Showing 142 items
matching balances and weights
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Federation University Historical Collection
Scientific Object, Boxed Weights for Beam Balance
... Boxed Weights for Beam Balance...weights ...Set of weights to be used with a beam balance9 weights from 1 to 50 gram plus 8 fractional pieces 0.5 down. Tweezers with bone tips. Box lined with purple velvetweights, gram, tweezers, beam balance -
University of Melbourne, School of Chemistry
Balance
Balance and weights (Swing type Balance) used in preparing stock solutions. Several parts stored on shelf -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Spring Balance Scale, George Salter & Co, 1920s
Scales such as the subject item were used to measure commercial quantities, possibly grains and farm produce for quite large amounts of product. Bags of grain etc would have been hooked up and weighed. Salter has been a name long associated with weights and measures. The firm began life in the late 1760s in the village of Bilston, England when Richard Salter, a spring maker, began making the first spring scales in Britain. He called these scales "pocket steelyards", though they work on a different principle from steelyard balances. By 1825 his nephew George had taken over the company, which became known as George Salter & Co. George later established a manufacturing site in the town of West Bromwich, about 4 miles (7 km) from Bilston. West Bromwich Albion football club was formed from workers at this works site. From here the company produced a wide variety of scales including the UK's first bathroom scales. Other items were added to the range, including irons, mincers, potato chippers, coin-operated machines and the first typewriters made in the UK. The business thrived throughout the 1900s, and by 1950 it employed over 2000 people, still in the same area and owned by the same family.Salter is a British housewares brand developing products that span a wide range of core product categories, including scales, electrical, cookware. It is a market leader in kitchen and bathroom scales and one of the UK’s oldest consumer brands. Established in 1760, Salter has been developing precision products for over 260 years. It was acquired by Manchester-based consumer goods giant Ultimate Products in 2021 after they had previously licensed the brand for cookware and kitchen electrical since 2011.Scale, Salter's improved spring balance, warranted. Brass and iron. Weighs 0 to 60LBS. Long rectangular brass instrument with ring attached to top and hook attached below. Centre of rectangle has long vertical slot with short, horizontal bar that slides down the slot when an object is suspended from the hook, showing its weight on the numbered scale beside the slot.Marked ""SALTER'S IMPROVED SPRING BALANCE"" and "WARRANTED". Weighs 0 to 60LBS. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, salter balance scale, weight measuring scale, weighing dry goods, domestic object, kitchen scale -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Spring Balance Scale, George Salter & Co, 1920s
Scales such as the subject item were used to measure commercial quantities, possibly grains and farm produce for quite large amounts of product, also in a domestic situation. Bags of grain or other dry goods would have been hooked up and weighed. Salter has been a name long associated with weights and measures. The firm began life in the late 1760s in the village of Bilston, England when Richard Salter, a spring maker, began making the first spring scales in Britain. He called these scales "pocket steelyards", though they work on a different principle from steelyard balances. By 1825 his nephew George had taken over the company, which became known as George Salter & Co. George later established a manufacturing site in the town of West Bromwich, about 4 miles (7 km) from Bilston. West Bromwich Albion football club was formed from workers at this works site. From here the company produced a wide variety of scales including the UK's first bathroom scales. Other items were added to the range, including irons, mincers, potato chippers, coin-operated machines and the first typewriters made in the UK. The business thrived throughout the 1900s, and by 1950 it employed over 2000 people, still in the same area and owned by the same family.Salter is a British housewares brand developing products that span a wide range of core product categories, including scales, electrical, cookware. It is a market leader in kitchen and bathroom scales and one of the UK’s oldest consumer brands. Established in 1760, Salter has been developing precision products for over 260 years. It was acquired by Manchester-based consumer goods giant Ultimate Products in 2021 after they had previously licensed the brand for cookware and kitchen electrical since 2011.Scale, Salter's improved spring balance, warranted. Brass and iron. Weighs 0 to 25LBS. Long rectangular brass instrument with ring attached to top and hook attached below. Centre of rectangle has long vertical slot with short, horizontal bar that slides down the slot when an object is suspended from the hook, showing its weight on the numbered scale beside the slot.Marked ""SALTER'S IMPROVED SPRING BALANCE" "Number 2". Weighs 0 to 25LBS. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, salter balance scale, weight measuring scale, weighing dry goods, domestic object, kitchen scale, measure, weigh, measure ingredients, food preparation -
