The "Fair-Weigh" Golf Scale
c.1920
by Jim and Merlyn Collings
This very rare novelty golf scale was manufactured
by the Colonial Scale Co. of Boston, Mass. An ear-
lier arcade scale with a "strength" lifter was made
by the same company (see Vol. 1, Issue 1 of
C.O.C.A. Times). There are only two of these golf
scales known. There were possibly less than twenty
of these scales made.
arcade owner probably added these columns to fit
the decor of the arcade, or to hang hats and coats on
while weighing or playing the golf game. Chris
Steele remarked that sometimes people would play
the golf game only, by putting their foot on and off
the footplate thus avoiding the weighing process.
On the very top of the "Fair-
Weigh" Golf Scale, owned by Bill
Howard, the marquee has a series
of small oval aluminum "golf
balls." Directly below this marquee
is the coin entry. The golf scale is
made mostly of a cream colored
painted wood that has red and
black pin striping. The base has
white porcelain with a tiled foot-
plate (photo 2). The front door
swings open on hinges only when
four inconspicuous bolts on the left
side, are loosened with a special ~~==~~~
wrench, used as a key. The
Colonial Scale Co. also used this locking device on
their earlier "Lifter" Scale as mentioned in Vol. 1 of
C.O.C.A . Times.
~ - - - - - ~ The upper portion of the Fair-
,. Weigh Scale gives instructions
on the reverse on glass mirror
and it reads: "weigh in privacy
on this scale no one can see
weight but yourself' (photo 3).
This is mentioned twice protect-
ing the privacy of the user. Once
the coin is inserted the pointer
.__ _ _ _ _ _ _, remains stationary and a metal
crescent shape shield drops down revealing the
actual weight. The patron's body also helps block
any on-lookers from seeing his or her weight.
Apparently vanity and privacy became an "issue"
during the roaring twenties. Once the patron steps
down from the platform the shield returns to the
original position and the penny continues to fall to
the lower portion where the fairway is located.
Bill Howard, a prominent col-
lector and friend, owns one of
two original golf scales that
have shown up (pictured here,
photo 1). This scale was vend-
ed several years ago at the Fox
Theatre in downtown Detroit,
Mich. The scale was used in
the lower level lounge area of
this elegant theatre. When slot
machines and other gambling
devices and chance machines
were being destroyed, this
scale somehow survived. A fel-
low collector purchased this
scale from the Fox Theatre. It
~ - - - - - ~ was then sold to Marvin
Yagoda of Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical
Museum. After owning the scale for a few years,
Marvin sold it to Gerald "Red" Meade of Burbank,
CA. "Red" often remarked that this was one of his
favorite scales. The scale was purchased at auction
by Bill Howard from the collection of the late
"Red" Meade.
The other "Fair-Weigh" Golf Scale is in the AMER-
ICAN
COIN-OPERATED
WEIGHING
MACHINE COLLECTION of Christopher Steele
in Central, Ohio. This handsome scale was vended
in an arcade located in the upper midwest. The scale
is in fine working condition having a carved wood-
en marquee of semi-circles resembling a series of
golf balls. On each side of the scale is an ornate
"twisted rope-like" 4 foot column. The former
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