Letter scale Candle stick letter scale for the French market as graduated in Gram / up to 60 Grammes
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The "candlestick" was one of the most interesting of the early type of postal
scales. lt was introduced almost immediately after the inauguration of the penny post
prior to which mali had been charged by distance,rather than by weight. lt was during this
period that the inventiveness that provided the inspiration for the industrial revolution
merged so spectacularly with the genius for artistry and design that typified the early
Victorian society. The first examples date from early l84O and the design, in England, is
thought to have lasted about twenty-five years. Production over such an extended period
provides some indication of their popularity, and is also partly responsible for a
reasonable supply being still available. Curiously, despite their abundance, there are
only three known makers. The vast majority of candlestick postal scales were manufactured
by Robert Walter Winfield and the brothers Joseph and Edmund Ratcliff. Winfield worked in
the Birmingham area from 1829 to 1860 and had a factory on the Baskerville Estate. He
manufactured all types of scales, induding sovereign "rockers". The Ratcliffs
also had a factory in Birmingham, at St.Paul's Square, and featured in trade directories
from 1834 to 1864. They, too, manufactured all types of letter scales. Joseph died in 1862
and Edmund continued on his own until 1881. With one or two exceptions, these two firms
made not only items which bore their own names, but also are thought to have manufactured
a vast number of unlabelled scales for sale by wholesalers and retailers of spedalist
office suppiles. One or other almost certainly made the items which appeared in the
American Fairbanks' catalogues In the 1850's with that company's label firmly embossed.
The third known maker was the American firm of Chatillon. Their individualistic design
appears in the catalogue of that firm dated 1894 - some thirty years after production in
England had declined. The possibility of a further manufacturer of candlesticks has
recently arisen. The name T.Wharton & Sons, Birmingham is on a desk set (see Cover
Picture EQM 1 1982) consisting of a candlestick letter scale, two inkwells, a pen holder
and a nib deaner, all on a papier mache base. The decorative style of Wharton's
candlestick is very similar to many other un-named examples,which suggests that they all
may have been made by this firm. Alternatively, the desk set may merely have been
,assembled' by Wharton, the scale itself having been made elsewhere, under contract.
(Other, more famous manufacturers are known to have adopted this practice) . The former
idea seems more likely because Thomas Wharton & Sons were listed in trade directories
of 1862 and 1876 as makers of letter scales ( and stationerīs sundries ), at 4 Great
Charles Street, Birmingham. Also, their name was formed integrally with the tube. As the
desk set is the only reported example of a scale bearing Wharton's name, the final
conclusion must await further evidence. In construction, candlestick balances were all
based on a spring compressed within the confines of a slender tube. (Certain extremely
rare varieties used a spring in tension) . The spring was attached to a rod housed in the
centre of the tube, and the rod carried the letter plate above. Some candlesticks bear a
date, but this is not, as may be thought, the day of manufacture, but the date on which
the design was first registered. An early Winfield bore the inscription No.170 JANUARY 13,
1840. The issue of the London Gazette dated 28th December 1839 carried the announcement
that the Penny Post would begin on lOth January 1840, from which lt can be seen how keen
Mr.Winfield was to profit from this new field of endeavour. What makes candlestick scales
so delightful to collect is the fact that each specimen seems to differ slightly from the
next. The materials from which these scales were constructed, also varied, and examples
have been noted in glass, bronze, ivory , silver and brass. The brass was treated in
different ways to give an attractive appearance. Some were simply polished and lacquered,
some had a finish which simulated matt gilding and others were given a brown-black patina
with gold coloured bands. This dark finish was chemically produced and should not be
mistaken for ordinary oxidation. Candlestick scales were mostly free-standing, but a few
were set onto elaborate bases, such as wood and marble, or onto a pen and ink stand. One
example seen had a thermometer attached to the stem (one wonders what purpose was served
by combining these two measuring devices?), and another had a hand- beil set into the
base. These letter scales usually weigh up to 4oz. They also varied considerably in
height. They were as small as 3,5" and one example og this height was made of solid
silver by an unknown American firm. Others were as tall as 15" in the form used for
weighing parcels up to 16oz. The most common size was about 6". EQM 1 1982 Editor Brian Brass
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