Friends of Kurth Kiln
Belt Pulley
Flat Belt Pulley, with 5cm bore, key slot and locating screw. 4 spokes to wheel, 1cm hole in rim of pulley and balancing weight inside of rim -
Federation University Historical Collection
Scientific Instruments, Boxed Weight Set
... weights ...These weights would have been used with a Beam Balance. Forceps were to be used when moving weights from the box.Set of 17 weights in a hinged timber box.On Lid "Box No. 8. Check the weights before & after using them. Always use the forceps to handle the weights."weights, scientific instruments, grams, milligrams, beam balance weights -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Scales
Steelyard Scales, also called Beam Scales. A balanced type scale used for general purpose weighing. Imprinted "300, Pilkinton warranted". 1 little weight with balance.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, steelyard scales, beam scales -
University of Melbourne, School of Chemistry
Set of Weights
Set of weights for larger, rough balance, from "Mildura" era. -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MCCOLL, RANKIN AND STANISTREET COLLECTION: GOLD BOOK ( BULLION BOOK, NEW DON MINE)
Green hard cover book, one page only has entries. Written inside front cover in grey pencil ' New Don No Liability' Entries relate to 1933, and 1934 showing tons, weight advanced upon, amount of advance, weight after melting, fineness ( bank charge written in pen ) eq standard weight, value, balance of assay.gold, mining, new don mine -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Scales, Gold, Apothecary, Analytical in Glass Case c1880, c1880
A pair of scales or dishes in which objects to be weighed and the weights / masses against which to weigh them are placed is an "Apparatus for weighing. The pan, or each of the pans, of a balance." Its parts include a fulcrum, a beam that balances on it, two pans at the ends of the beam to hold the materials to be weighed, and counter-balancing weights. Gottingen made fine precision scientific scales for use by assayers, jewellers, chemists, gold buyers rtc. A 2 pan analytical, scientific or pharmaceutical beam balance scale made in Gottingen Germany c 1880. These scales are encased in a mahogany framed glass cabinet and Graded 0 -9 9-0D.R.PATENT / GOTTINGER PRAZISIONSWAGENFABRIK G.m.b.H. / GOTTINGEN On upright V over GPW scales, balance, precision measures, gold, pharmacy, precious metals, jewellery, gottingen germany, sartorious f, moorabin, bentleigh, cheltenham, early settlers, gold miners, pioneers, market gardeners, ballarat, bendigo, imperial measure, troy weight -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Functional object - Set of weights
... Weights ...BHS CollectionA set of six weights for balance scales, possibly for weighing gold. We have a 2, 1, 1/2 and 1/4 ounces and a 20 and 10 GM. Aileen and John Ellison Collection.weights, balance -
Anglesea and District Historical Society
Scales, Salter's Postal Parcel Balance, Estimated late 1800's - early 1900's
Postal Parcel Balance Scales - circular face with weights and costs around circumference - encased in heavy metal frame with ornate pattern around the triangular foot - oblong flat tin tray balanced on top - painted white with black markings on the face - single black metal hand in centre to show weight etc.In centre of face: "POSTAL PARCEL BALANCE" / SALTER'S "Salter" over emblem showing arrow through knotted rope / 11 LB'S BY 1 OZscales, postal -
Cheese World Museum
Scales, Kitchen scales
The Percy Uebergang family lived at Tooram Park, Allansford from 1912 until 1992. The scales were part of the collection of kitchen items given into the care of the Cheese World Museum.Heavy silver-coloured cast iron balance scales with an 8-sided tray to hold the weights, and a 4-armed cradle to hold the tin ingredient tray. The scooped ingredient tray has folded edges.TO WEIGH 14lb (on base: Uebergang No.F16)domestic items, food preparation, allansford, uebergang, kitchen scales -
Mont De Lancey
Functional object - Scales, Unknown
