A quite rare iron Fairbanks size 12 set of scales in beautiful original condition with still some very charming traces of gold and orange/red painted decoration.
The scales work making it a useful and very decorative item.
Fairbanks Scales is one of the oldest US industrial manufacturing companies founded in 1823 in Vermont and soon expanded to have officies in Boston and New York. In 1830 they had the foresight to sell manufacturing rights to H. Poole and Sons in England (Liverpool and then Birmingham) in the 1830s.
We believe this set of scales were produced in Birmingham in the 1870's.