Handheld postal scale, 1950s-1990s

Item — Object: 9

Identifier: Mem_inv_142

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The handheld postal scale was used in the library between the 1950s and the 1990s to weigh letters to determine the cost of delivery.

Dates

Usage: 1950s-1990s

Extent

1 Object

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Physical Location

Cat 5-9 B-5

Physical Description

Small brass handheld postal scale with a lime green plastic clip. It is housed in a pouch with white, yellow, green and orange patterns.

Dimensions

3.3 (depth) x 2.5 (width) x 3.3 (height) inches

General

The handheld postal scale is a small scale used to measure letters, in both grams and ounces at the same time, to establish postage cost. The mail is clipped on one end and the dial indicates the weight. This scale only measures in grams. Originally it came with a chart the showcased the weights and their corresponding delivery rate.