A vintage weighing machine used by merchants or grocers or in kitchens for food sale or preparation. It came from the home of Mr Thomas Gaudion and was used in the 1920's.An antique blue and white speckled cast iron and metal balance scale and weights for weighing food. On one side is a dish shaped oval tray sitting on a claw frame for holding food items and opposite is a smaller plate for holding the steel weights: 4lb, 2lb, 2x 1lb, 8oz, 4oz and 1oz. There are seven in total.'....Ters' with an indecipherable ....'Watters Sydney'kitchen equipment, kitchenware, cooking, scales -
City of Greater Bendigo - Civic Collection
Equipment - Gold Scales, Late 19th / early 20th century
This type of balance scales allows precise measurements to be achieved by ensuring that the balance's fulcrum is essentially friction-free by attaching a pointer to the beam which amplifies any deviation from a balance position; and finally by using the lever principle, which allows fractional masses to be applied by movement of a small mass along the measuring arm of the beam. The standardization of the weights used – and ensuring traders used the correct weights – was a considerable preoccupation of governments throughout this time and inspections were held regularly. When the Weights and Measures Act was passed in Victoria in 1862 local inspectors were established throughout the colony to ensure accuracy particularly in the weighing of gold. By the 1870's each local council had a set of standards that were used to test the scales, weights and measures of local merchants and businesses.Set of small scales possibly from a travelling boxed set due to their small size, similar to those used in an apothecary and weighing gold. Scales have two round brass pans with a cross bar and chains and pointer central on the lever arm. At top of lever arm above pointer is a small leather tag from which to hold up the scales. city of greater bendigo commerce, making a nation exhibition, city of greater bendigo mining -
Mont De Lancey
Scales
... balances ...Approximately 100 years old.Set of brass Post office weighing scales, used for weighing letters, with two trays, one rectangular in shape and one round, on a balancing mechanism.The scales are affixed to a wooden base in a rectangular shape with the front edge shaped into two curves. The wooden base has three slots for holding the weights. There are six brass weights with this item.balances, weighing instruments -
Greensborough Historical Society
Scales, Kitchen scales, 1900c
... balances ...Domestic kitchen balance scales used to measure ingredients, made of cast iron, they would have a tray for ingredients and graduated weights.Kitchen scales, to weigh 4 lbs, with weights of 1 lb and 4 oz.kitchen scales, scales, balances -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Scales - Medical
The scales were used either at the Tawonga District Hospital or Mt Beauty Medical Centre for weighing a child or small person when standing on the platform. Weights were moved along a rod to balance the person to determine his/her weight.These manual scales were used by doctors to weigh and measure the heights of young patients in the Kiewa Valley and were a necessary piece of equipment to check the health of their patients.Cream metal with height in inches measuring steel rod attached to cylinder. At the top of the cylinder it is hollow for the working of a horizontal scale which has a metal measuring ruler (7 inches) at the end of which is a thin rod hooked on with a round disc at the bottom. At floor level is a platform on a spring on which a child can stand. The stand is surrounded on 3 sides with a thin frame to prevent falling off. The height scale has a thin stainless steel arm with a round plate attached to put on top of the child's head for measuring height."Melbourne Scale 60"scales. mt beauty medical centre. tawonga district hospital. weighing people. medical equipment -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Scales Weighing, early 1900's
Although these scales cannot be identified against a historical period of Australian development they are therefore placed in a time frame when commercial markings from manufacurers were not important enough to have domestic kitchen items labeled. These cast iron scales were made for domestic and possibly rural areas and not for cities where demand for known branded utensils was more an issue. These scales are very "basic" and not to the level of weighing detail that commercial scales had to be at. These scales do not show any visible markers for accurate measurement. The "near enough is good enough" principle can be related to these scales.These scales are significant as they identify one of the basic preparation items for the weighing of foodstuff before the televising of "cooking" shows (1960s onward). The meals for which quantity measurements are required for domestic cooking is not exact however the use of cup measurements for large dishes is tedious and these scales offer the capacity for a larger