Vintage Purina Advertising Cow Chow Milk Scale

Vintage Purina Advertising Cow Chow Milk Scale

This is a very nice Purina Cow Chow Scale. The brass face has the following lettering:

COW CHOW
Makes More Milk
At Less Cost

Farmer's Milk Scale
Not Legal For Trade

Spring Balanced
to 30 lbs.
Warranted

Don't Guess - Use This
Purina Milk Scale

The company behind the famous checkerboard symbol, Purina Mills, was founded by William H. Danforth in 1894. The Purina Company (originally called the Robinson-Danforth Commission Company) was the result of a partnership which was formed to produce animal feed, and operate a retail feed store.

Purina commissioned numerous products which were given to salesmen, customers and owners of these feed companies, in return for new or enlarged accounts. This was part of the massive advertising technique to develop wholesale and retail accounts from feed stores, feed lots, farms and dairies.

Among the many products produced as incentives were: brass scales for weighing milk, baby chickens, rings, clothespin bags, posters and signs, brass animals, fine art animal paintings, ties, and well-made pocketknives with the famous Purina name and red and white checkerboard overlaid with clear celluloid on the sides of the handles.

I have two of these scales, this one is in the best condition and I'm selling the other one on E-Bay. This one hangs on our sunroom wall with quite a few other steelyard and spring balance scales.

Burrows, Stewart & Milne Scale

Burrows, Stewart & Milne Scale

This is one of my favourite scales in our collection - the red paint is original and you can still see the gorgeous decals and designs.

All the original weights and basket are with this scale. It was made in Hamilton Ontario circa 1870s.

The original founders were William Burrows (born England died Jan 1, 1909 Hamilton) and Charles Stewart (born Oct 14, 1837 N.J. died Oct 8, 1915 Hamilton). Burrows and Stewart established a firm called Hamilton Malleable Iron Works in 1864. In 1867 John C. Milnes joined the firm and rose through the ranks to treasurer and partner in 1872 at which time they changed the name to Burrows, Stewart & Milne Co. Limited.

The original building was first built in 1868 and was expanded sometime in the 1890's. It endured three fires, the last one in 1948.

Burrows Stewart & Milne manufactured stoves, scales, furnaces as well as carriage and saddlery hardware. For sometime, they were the largest manufacturer of curry-combs in the British Empire. In 1868, they employed approximately 30 employees and by 1910 they had over 300 employees.

According to the Hamilton Jewel Cookbook (issued by BS&M) they were the largest makers of gas goods in Canada. "Jewel" was the patented brand name of their stoves. Many of their scales are stamped with "Champion Jewel Scale"

Philipp Jacob Maul Concav Scale

Philipp Jacob Maul Concav Scale

This is a pendulum scale (cast iron) produced by the firm Philipp Jacob Maul of Hamburg in Germany. This firm was established in 1874. In 1943 the factory was bombed and levelled to the ground. The production of scales restarted in 1948. The firm survived until August 1989.

The distinctive Maul logo can be seen on this scale, which I believe is a Heavy Concav Quadrant Letter/Postal Scale. Stamped on the scale is "Voor Huishoudelijk Gebruik" which is Dutch for "For Domestic Use". The enamelled chart is concav positioned and has the CONCAV mark on it along with the Maul logo. It weighs items up to 500 grams, has a zero levelling screw and rotatable legs.