How to Collect Vintage Scales
Step up your vintage collection game with antique scales.
My dad collected vintage scales for years. His collection consisted of nearly 100 scales! I bought my first scale on a flea-market trip with my father at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Los Angeles. He spent the entire day showing me the different scales, helping me understand their value and identifying the importance of the weights that come with a scale.
Finding Vintage Scales
Vintage scales come in every shape and size and are often made out of metal and ceramic. My dad had scales that weighed eggs, coins, postage, gold, medicine, meat and butter, to name a few.
It was on that same flea-market shopping day with my dad that I saw my first Dayton scale. The significance was huge, because I was born in Dayton, Ohio. A few years later, my parents surprised me on my birthday with a gorgeous Dayton scale. My father said it took him a few years to find just the right one.
When my parents downsized their home a few years ago, my dad asked each of his five children to pick out some of his vintage scales. I always loved the brass scale with the candle that was in their entry room. It now sits in our entry room too.
Vintage scales can be found for a few dollars or up to hundreds of dollars. I always suggest you collect what you love. Don’t get caught up in the expensive brands, but find out what the scale was used for and start collecting what you like. Vintage scales are so unique and different, and I love that each and every one of them reminds me of my dad.
Insider’s Guide
Availability: Readily available
Best Places to Score: Flea markets, antiques shops, estate sales
Average Price Range: $5–$500, depending on the brand, condition, quality and seller
Looking for more vintage collecting advice? Read about Collecting Vintage Signs. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!
