Historical information

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."
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 .

Physical description

c1900 A set of steel weighing scales with a balance beam that holds 1 large metal dish for the item to be weighed and a smaller tray holding the weights. The object/ substance to be weighed is placed in 1 dish and the weights are added to the other dish until the two dishes balance equally on the beam. The base , balance beam and tray are decorated with a floral pattern
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.

Inscriptions & markings

Each weight is engraved with Imperial Measure = 2lb, 1lb, 6oz