Doe and Hope

Description

A wonderfully evocative piece of every day early twentieth century life, the weighing scales stamped with the iconic Boots logo, and crafted in iron with the original paper faced dial and wicker basket. The condition is generally good, with the only areas to note being a small section of loss to the wicker and a small dint to the side of the iron face.

Salter for Boots built this infant weighing machine around the 1930’s. Jesse Boot, of Nottingham, inherited a combined herbalist and grocer's shop and in 1877 he was a practicing chemist. Then, by 1883 he had ten shops. Brothers Richard and William Salter started making springs in 1760 in Bilston and by the 1920s Salter was manufacturing more than 90% of English balances. The two come together here, in wonderful style.

These scales symbolise a prominent piece of domestic history, and an iconic item whether being used as intended, for a newborn, or merely as a decorative throwback to a bygone era.