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San Francisco,CA - c1850s - Miners Bullion Scale - Henry Troemner Co. :

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Scales Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
San Francisco,CA - c1850s - Miners Bullion Scale - Henry Troemner Co. :
"The Troemner family is an old ancestral line of Germany. . . . It is thought that Henry, together with his brother John, arrived in Port of New York on or about May 18, 1832. One source indicates F. Meyer accompanied them to the United States. . ." [Shannon, 1999, 102].

Troemner's friendship with F. Meyer resulted in their going into business in April 1840 as F. Meyer & Company with offices of Decatur Street (now Marshall St.). Records show the company made 'prescription, jewelers and grocer's scales and weights.' After several years, Troemner became the successor to this business and although the name did not change, perhaps this may have been the start of the Troemner Balance Company. Sometime around 1844, he decided to stablish his own scale and balance manufacturing business and his name appears in the 1844 Philadelphia Business Directory as a scale manufacturer. It is believed he established his first office with $500 he had saved. His first factory was located at 196 High Street where he remained until 1853, when he moved to 240 Market Street. At this time he employed three men and during the year produced goods with a value of about $5000. . . .

Not long thereafter, he received a contract to make the balances for the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia; he performed his work so satisfactorily that he was able to continue making bullion balances for the Treasury Department. In 1857 he constructed all the balances, weights, etc., required for the U.S. Mint, Custom Houses, and Repositories and several scales for the Mexican Mint. Some of the balances made for the Assay Office in New York, and for the Branch Mint of San Francisco, cost as much as $1,000, and one made several years prior cost $1,250. Besides balances like these, which must turn with a thousandth part of a grain, Mr. Troemner constructs Patent Balances that will weigh twelve ton [excerpted from Shannon, The Assay Balance, 1999, 103].

Two additional items are also included with this lot: a copper pan for weighing dust and nuggets. Thirty cm long x 17cm at its widest point x 8cm high. Second item is a solid mahogany nest for holding weights 13" long x 2-5" wide x 4" high. Nine holes that are sized for larger weights approximately from 1/2 oz up to ten pounds. A set of weights is also included. A contemporary to the era brass plumbob was in one of the scale weight openings. Base of scale is 31" long x 13" wide x 3 1/2" high. Overall height is 31", balance arm is 24" long. Condition average wear.