Wrought iron slave scale
date: label: Date
content: before 1865
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
notes: label: Description
content: A wood and iron scale used for the weighing of enslaved persons for sale. The scale consists of a wrought iron center fulcrum (.3) on an inverted T-shaped beams, to which was attached a round, wooden weight pan (.1) on one side and a wooden seat (.2) on the other. The scale would have been hooked to an external structure, such as a rafter, using the top of the T-shaped beam and a hook, which can be looped through a chain. The weight pans attach via chains slipped over the W-shaped hooks attached to the ends of the beam. The fulcrum has a folding mechanism between the main beam and the hanging vertical beam, allowing it to be folded down parallel to the main beam. Along the central beam, on either side of the vertical piece, are the marks “A.F.” and “1743” accompanied on either side with a decorative flourish of two parallel lines with a zig-zag line down the center. The number "1743" is repeated on the back of the central beam, likely representing either the year forged or a product number.
label: Description
content: The round wooden weight pan is constructed primarily of three large planks of wood. The underside of the pan has additional pieces of wood that are screwed and glued to the top body for stability. Three heavy wooden chains are screwed into the seat for attaching to the central scale piece.
label: Description
content: The wooden seat is rectangular, constructed primarily of six large pieces of wood. There is a pyramidal backing and two notched arms on either side. Two heavy iron chains attach on either side, as a swing, for attaching to the central scale piece.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Commerce
label: Topic
content: Slave trade
label: Topic
content: Slavery
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Slavery and Freedom Objects
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the DeTurk Family and Thomas Snyder
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2021.5.1-.3
objectType: label: Type
content: scales (weighing devices)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Public domain
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: wood and iron
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (.3 center fulcrum): 36 1/2 × 53 5/8 × 4 3/4 in. (92.7 × 136.2 × 12.1 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (.1 weight pan): 41 1/2 × 19 5/8 × 2 7/8 in. (105.4 × 49.8 × 7.3 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (.2 square seat): 43 5/16 × 24 × 5 in. (110 × 61 × 12.7 cm)