight

indication concav beneath the mark

mark Novitus of Ph. J. Maul

ornamental plate with since 1874 Ph. J. Maul Hamburg 1

more simple name plate of Ph. J. Maul 2 Hamburg 70

sticker model Exaktus of Ph. J. Maul

logo sticker of Ph. J. Maul

mark model Excelsior (Ph. J. Maul)

logo model Maximus of Ph. J. Maul

COLUMBUS casted into base of letter scale

D.R.P. FERTIG casted into base of letter scale

name of model USUS (Ph. J. Maul)

name of model INTUS (Ph. J. Maul)

Beside the names of models shown here - FERTIG, RICTUS, COLUMBUS, EXCELSIOR and REFLEX - more names of models of scales made by Ph.J. Maul do exist. Namely: PORTAX, URMAUL and UR MAUL (two designs and periods). Ph.J. Maul also registered the marks AUS GROSSEM JAHRHUNDERT and PRO NOTA. The last two named trade-marks were not registered specifically for letter scales. (source: M&G nr.9, mrt.'89, pp. 178-183)

first mark of Jakob Maul, Bad König-Zell, firm established in 1912, mark registered in 1912 and renewed till 1983

mark of Jakob Maul, as seen on many letter scales

Jakob Maul mark pressed into vertical frame part of letter scale

present mark of Jakob Maul in use since 1985

logo J. Maul + text: BILATERAL

JMAZ is short for: Jakob Maul Aus Zell

model name MACITO J. Maul

MAUL present logo J. Maul

jagged logo and model name PUCK of J. Maul

model name ARCA range 1000 grams J. Maul

model name ARCA J. Maul

MAUL present mark in plastic

model name Regent J. Maul

model name Triatax J. Maul

model name Delta J. Maul

model name Scala J. Maul

Besides the name of the model BILATERAL, shown here, manufacturer Jakob Maul has registered several other marks. Namely: JMAZ (the abbreviation of: Jakob Maul Aus Zell), MACITO, MAULIT, and PUCK. I (yet) don't know if all these names can be found on letter scales. Ever since 1985 Jakob Maul GmbH bears the name MAUL as trade-mark (internationally registered in 1986). (source: M&G nr.9, mrt.'89, pp. 178-183)

Letter scales, stamped with the letters DRP, at one time were granted a German patent. DRP is the abbreviation of Deutsches Reich Patent. The notation DRP ANG. is also known. ANG. is short for Angemeldet. A patent is applied for, is pending, but not yet granted. Meanwhile the production and sale were started. When a letter scale carries the notation DRP ANG. and a similar model carries the notation DRP, it's clear that the model with DRP ANG. is the oldest.

niet voor handelsdoeleinden not for commercial purposes

German patent granted D R P

Many pendulum letter scales made by Maul for the Dutch market have the stamped text: NIET VOOR HANDELSDOELEINDEN (Not for commercial purposes). Or the text: VOOR HUISHOUDELIJK GEBRUIK (For household use). Probably the requirements of accuracy of weighing were less severe when these texts were stamped in. (Or were lapsed totally?). I don't know (yet) if Maul stamped similar texts for other countries also. On letter scales produced in the United States of America one can find the text: NOT TO BE USED FOR TRADE or: NOT LEGAL FOR TRADE.