Old and new. The old one, a No. 2480, was rescued from a scrap metal heap a year or so ago. A little elbow grease, oil and paint, and she was good to go. The dial still turns when weight is placed on the top of the scale. Made by the Pelouze Scale & Mfg. Co. of Chicago, whose founder, W.N. Pelouze, took out a patent in 1898 for the spring mechanism. Pelouze manufactured bow front, dial faced, beam and computing postal scales from the 1890’s into at least the 1940’s. The newer one is marked, "Pelouze Scale Co., A division of Health O Meter Inc., Bridgeview, Ill." It also says, "Made to our exact specifications in China. Dial made in USA." Woo hoo! I can't imagine it being around, let alone still working, a century from now. Pelouze is now a registered trademark of the mighty Rubbermaid Corporation. That says it all.
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| National Geographic, February 1927 |
