Antique Gurney & Ware Scale

Antique Gurney & Ware Scale

Well, another great find at Barrie Antiques Centre, Innisfil Street. Lorine and I spotted a balance scale with the original decorations and painting, plus the original brass pan and ceramic plate with "Gurney's & Ware, Hamilton" on it. The plate had split down the middle but considering the age of the scale that's not unexpected.

The scale had been assembled incorrectly, I guess by the dealer who had it for sale, but I knew I could fix that at home. Someone at one time had added lead shotgun pellets and old nuts in the well where you unscrew the brass plate (for weight) but you don't see that anyway.

Charles and Edward Gurney arrived in Hamilton, Ontario from Utica New York, in 1842 and became 2 of 3 partners in the Gurney and Carpenter Iron Foundry. Elijah Ware and Edwin Dalley started a commercial scale company in 1856 and in 1885 Dalley sold his share to the Gurney brothers. The company was renamed the Gurney Scale Company (G.S.C.)


...Read more about these early Hamilton industrial establishments

Another Gurneys Antique Scale!

Another Gurneys Antique Scale!

We bought this lovely antique scale recently at a large antique mall near Barrie Ontario. The decals and paint are original and in really good shape so we could not resist! Even the balance plate has original detailing and decals.

We have a fairly large collection of antique scales and it's hard to resist something different or in great condition. This is a Gurneys Scale which adds another one to our collection. Gurneys was based in Hamilton Ontario. In 1856 Elijah W. Ware had established a scale factory in Hamilton and the Gurneys were soon associated with him, forming Gurney, Ware and Company.

Gurneys Antique Scale Ontario

Gurney Antique 16 lb. Scale with porcelain tray. Labelled Gurneys and Ware, Hamilton Ontario. Balance scale, uses counterweights. Red paint with gold, good condition. Gurneys logo painted on metal. Circa 1902-1910

Canadian Scale Makers, (ie: Gurney & Ware, Gurney, C. Wilson, Osborne, Fairbanks, Wm. & J. G. Greey, Burrow Stewart & Milne, Hamilton Scale Company, New Warren Scale Co., Renfrew Scale Co., for example), had to have their products verified prior to sale to merchants.

The stamped verification sequence allows collectors to more accurately date scales and weights. For eg you might see a (crown) with ER over Q, T.18

(crown)ER Edward VII reigns 1902 – 1910

T Toronto

Month Indication Number 18 Month (of a 2 year span) of original verification

Series Letter Q Identifies a 2 year period. 1906 - 1907

Kemp Manufacturing 1867-1911

Some sources Canadian Weights and Measures

We also have in our personal collection scales with the mark

(crown)VR Queen Victoria reign 1837-1901

The 1851 Directory of Ontario shows the following listing under FOUNDRIES AND MACHINISTS

GURNEY & CARPENTER, ironfounders and manufacturers of
threshing machines, castings, machinery, hollow,
copper and tinware, pipe boxes, potash kettles, &c., John st.