STTERNATIONAL SOCIETY E SCALE COLLECTORS a U Number 73. January, 1997 WELCOME TO 1997! Time does fly, and the new year is well upon us. We greet it with anticipation, and if the past is also a prelude to the future, we look forward to continued growth for our Society and expanded services for our members. And now's an appropriate time to thank our officers for all they're doing to keep ISASC healthy and our constituents happy. Please join me in toasting these dedicated guardians of our past, present and future--vice presidents Bill Doniger, Steve Ginsberg, Jerry Katz, Joe Lenorovitz, and Ruth Willard, and treasurer Jan Macho. Their creed is service to ISASC, and they observe it wonderfully well. WE CAN'T WAIT FOR LOS ANGELES. It's the site, of course, for our 1997 convention, and everything we hear from Joe Lenorovitz, chairman of the event, serves to prime us for the grandest of times. At this writing, the first mailing describing what's in store for you should be in your hands or on its way. But to make doubly sure your calendar does right by you, as soon as you finish reading this Newsletter, set aside the dates of May 15 to May 18 and then look over the enclosed brochure on Downtown Los Angeles for an idea of what awaits you. Joe tells us that he and his committee--Nate Gluck, Jan Macho and Ted Stein—have been busy dreaming up a potpourri of good times, including specialty dining and socializing, visits to unusual places (and scale collections), metrology experts ready to enthrall their audience (us), (over) (2) a silent auction enabling everyone to take home some proud-to-display acquisitions, and above all, a grand feeling of good fellowship. On top of all this, there's the rest of sunny California to enjoy, so set aside several days before and/or after May 15-18 to take in some of the Golden State's attractions. (You have to live there if you want to take in all of them.) And to stress the bargain built into an extended stay, bear in mind that the three days preceding and following the convention—May 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20—are available at the special Omni L.A. Hotel rate of $85 plus tax, or well under $100 per night, single or double. It's simply too good a vacation opportunity to pass up. NOW, FOR YOUR INPUT ON EQM. For the past year or so, we've been telling you about our efforts to make sure EQM brings you what you'd like to know about scales and presents it in a way that makes it very easy to read. Much of what we want to do is being done by Ruth Willard, EQM's Associate Editor, and we continue to owe her our thanks. In addition, we've formed an EQM Review Committee comprising members Norman Cima and Jerry Wilson of our Chapter, and Sheila Holroyd and Garth Taylor as their counterparts in the Euro-Chapter. The Committee decided its first step would be to ask all members for their impression of EQM, and to that end, the Euro- Chapter's committee members have completed a questionnaire mailing to the chapter, received back a good number, and presently are compiling the results for our combined review. Then came our turn to do the same thing, and the Messrs. Cima and Wilson were more than equal to the task. They zealously took on the assignment, and after many hours of each-on-his-own think time, discussion time between the two of them, and consultation time with others, they produced the questionnaire that's included with this mailing (by professional standards, a first-rate job). BUT WE'RE ONLY HALF WAY THERE. Now, it's every member's responsibility to fill out the questionnaire AND mail it back in the enclosed reply envelope. All we're asking is 10 minutes or so of your time and a 32C stamp. (3) In return, you'll enable us to deliver to you four times a year a journal that you're sure to enjoy reading, keep close at hand for reference and research, and one which you can continue to be proud of. Do it now, please, and on behalf of Norm, Jerry, and our membership collectively, thank you in advance for your helping hand. MARKETPLACE. FOR SALE. 15 U.S. postal scales, spring balance type, 1896 to present. Pelouze, IDL, Superior, Triner, etc. Also, banks, pictures, mailboxes, other paraphernalia having to do with post office history. Prices, photos and detailed descriptions available. Call Bob Sweet (New York State) at 518/696-4721. BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND. One of the best books ever on scales is Scales and Weights. A Historical Outline, by the late Bruno Kisch, an eminent metrology scholar previously at Yale University. Alas, it's been out of print for many years, but member Jerry Wilson (he does get around) tells us the book is again available in xero-graphic reproduction through Books on Demand, a division of UMI. It runs 318 pages, is profusely illustrated, and is priced at $90.70 soft cover and $96.70 hard cover, including shipping and handling. Indicate title and name of author when ordering. Major credit cards are accepted. Call toll-free 1-800- 