mixture and an easier method for the "cook". As the need for accurate measurements of ingrediants for rural domestic meals has in the past been not been critical the requirement of accuracy that these scales do not provide is of no consequence. Domestic kitchens in the Kiewa Valley and the type of meals produced would not have required the accuracy of ingrediants that "modern " international cuisines of the later 1900's require. These kitchen scale were used whenrecipes had the terms "pinch, dollop, squidge and smidgen" were about as accurate as most recipes needed to be.Black cast iron, medium weighing scales, with a two arm cradle. On one side of the cradle is a two half circle holding frame for the retention of the metal container scoop. This light weight steel scoop/dish allows for the weighing of loose grain or similar type material to be contained and held in place for establish its saleable contents. On the other side of the weighing cradle is a flat circular platform to hold various metal disc. All the disks used on this platform have their weight stamped on them. When the produced filled in the scoop balances with the metal weight on the opposite end of the balance match (visual horizontal appraisal) the appropriate quantity required is obtained. This scale does not have any visual markings on the arms to identify a true balance. It is therefore reasonable to assume that these scales were for domestic use only and not for commercial transactions. There are two weights that are useable with these scales, one is stamped "1 lB"(pound) and one stamped "1" and both are made as a solid round piece of cast metal.The smaller disc has a "1 lb" moulded and pressed form within a marked inner circle and a mouled ridge outer circle enclosure. The other weight is slightly larger and has a moulded "1" located on the top within a raised circular edge.domestic kitchen scales, weighing scales, metal scales -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Document - MCCOLL, RANKIN AND STANISTREET COLLECTION: CENTRAL NELL GWYNNE NORTH BLUE CONSOLIDATED
Hardcover blue/cream book, black spine. On sticker on front 'Central Nell Gwynne Consolidated Company Gold Book' First 3 pages held together by paper clip, dated 1922, on top of page, North Blue Consolidated Co. Entries relate to bullion, weight advanced upon , amount of advance, weight after melting, value, balance of assay. . Following pages date commences 1933, July 28 entry 'Coy North shaft, weight advanced upon, amount of advance, weight after melting, fineness (mint and bank charges written in pen ) Eq standard weight, value, balance of assay. Monthly entries continue until March 1942. Blue bank deposit slip dated 13 June 1941, for 1628/8/- for Central Nell Gwynne, equates to entry in bullion book of that date. Inside front cover: slips of paper with handwritten equations.gold, mining, nell gwynne north blue consolidated -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Scales, Domestic Imperial, ‘Fairway Melbourne’, c1930
... weights ...Fairway Company Melbourne manufactured this pair of domestic scales with a dish / pan in which objects to be weighed and the weights / masses against which to weigh them are placed. These common kitchen / dairy scales would be used by the householder to weigh flour, sugar, cereal, vegetables, fruit, meats, butter, cheese etc. prior to cooking or storing . Its parts include a fulcrum, a beam that balances on it, two pans at the ends of the beam to hold the materials to be weighed, and counter-balancing weights. A set of domestic scales made by ‘Fairway’ Melbourne c1930. Painted cream steel with 1 metal bowl / pan and Imperial measure weights 2LB, 1LB, 4OZ, 2OZ, 1OZScales ; MADE BY / DOMESTIC SCALES / FAIRWAY / MELBOURNE AUST. Weights ; 2LB, 1LB, 4OZ, 2OZ, 1OZ market gardeners, early settlers, fruit vegetables, farmers, cooking, recipes, scales, weights, measures, brass, balance beam, moorabbin, cheltenham, bentleigh, kitchen scales, dairy products, cereals, wheat flour -
Federation University Historical Collection
Scientific Instrument, Balance Weights
... Balance Weights...weights ...A collection of silver and brass colour balance weights stamped variously in g,c,or cm (carat) units. . The smaller weights from 0.05 to 2 Carats are stored in small brown paper bags. The weights and a pair of silver colour tweezers are stored in a grey tin box Mass CARAT - Number of 0.05 - 14 0.1 - 5 0.2 - 10 0.5 - 17 1 - 8 2 - 5 100 g - 2 40 g - 4 20 g - 8 20 g - 3 10 g - 5MarkingsThe brown paper bags have marking of DISAL London stamped on frontweights, scientific instruments -
City of Moorabbin Historical Society (Operating the Box Cottage Museum)
Scales, Shop,Imperial, ‘Dayton Scale’, c1900
