Primitive Westwood 180 Hanging Wool Weighing Scale Steelyard Sliding Balance

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An early wrought iron steelyard, or wool weighing scale. We have heard this type of scale called by either name … Read more An early wrought iron steelyard, or wool weighing scale. We have heard this type of scale called by either name and personally, we prefer the link to wool rather than something more industrial. Sheep and wool have an interesting history here in the countryside of Western Pennsylvania. The early Pennsylvania Dutch (Amish) immigrants, knowing how important the raising of sheep was for their wool, did not take to the idea of raising them for food. The wool is needed for the making of clothing and bedding. Of course, this is a very practical tool and could have been used for the weighing of many other commodities on a farm in the 18th,19th, and early 20th centuries. The scale is simple in design, the idea being the ancient Roman balance scale. It features a hook to hold the scale, a couple of hooks to hold the items to be weighed (bags of wool for instance), and a horizontal arm or beam. This one has beautifully shaped hooks and well-defined weight markings. This is signed, the maker being HENRY WESTWOOD. It is also marked with the numeral 180, the total weight capacity of weighing by this scale, and the words BEST WARRANTEED. See less