521-3042. JACK BENDER COLLECTION ON DISPLAY. The news release on the next page tells it all. For more than five months, 30 scales from member Jack Bender's collection will be on display at the Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences (New York), along with 16 scales from the New Jersey Museum of Agriculture. It's a metrology bonanza, and if you'd like to see what our members do so well so often, plan to attend. And if you run into Jack, congratulate him for all of us. (over) snas M p H i n R & 1 n <z p for immediate release STATEN ISLAND Contact: Edward Gregory, Asst. VP., Public Information/Marketing INSTITUTE voice: 718/727-1135 x 22: fax: 718/273-5683 OF ARTS & SCIENCES 75 Stuyvesant Place Balancing Form 81 Function New York, 10301-1998 Scales are Celebrated in “History in the Balance” Exhibition Staten Island, NY, January 1997: From utilitarian simplicity to fanciful Victorian splendor, the variety, beauty and function of scales is celebrated in History»in the Balance: Weighing Devices from the Collection of Dr. Jack Bender. On view from January 31 through July 6, 1997, at the Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences, the exhibition not only displays more than a century of scales and balances, but demonstrates the principals of weighing with fun interactive displays. More than 30 scales from the Bender collection will be on view, including a wide variety of weighing devices from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including balances such as the Scales of Justice, three beam balances with sliding weights, spring scales and other variations. They are designed to measure everything from mail, to postage, or maybe luncheon meat. The hand-held assay balance is finely crafted for weighing gem stones. Weights used on fulcrum scales are also included in the exhibition; they are often themselves beautiful objects, such as Dr. Bender’s porcelain weights in the figures of animals. The exhibition will be supplemented by 16 scales from the New Jersey Museum of Agriculture. The oldest of these is a steelyard, an early balance from the 1790s. Others are examples include apothecary balances, egg scales, counter-top scales, and even a large 19th century wagon scale. In addition, a microbalance scale, used for weighing chemicals no heavier than 100 mg., will be exhibited, on loan from Dr. Henry Joshua. Interactive displays of scales will allow children to weigh and balance everything from feathers to Grandma! The principles of weighing are demonstrated with hands-on experiences such as balancing weighing rings, or guessing the weights of objects in jars. A series of scales calibrated to the gravities of various planets in the solar system will demonstrate the effect of gravity on weight. Good news Mom, you're only 21 lbs. on the moon, but uh-oh, on Jupiter, you're 343 lbs. The Staten Island Institute of Arts & Sciences is located at 75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, New York, just two blocks from the Staten Island Ferry. The museum is open daily, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is $2.50, $1.50 students and seniors, and free to members. For further details, please contact the Institute at (718) 727-1135. (5) AND SPEAKING OF PUBLICITY... ...it continues to come our way quite often, due in no small measure to the efforts of a number of our members. The latest instance is the article that follows which appeared in the 1996 November/December issue of Coin Drop International. It describes in glowing terms our New Orleans convention, and was written by Jan Berning, one of our members who, with husband, Bill, is into both the business of scale buying and selling and the hobby of collecting. Nice going, Jan. has Us v Jan Berning On a scale of one to ten, the International Society of Antique Scale Collectors rates a solid 10. If you are inter¬ ested in scales-large, small, store, home or coin-op-the ISASC is the place to be. This year's 18th Annual Convention at the Monteleone Hotel in New Orleans. Louisiana, brought people by plane, auto, van or train from twenty-nine states and three countries, 120 atten¬ dees in all. Collectors of just about every type of scale were represented, including postal, egg, grain, coin-op, coin. gold, dairy and as many other types of scales as you can imagine. They were all packed into the exhibit hall where everybody got a chance to see what other people collected in a hobby as diverse as the many types of scales that have been produced over the years. After the enjoyable city and southern plantation tours, there were scale seminars and slide shows. One event that most members look forward to is the show- and-tell event, as well as the album sharing, where all members are allowed to wish for a scale in another mem¬ ber's collection. Sometimes that leads to buying and sell¬ ing, whereas most times it just leads to wishful thinking. The most anticipated and exciting event was the silent auction in which hundreds of scales and