Chinese Gold Scale

Chinese Gold Scale

<< >>
Usage conditions apply
Downloads
Description
This portable scale was made by Chen Shengtai in Guangdong Province, China, during the mid-1800s. The California gold rush prompted thousands of Chinese laborers to seek their fortune, and many brought their own weights and scales with them. This scale is a steelyard-type balance that uses a pivot point and counterweight moved along the arm on the arm to weigh the substance on the pan. It consists of a rod marked with several weight points, several pivot points to hold on to, a counterweight to move along the rod, and a pan attached to the rod with four strings. The scale could be disassembled and stored inside a small, wooden, paddle-shaped case.
Object Name
scale, gold
date made
1840 - 1860
place made
China
location where used
United States: California
Physical Description
fiber (overall material)
ink (overall material)
ivory (overall material)
brass (overall material)
Measurements
overall-case: 15 in x 3 in x 1 1/4 in; 38.1 cm x 7.62 cm x 3.175 cm
overall-scale: 14 in x 1/4 in; 35.56 cm x.635 cm
ID Number
CL.65.1373
accession number
280280
catalog number
65.1373
See more items in
Work and Industry: Occupations
Cultures & Communities
Work
American Enterprise
Exhibition
American Enterprise
Exhibition Location
National Museum of American History
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Nominate this object for photography.   

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.

Note: Comment submission is temporarily unavailable while we make improvements to the site. We apologize for the interruption. If you have a question relating to the museum's collections, please first check our Collections FAQ. If you require a personal response, please use our Contact page.