POSTAL BALANCE
letter scale

balance for letters, makers: Joseph & Edmund Ratcliff

This letter balance was made by brothers Joseph and Edmund Ratcliff from Birmingham, England. According to the trade register, the brothers were already working together in 1834. Joseph died in 1862, and Edmund continued alone until 1881. This postal balance therefore likely dates from the period 1840-1862. The balance mechanism is partially concealed within a mahogany casing. The thick top of this bottomless box features recesses for the square, tapered brass weights. The weights have a round knob on top. The larger weights (8oz, 4oz, and 2oz) are hollow and partially filled with lead. The knob is threaded onto the square. The smaller weights (1oz - 189oz and 2x - 188oz) are solid brass. The weights total weights is 16 ounces. There are several versions. Some models have a projection on the vertical upright that serves as a stop. Others have a brass stop under one of the crossbars. The movement stops are located on the side of the weight platform and facilitate control of

back of the postal balance

the letter weight, will the balance tip to the other side or not. There are different versions of the vertical uprights. There were also examples with round platforms for the weights and letters. This type of balance was also made by Sampson Mordan, but with non-tapered square weights and also with round weights. Several examples are marked Waterlow & Sons; this is the supplier, not the maker.
More detailed information can be found in the quarterly magazine Equilibrium. For example, in this article: Robervals with encased stays by D F Crawforth-Hitchins in EQM 1991 issue No.3, pp 1479-1488, and also in: Waterlow & Sons by David W H Thomas in EQM 2005 issue No.1, pp 2998-3006.
The box dimensions w x d x h = 26.5 x 11.8 x 6.1 centimeters. The weight plateau is 4.8 x 8.2 cm. The letter plateau is 8.5 x 9.9 cm. The center of the balance is 14.0 cm high. The balance, complete with its seven weights, weighs 1509 grams.
Below are some more images of this J & E. Ratcliff letter scale.

side view

animation: remove the weights from the recesses [move the pointer over the photo]

side view

the vertical upright extends into the box	the sharp pointer is vertical at equilibrium	the upright with the closed circle is very robust
the seven tapered square weights have an easy-to-grip round knob	the ounces value is in the buttons	added together the total is 16 ounces or 1 English pound (1 Lbs)
diagonally from the front	balanced with left and right 8 ounces	diagonally from behind

the name of the makers J & E. Ratcliff is in the letter plate	animation: balance the weights on the balance [move the pointer over the photo]	the name of the makers J & E. Ratcliff is in the letter plate
front	animation: remove the weights [move the pointer over the photo]	backside

the open bottom of the mahogany box with part of the balance