weights were on the block, giving everyone a chance to add a choice scale or artifact to their collection. If you cotton to scales, ISASC may be the thing for you. To get more information about the International Society of Antique Scale Collectors, contact Bob Stein at 176 W. Adams Street. Suite 1706, Chicago. IL 60603. ■ (over) (6) ANOTHER PRICE GUIDE TO STEER YOU RIGHT. Last October, we provided you with a price guide for postal scales and, at the time, we indicated another one on other kinds of scales probably would be coming along. True to our word, here it is, this time compiled by George Mallis (a real do-it-right, do-it-now kind of guy!), and this time covering George's specialty--coin scales and counterfeit coin detectors. Please note the date on it of January, 1997, which you'll want to remind yourself of as time passes. And in that connection, a member pointed out that the price guide for postal scales sent previously was not dated, so we suggest you enter the date of January, 1997, on it, next to the heading so that you can relate the prices to a future time of reference. MISCELLANY ABOUT METROLOGY MATTERS. ** Member Millard Cummins writes to tell us that in late '95 he sold his family-owned firm, Thurman Scale Co. (motor truck and industrial scales since 1948) , to Fairbanks. Which then posed the problem of what to do with his collection of 250 antique scales. Millard's apt solution was to give the collection to Ohio State University (his alma mater), where it will be on display in the Department of Industrial, Welding and Systems Engineering. If you're an Ohioan or Ohio-bound, a visit to see Millard's collection sounds like an ideal side trip. ** Those of us who go way back to when we were just an international Society (no chapters) and convened regularly in Europe will be saddened to learn that charter member Lou Uit den Boogaard of Santpoort-Zuid (The Netherlands) recently passed away. Lou had a truly magnificent collection, with considerable emphasis on postal scales, and over the years EQM carried photo-stories on many scales Lou was so proud of. We extend our condolences to Janny, his wife of many years. (7) ** It appears that an updated and current edition of our EQM Index is about to be published as a result of Diana Crawforth's special talent combined with hard work over a several-year period. The job of compiling, editing and organizing the data has been a huge one, but it looks like we're about to declare "mission accomplished." When we know it's ready and waiting, we'll be back to you with news on how to secure a copy. EURO-CHAPTER MEETING AGAIN BECKONS. We're referring to this coming Spring when the semi-annual Euro-Chapter convention again is a happening. The date is April 13, and this time the venue is the New House Country Hotel in Cardiff, Wales. If you're Europe-bound and have not done Wales, here's your chance to visit it and take in an ISASC convention as well. It's a real double treat, as we see it. For more information, contact Ron Wilkinson, whose address is on the inside front cover of EQM. TIME TO TALK BUSINESS. Last January, the North American Chapter officers met in L.A. to deal with an agenda covering a number of important matters. While much has been accomplished since then, we've seen the need to repeat the practice this year (January 25-26), with an Executive Committee comprising yours truly, Joe Lenorovitz, Jan Macho, and Ruth Willard. To give you an idea of what we'll be discussing, here's our tentative agenda: 1. 1997 Convention/Status 2. New EQM Index/Status, Printing 3. ISASC Infrastructure/Chapter Status 4. Officers and Directors Liability Insurance 5. EQM/Review Committee, Printing Status 6. Upcoming Catalog Reprints 7. Endowment Program/Status (over) (8) 8. Year-End Financial Statement/Format 9. 1998 Convention/Site, Chairperson(s) 10. Operating Manual/Status 11. New Bylaws/Election of New Officers 12. Benefactor Program/Status 13. Dues Increase/Results As is our usual practice, we'll take minutes of the meeting, and in the upcoming April Newsletter we'll include a summary of the proceedings. THAT'S ALL, FOLKS. At least for the time being. Two matters do deserve special mention, though , so here they are: 1. If you haven't paid your 1997 dues, please do so ASAP. Your officers, and especially your treasurer, have much to do these days, and we cannot afford to spend our time or energy as a collection agency. We know you'll do what's right. Thank you. 2. Our library of out-of-print old catalogs continues to grow, and we're presently working on a compilation of several catalogs that will feature scale types and trade names that in many instances may be new to you. More on that later, but meanwhile, enclosed is the current library list which you should review for what you don't have that you should have. Ordering is easy, and a right move. We'll be back to you in April. And as a last-minute reminder, take steps now to reserve your place at our Los Angeles convention May 15-18.