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Becker’s Sons Analytical Balance Scale -

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money Start Price:375.00 USD Estimated At:750.00 - 1,800.00 USD
Becker’s Sons Analytical Balance Scale  -
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Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite#309
Reno, NV 89511
Thursday Feb 20th, 10am-6pm
* Preview also available by appointment

Live Auction
Friday & Saturday
Feb 20 & 21, 2014
9am PDT starting time, both days

Location
Atlantis Casino & Resort
Paradise A Room
3800 S. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89502

Lot Pick Up
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite #309
Reno, NV 89511
Sunday February 23rd, 10am-1pm

A fine example of a Becker`s Sons Analytical Balance Scale from the early 1900s. This double-beam, brass pillar analytical balance scale is mounted to a glass platform and glazed mahogany case with sliding front door and drawer, which sticks, that contains 3 weights of the same size, a small wooden tray, and a wooden box. The wooden box (5” x 3.25” x 1.5”) is lined in purple velvet and contains 8 gold gold tone weights (one size 20, two size 10, one size 5, one size 2 and three size 1), a pair of metal handled tweezers with bone tips (one bears a hairline fracture), and a black tray of small metal tags with assorted weight measurements and a crystal lid. The interior of the mahogany and glass case contains a spirit level. The knobs on the case appear to be bone or ivory. The case is marked “BECKER`S SONS/ MADE IN HOLLAND”. The name plate that was once affixed to the sliding lid of the case has been removed. Measures 18.5” x 17” x 9” and includes four screw-on feet to adjust and level the balance. The characters XXXV have been carved into the lip of the slide-out drawer. This balance scale includes the original interior assembly and companion parts. Christopher Becker was one of ten balance manufacturers to begin making assay balances in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Christopher Becker was born at Filsum, near Hannover, Germany in 1803. He attended school in Filsum and became an apprentice to Mr. Humboldt in Hannover. There he acquired the early training that resulted in his becoming an outstanding manufacturer of balances, scales and scientific instruments. Around 1828, he moved to Groningen, The Netherlands where he made many accurate instruments of great variety: airpumps, dividing machines, heliostats, pendulums, and balances. He later moved to Arnhem, The Netherlands where he established an instrument factory in 1836 and became well-known for balances, electrical instruments and barometers. It was in Arnhem that he met and married Louisa J. Marius, which resulted in five sons: Christian (b. August 16, 1844) , Ernst, Jule, Henry and a fifth son whose name is unknown. In 1854 or 1855, the Beckers and four sons emigrated to America, where Christopher began manufacturing nautical and astronomical instruments in an observatory at 54 Columbia St., Brooklyn, New York. After the Civil War in the United States, Christopher, along with his wife and Christian and Ernst, returned to the United States and established a new factory in Hudson City, New Jersey. The other two sons stayed on the continent and established Becker`s Sons in Rotterdam and Delft, Holland and H. L. Becker Fils, in Brussels, Belgium [REF: Shannon, 1999, Christopher Becker and the Becker Companies]. This analytical balance scale was therefore produced by Jule and Henry Becker in Rotterdam, Holland near the turn of the 20th century. - HKA#63005