... weights ...This 'Dayton Scale' was used in a grocery shop in Moorabbin Shire in 20thC to measure grain, sugar, fruit, vegetables, lollies, etc as required by the shopkeeper for the purchase by customers. The Dayton Scale Company, originally known as the Computing Scale Company, built and marketed the first computing scale in 1891. It was part of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company formed in 1911, and became an IBM division in 1933. The Dayton Scale Division was eventually sold to the Hobart Manufacturing Company when IBM decided to stop marketing scales to retail stores. The Computing Scale Company of Dayton was operated from 1891-1914 by two businessmen from Dayton, Ohio who purchased patents on the recently invented computing scale. It was merged with other companies to become the forerunner company for IBM. On July 20 1897 Mr CC Hobart & Herbert L. Johnson formed the Hobart Electrical Manufacturing Company in Troy, Ohio USA. 1915 Hobart continues its growth into the World market, opening a sales office in Australia. Dayton grocery scales, capacity 2 pounds, Imperial Measure. It is made from white painted steel with a large metal scoop that sits on 2 steel rods attached to a balance beam connected to a recording mechanism that displays the ‘weight’ in a glass framed gauge. In window of glass framed gauge ; DAYTON SCALE CO. / OHIO USA ; Computed from 0 – 2LB in 1oz sections weights, measures, shops, scales. balances, grocery stores, early settlers, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, dayton scales company, ibm pty ltd., hobarrt electrical manufacturing company, hobart c.c., johnson herbert l, computing scale company ohio -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Scales, Nullawarre PO tray & 6 weights, Early 20th century
... Nullawarre PO tray & 6 weights ...These scales come from the Nullawarre Post Office. Nullawarre is a small settlement 25 kilometres south east of Warrnambool. The area was settled in the late 1860s and 1870s and the first school was opened in 1878. The main agricultural pursuit in the Nullawarre district is dairying. The Nullawarre Post Office still operates in the General Store building. This set of scales is of interest as it is a memento of the equipment used in country Post Offices one hundred years ago or more. Scales such as these may still be in use but electronically-operated scales are more likely to be used today.This is a set of metal weighing scales with two trays, one oval in shape and one round, on a balancing mechanism. This mechanism has two ornamental upright metal pieces. The scales are affixed to a wooden base in a rectangular shape with the front edge shaped into two curves. The wooden base has three slots for holding the weights. There are six brass weights with this item. The metal is a little tarnished and the wooden base is stained. nullawarre, history of warrnambool -
Orbost & District Historical Society
pocket scales, 1920's
The pocket balance was first created in 1770 by Richard Salter in the UK. From the late 18th century onwards these small scales were widely used in markets, grocers and farm shops – wherever people needed to be able to verify the weight of goods to be purchased in order to calculate the correct pricing. Because it was portable, and simple to use, the pocket balance was ideal for weighing goods where accuracy was not required. This balance appears to have been used for weighing fish.Pocket spring scales made of steel. There is a spring fixed at one end with a hook to which an object can be attached at the other. At the top of the scales there. is a metallic ring to fasten the object. This is attached to the main body which on one side has measurements inscribed into the metal surface. Inside the body is a spring loaded mechanism which moves along the scales when weight is added to a hook at the bottom of the shaft.At the top - POCKET BALANCE ARROW and the letters M P inside an oval.scales pocket-balance spring-balance measuring-instrument -
Clunes Museum
Functional object - APOTHECARY BALANCE SCALES, W & T AVERY, 1800'S
Founded in the early 18th century, the company was renamed W & T Avery in 1818. In 1979, GEC took over the company and renamed it GEC-Avery. In 2000, the US-American company Weigh-Tronix acquired the business and it is now known as Avery Weigh-Tronix. BELONGED TO JOHN PATIENCE OF CLUNES, FORMERLY IN HIS CHECMIST SHOP FOR DAILY USEWOODEN BOX WITH DRAWER AND THREADED HOLE IN LID TO ACCOMODATE THE CENTRAL POLE OF THE SCALE ASSEMBLY. BOX CONTAINS SCALES ASSSEMBLY AND WEIGHTS .1 WOODEN BOX .2 DRAWER TO FIT BOX .3 .4 PIECES OF WOOD FINISHED ON ONE SIDE WITH BLUE FELT - ORIGINALLY AFFIXED TO THE DRAWER TO CREATE A SMALL COMPARTMENT WITHIN THE DRAWER .5 WOODEN CYLINDER WITH LID CONTAINS A SET OF METAL PENNYWEIGHTS RANGING FROM ONE TO SIX, W & T A STAMPED ON THE REVERSE OF EACH WEIGHT, ONE SINGLE WEIGHT 2OZ AND ONE SINGLE WEIGHT 1/2 OZ STAMPED ON REVERSE, THREE OTHER LIKE WEIGHTS WITH NO STAMPING. FOUR