Vintage French tabac marble top and horn balance scales. These wonderfully decorative scales would bring French chic to any kitchen. Lovely inlaid wood banding, marble top. The horn cups have some wear to the edges which only adds to its charm.
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Size: 36 cm wide 15 cm depth 17 cm tall
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Old scale / Usines de la Mulatière, Maison Béranger, Lyon / Scale in wood, marble, brass and horn / Superb decorative object
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Balance scales, used for weighing objects, have a history stretching back thousands of years, with early examples found in ancient civilizations like Egypt and the Indus Valley. These scales, initially simple beam balances, evolved into more sophisticated instruments like steelyards and spring scales, and ultimately led to the modern digital scales we use today.
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Early Development:
Ancient Egypt and Indus Valley (c. 2000 BC):
Archaeological evidence reveals the use of balance scales in these regions for weighing goods, particularly metals, using stone weights. These early scales relied on balancing objects on two plates attached to a beam, which was itself fixed on a central pole.
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Spiritual Significance:
In ancient Egypt, balance scales were not only practical tools for trade but also held religious significance, being depicted in imagery related to the weighing of the heart against the feather of truth.
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Roman Era:
Romans also utilized balance scales for trade, taxation, and even the production of coins.
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Evolution and Innovations:
Steelyards:
Developed independently in Roman and Chinese civilizations around 200 BC, steelyards are a type of beam balance that uses a sliding weight to determine the mass of objects, according to Wikipedia.
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Spring Scales:
The invention of the spring scale by British balance maker Richard Salter around 1770 marked a significant advancement, as it eliminated the need for counterweights, said withings blog.
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Decimal Scales:
In 1821, Benedictine monk Quintenz registered the decimal scale for patenting, which required only a tenth of the weight to be used, according to seca.
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Automatic Scales:
Leonardo da Vinci designed an early automatic balance with a graduated dial scale.
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Modern Scales:
Digital Scales:
Modern digital scales, utilizing electronic sensing, offer increased precision and convenience, and are now widely used in various industries.
Analytical Balances:
Specialized balances, like analytical balances, are used to measure extremely small masses, down to the sub-milligram range.
Internet of Things (IoT):
The integration of IoT technologies has enabled more sophisticated balances to be connected to the internet, facilitating data analysis and automation, says Innoweight.
