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Thursday, July 25, 2013

WEIGHTY MATTERS

I see these American Family Kitchen Scales all over blogland.  Plus, there is a plethora of them on google images, ebay, and pinterest.  Judging on the numbers that have survived, every housewife in the mid-20th century must have had one in her kitchen!
What am I missing here?  I've been married (and cooking) for almost 55 years, and have never had a need to weigh anything in my kitchen.
I don't have a clue what everyone was weighing?
So, why do I have one of these scales?  Several years ago when my Mother-in-law was downsizing, Bob brought this scale home to me.  Evidently my Mother-in-law was through weighing whatever it was that she was weighing!  Now what was I suppose to weigh?
Cans of tomatoes?  It already says on the can what they weigh.   So, that wasn't it!
This one is a lovely shade of green -- some call it Jadite green. In the quilt world, we call it "THAT" green indicative of the 
shade of green fabric often used in 1930s quilts.
Maybe when I was young, I should have invested my change in American Family Scale Company -- then now I would be a millionaire, and could buy vintage kitchen scales and have a true collection. 
These scales really are rather endearing though, aren't they? 

  In the meantime, I'm still trying to figure out what to weigh on mine.
I'm joining the following parties:
Pieced Pastimes for Saturday Sparks
Creative Home Expressions for The Creative Home and Garden Hop Sunday
Sunday View for Vintage View Sunday
Creatively Living for Monday Funday
Better With Age for Give Me The Goods Monday
A Stroll Thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday
Knick of Time for Knick of Time Vintage Tuesday
Ivy and Elephants for What's It Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Common Ground for Be Inspired Friday

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20 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 25, 2013 at 3:37 PM

    I don't remember weighing anything, way back when, nor do I remember Mother or Granny weighing anything. There was a scale in the barn, perhaps for weighing...what? I don't know...it had a hook and hung from the rafters.

    I had one of those scales, like yours, at the farm...just because...not for weighing anything. It disappeared about the time we moved. J was giving stuff away like nobody's business! Guess that is what happened to my scale...went to a friend along with a lot of other stuff.

    I like your green scale. Mine wasn't as pretty.

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  2. MarilynJuly 25, 2013 at 3:57 PM

    Never had one at our house when I was growing up. Some English recipe measure ingredients in grams, but this seems rather large for that. Maybe they weighed the babies in the house?!♥♫

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  3. NanaDianaJuly 25, 2013 at 8:35 PM

    I love that old scale. My mother had one that she "purchased" with S&H green stamps. It sat on her counter for years. xo Diana

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  4. Ceekay-THINKIN of HOMEJuly 25, 2013 at 8:50 PM

    Ok....I got this. Baking is not supposed to be measured like cooking...it is supposed to be by grams. That is why kitchens had scales....It is supposed to give you a better texture in the batters!

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  5. Gail @ http://biblelovenotes.comJuly 27, 2013 at 5:59 PM

    I never thought about what housewives were weighing : )
    But I think the scales are a neat piece of nostalgia.

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  6. Tea in the LibraryJuly 28, 2013 at 7:25 AM

    Baking & canning! Great pics, fun post! Visiting from CE Blog hop. Angels to ya!

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  7. Okio B DesignsJuly 28, 2013 at 7:52 AM

    Ha! Great post! I just found my 5th scale at a garage sale. I use them to display cloches and such. I never really sat down and thought about what they weighed back in the day.

    Jeanine

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  8. thepaintedapron.comJuly 29, 2013 at 4:38 PM

    haha, I have been thinking, I guess I need a scale, everyone has one! Thanks for saving me from cluttering my counter! Yours does look really cute though!
    Jenna

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  9. Marty@A Stroll Thru LifeJuly 29, 2013 at 4:39 PM

    Love your scales and such a cute post. You are so clever. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me. Hugs, Marty

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  10. sweet violetsJuly 29, 2013 at 10:25 PM

    I have that same scale and bought it brand new at JCPenny's about 1972 I think.....part of the country look at the time. I still love it, I weighed fruit for canning on it. My mom always used the scale for baking and for home made pasta....needed to know how much equaled one pound. Also for pound cake, each ingredient had to weigh one pound. I have cookie recipes that call for one pound of eggs!!! One calls for one pound of brown sugar......those were the days!!!

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  11. amy of studio four cornersJuly 30, 2013 at 6:10 PM

    can't believe what good condition your scale is in...I have a scale in my office...it holds a lovely set of old books and a French postcard...and in a pinch can weigh a package before I head out to the post office...stopping over from Knick of Time...

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  12. AnonymousJuly 31, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    Love the post Sally! I use my scale, or rather used to all the time when I canned in large quantities!

    I have been on bear watch for the past few weeks. Witht the fire a few weeks ago which has caused bears to come into town and they are trying to get to my honey. Am hoping to harvest the large hive which has about 60 lbs. this weekend. I hope he doesn't get in to the hive before I have time to harvest!

    bee blessed
    mary

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  13. UnknownAugust 1, 2013 at 12:25 AM

    Pretty funny and a lovely little scale! I love the green! Thank you for sharing at Give Me The Goods!

    Amber@ Dimples & Pig Tales

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  14. AnonymousAugust 1, 2013 at 9:45 AM

    Good question! I see good answers in the comments, though. We almost bought an old scale the other day, but house is too full now! Great photos and styling.

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  15. SarahAugust 1, 2013 at 12:31 PM

    You have a beauty, and it has a family history.
    Interesting question. My husband who is much more of a serious cook than I am, actually uses a scale frequently. I suppose it is more scientific than using a measure. What ever the reason, it's nice that there are so many pretty ones around.

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  16. Little Susie Home MakerAugust 1, 2013 at 11:03 PM

    Haha! You are so funny. Because you are so right! What do you really need to weigh! Love you scale, just as charming as all the others I have seen. Now, you know, I still need one!
    Blessings
    Susie

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  17. Laura TurnerAugust 3, 2013 at 11:12 AM

    I HAVE one of those scales! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! It was given to me by a distant relative who was from Iowa. It's more of a turquoise color. When was turquoise popular? Such a clever, clever post. Enjoyed it so much! Thank you for joining inspired Sunday.

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  18. Art and SandAugust 3, 2013 at 11:47 AM

    I never thought about it, but I never saw my mother or grandmothers using scales. But, I had to have one. It was dull gray, but I painted it red.

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  19. Mary SmithAugust 4, 2013 at 6:17 AM

    It looks really cool! The only reason I use a scale for at the moment(and it's digital) is to measure out sprout seeds for resale.

    Thanks for sharing at the Creative Home & Garden Hop. Looking forward to seeing what you share this week.

    http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-creative-home-garden-hop-3.html

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  20. Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. OlsonAugust 4, 2013 at 3:28 PM

    Oh you made me laugh Sally. I too have never found the need to weigh anything. Especially not this body! lol! That didn't stop me from loving these scales. I have three and two vintage baby scales. I would have a hard time passing up another if it was quite different than what I have. The only thing I can think they might have weighed is their garden produce. Still, not sure! I know what 'that' green is and I love it! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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