Post Office ordered 3,000 postal scales in various capacities E & T Fairbanks & Company filled the order in just eight days.īy 1882, more than 80,000 Fairbanks scales were produced annually. In 1867, Fairbanks produced 4,000 scales a month. In fact, European sales grew to such an extent that Fairbanks established a facility in Budapest to assemble scales. In 1860, the Vermont-based company sold scales throughout the Caribbean, South America, India and Russia. Two years later, Joseph Fairbanks began selling scales to Cuba. Poole and Sons in England in the 1830s, thus creating an international marketing niche. Thaddeus sold the manufacturing rights to H. The modest one-building operation expanded to 40 buildings with more than 20 acres (81,000 m2) of floor space by 1910.Į & T Fairbanks & Company offices opened in the cities of Boston and New York in the 1870s. Erastus and Thaddeus were now joined by their younger brother, Joseph. In 1830, Thaddeus built his first real scale and applied for a patent.īy the time of the Civil War, Fairbanks' scales were the best known American product in the world. Now his scale was not only accurate, but very stable. By adding two short levers to his long ones, he established support points at all four corners of the platform. Although achieving accurate weighing results, instability of the design was troubling. In his first design, Thaddeus rested a platform on two long levers which were connected to a steelyard, upon which the counterbalance was placed. This modification ended the task of having to hoist the entire load. He then dug a pit for his lever design, placing the platform level with the ground. Through an arrangement of levers, Thaddeus Fairbanks was able to tremendously reduce the amount of weight needed to counter-balance a load. Thaddeus attempted to produce a competitive device. The brothers believed that the weighing systems of the time yielded inaccurate results. In 1824, Erastus joined Thaddeus to form the E & T Fairbanks Company in St.
He built a foundry in 1823 to manufacture two of his inventions - the cast iron plow and a stove. It sells precision and bench scales, heavy capacity truck scales, and railroad track scales. It maintains service centers, distributors and sales offices in 49 states and in over 25 countries. Today, Fairbanks employs over 500 employees nationwide. Two brothers, Thaddeus and Erastus Fairbanks founded the Fairbanks Scales manufacturing company in 1830 in St. This is great for a barn, a workshop or a 'man cave'. It is still accurate as all the parts are accounted for and the mechanism are not bent. The grain scale is in fantastic condition and mounts on the wall. I would love to see it go to the right individual that will cherish the rich history.
I bought it from a great gentleman who recently retired but realized it was too big for my use. I have a large 'Fairbanks' Grain Scale that was used at a feed store in Ohio many years ago. Antiques and Curiosities(478) » Militaria(109) » Collectibles(1542) » Recycled & Repurposed Antiques(8) » Folk Art(83) » Antique Religious Items(550) » Art Deco(1510) » Nautical Antiques(215) » Antique Hardware & Supplies(1497) » Retro 60's, 70's, 80's(223) » Vintage Items(1075) » Antique Furniture(10182) » Memorabilia(245) » Antique Glass (3698) » Antique and Vintage Jewelry(6994) » Art (paintings, prints, frames)(10993) » Antique Lamps and Lighting(4366) » Antique Paper Items(2912) » Antique Textiles(1441) » Antique Garden & Architectural(1266) » Decorative Interior(6207) » Antique Silver(2411) » Antique Toys(851) » Antique Clocks(681) » Antique Books & Manuscripts(2156) » Antique Coins(6631) » Antique Porcelain & Pottery(10946) » Reproductions(669) » Sculpture(425) » Antique & Vintage Kitchen items(858) » Antique Rugs(1690) » Music & Instruments(398) » Antiquities(13230) » Photography(1123) » Antique Arms and Armor(315) » Instruments and Implements(2330) » Asian Antiques(2788) » Mid Century Modern(487) » Regional & Ethnic Antiques(1168) » Misc.