In the last post I wrote about Mordan Scales, and how the letter rates are often engraved on the letter pan. These letter rates can be of great help in dating the scales. This table has the postage Rate for Great Britain from 1839 up to 1940
5th December 1839 – 9th October 1840
½ oz. 4d
1 oz. 8d
2 oz. 1s 4d
3 oz. 2s 0d
Then 8d per oz. up to 16 oz.
10th October 1840 – 31st March 1865
½ oz. 1d
1 oz. 2d
2 oz. 4d
3 oz. 6d
Then 2d per oz. up to 16 oz.
1st April 1865 – 4th October 1871
½ oz. 1d
1 oz. 2d
1 ½ oz. 3d
2 oz. 4d
3 oz. 6d
Then 1d per ½ oz.
5th October 1871 – 30th June 1885
1 oz. 1d
2 oz. 1 ½d
4 oz. 2d
6 oz. 2 ½d
Then ½ d per 2 oz. upto 12 oz., then 1d per oz.
1st July 1885 – 21st June 1897
1 oz. 1d
2 oz. 1 ½d
4 oz. 2d
6 oz. 2 ½d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
22nd June 1897 – 30th October 1915
4 oz. 1d
6 oz. 1 ½d
8 oz. 2d
10 oz. 2 ½d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
1st November 1915 – 2nd June 1918
1 oz. 1d
2 oz. 2d
4 oz. 2½d
6 oz. 3d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
3rd June 1918 – 31st May 1920
3 oz. 2d
4 oz. 2½d
5 oz. 3d
6 oz. 3 ½d
Then ½ d per 2 oz
1st June 1920 – 28th May 1922
1 oz. 1½d
3 oz. 2d
4 oz. 2½d
5 oz. 3d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
29th May 1922 – 13th May 1923
1 oz. 1 ½d
3 oz. 2d
4 oz. 2 ½d
5 oz. 3d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
14th May 1923 – 1st May 1940
3 oz. 2d
4 oz. 2½d
5 oz. 3d
6 oz. 3 ½d
Then ½ d per 2 oz.
Source: Handbook of Old Weighing Instruments by Michael Crawford published by the International Society of Antique Scale Collectors in 1984