SQUARE BRASS SCRUPLES WITH "6" STAMPED INTO EACH. .6 ONE SET OF SIX BRASS TROY WEIGHTS NESTED .7 METAL ASSEMBLY PIN FOR THE SCALES .8 SCALE ASSEMBLY OF UPRIGHT POLE, BALANCE BAR, TWO METAL DISHES WITH METAL CHAIN ATTACHED .9 TWO UNSTAMPED METAL CIRCULAR WEIGHTS .2 YELLOW LABEL AFFIXED TO THE BACK OF THE DRAWER: w & T AVERY, LATE T BEACHMANUFACTURERS OF ALL KINDS OF SCALES, SCALE BEAMS ,STEELYARDS ,PATENT WEIGHING, MACHINES, SCREW PLATES, DIE STOCKS, SCALE DIGBETH BIRMINGHAM .5 STAMPED ON REVERSE OF PENNYWEIGHTS: "STANDARD" WITH A CROWN IMAGE AND W & T A - FADING LABEL WITH F C DEIG PRINTED OTHER INFORMATION ILLEGIBLE .8 DISHES STAMPED WITH: ROYAL BY HIS MAJESTIES LETTERS PATENT weighing instrument, apothecary scales, gold scales -
Trinity College Cultural Collections
Sovereign balance
Brass balance for weighing one soveriegn and half sovereigns. Contained in a small orange coloured cardboard box which opens in half.A 'crown' etched on the left of the fulcrum and 'sovereign' and 'warranted' etched in the first circle and 'sovereign' '1/2' ( half) on the second circle. Box has writing " Improved sovereign balance\To weign and gauge soveriegns and half sovereigns\Being so exact that no conterfeit can possibly go through the gauge\of sufficient weight to turn the balance. -
Trinity College Cultural Collections
Sovereign balance
Brass balance for weighing one soveriegn and half sovereigns. Contained in a small orange coloured cardboard box which opens in half.A 'crown' etched on the left of the fulcrum and 'sovereign' and 'warranted' etched in the first circle and 'sovereign' '1/2' ( half) on the second circle. Box has writing " Improved sovereign balance\To weign and gauge soveriegns and half sovereigns\Being so exact that no conterfeit can possibly go through the gauge\of sufficient weight to turn the balance. -
Trinity College Cultural Collections
Sovereign balance, c.1850
Sovereigns are no longer used as currency in Australia. Brass balance for weighing one soveriegn and half sovereigns. Contained in a small orange coloured cardboard box which opens in half.A 'crown' etched on the left of the fulcrum and 'sovereign' and 'warranted' etched in the first circle and 'sovereign' '1/2' ( half) on the second circle. Box has writing " Improved sovereign balance\To weigh and gauge soveriegns and half sovereigns\Being so exact that no conterfeit can possibly go through the gauge\of sufficient weight to turn the balance."sovereign, sovereigns, half sovereigns, george w rusden -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Equipment - Weight
The disc-shaped design of these 1LB and 2 LB metal weights enables them to be stacked one on top of the other. The weights are used with a balance scale to accurately weigh the mass of items such as grain, sugar, meat or potatoes. They could have been used in retail or wholesale businesses like a general store or a grain merchant’s premises. The user would place either one or both of these weights on one side of a balance scale. Goods would then be placed onto the other side of the scale until the beam between both sides of the scale was level, showing that the weight of the goods was as heavy as the weight or weights on the other side. These two weights are marked in Imperial units. An Imperial Standard 1LB is equal to 453.592grams. The British Weights and Measures Act of 1824 defined official standards for weights and measurements. This ensured that uniform measurements would be used for trade throughout the Empire. Towns and districts would have an official set of Imperial Standard Weights and Measures. Inspectors periodically used this official set to check the accuracy of traders’ own weights and measures. There would be penalties such as fines or imprisonment for people who broke these laws. The State of Victoria had its own Weight and Measures Act in 1862 and a decade later the inspectors in local councils used their local set of weights and measures to test the local businesses measuring equipment. In the nineteenth century the Victorian Customs Department carried out this role but this was handed over to the Melbourne Observatory at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Measures Branch then followed on with this task from the 1940s until 1995. Australia began converting to the metric system in the 1960s, beginning with its money. The conversion from imperial to metric units of measurement in Australia took place from 1970 and was completed in 1988 when metric units became the only legal unit of measurement. Imperial Standard weights; set of two disc-shaped weights designed to stack one upon the other. Inscriptions are marked in relief. "IMPERIAL STANDARD 1LB" [weight 1], "IMPERIAL STANDARD 2LB" [weight 2]warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, shipwrecked-artefact, wieght, weights and measures, imperial standard weight