Brass Postal Balance Set
These brass postal balance set pieces are working pieces of desk furniture that bring Victorian and Edwardian order to your desk.
Brass Postal Balance Set
A brass postal balance set is a desk accessory designed to weigh letters and parcels before postage. You are looking at postal scales and weights mounted on wooden bases.
The versions you are most likely to meet on this page date from the Victorian and Edwardian periods, spanning the years from eighteen sixty to nineteen ten.
These sets take the form of postal scales mounted on timber boards, often accompanied by matching brass weights housed in fitted recesses.
How they were made
Maker workshops built these postal scales using polished brass for the balance arms, pans, and weights. The metal components were cast and turned before assembly.
The wooden bases rely on hardwoods such as mahogany, oak, walnut, and general hardwood. These boards were shaped, polished, and fitted with brass brackets to hold the mechanism.
What varies in quality
Quality in a brass postal balance set depends on the integration of the wooden base and the cast brass mechanism. Finer examples display crisper casting to the brass and superior timber selection.
Scale sets bearing maker marks from established London firms demonstrate higher standards of workshop execution. The presence of a complete set of matching weights alters the integrity of the piece.
S.Mordan·S Mordan Co London
The Brass Postal Balance Set Glossary
- Postal Scales
- A device for weighing mail to determine postage rates. These instruments use a balance beam and flat pans.
- Victorian
- A period spanning the reign of Queen Victoria, noted here through heavy mahogany bases and robust brass work. Pieces from this era often display generous proportions.
- Edwardian
- A style era from the early twentieth century, represented by lighter oak and mahogany designs. These later sets show refined cabinet work.
- Brass
- A copper and zinc alloy used for the balance arms, pans, and weights. It takes a bright polish and resists daily wear on the desk.
Brass Postal Balance Set: Frequently Asked Questions
How do these scales work?
A brass postal balance set operates on a beam balance principle where letters are placed on one pan and weights on the other. The pointer shows when equilibrium is reached.
These mechanisms were calibrated to postal weight steps of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Are the weights usually included?
Many surviving sets retain their original brass weights, which fit into designated slots on the wooden base. Some examples turn up with partial sets or missing weights.
Finding a complete set of matching weights is typical for well-preserved examples from this period.
What woods were used for the bases?
Maker workshops utilised mahogany, oak, walnut, and assorted hardwoods for the mounting boards. Mahogany appears frequently in Victorian examples, while oak and walnut feature in Edwardian pieces.
The timber was polished to protect the surface and complement the bright brass components.
How do I date a set?
Dating relies on the stylistic clues of the wooden base and the recorded periods of Victorian and Edwardian manufacture. Pieces range from eighteen sixty through to nineteen ten.
Maker signatures stamped into the brass also help establish a specific period of production.