C.O.C.A. Times

Peerless Aristocrat Junior Scale,
ca. 1925
by Jim and Merlyn Collings
This handsome scale was actually
created and made by the Caille Bros.
Scale Co. Located in Detroit,
Michigan (photo 1). The Peerless
Weighing Machine co. distributed,
maintained , and marketed the
Aristocrat Jr. after buying them from
Caille Bros. This arrangement was
beneficial in competing with the
National, Toledo and Watling Scale
companies. The Peerless scale routes
were operated throughout the U.S.
Peerless became Caille Bros. No. 1
customer.
Caille Bros. provided the
Peerless Weighing Machine
Co. with 3 popular scales.
The first of these was known
as the Aristocrat, made in
1916. (photo 2). This model
had a more elevated base, a
fluted rounded column with
a shield saying "Did You
Weigh Yourself Today" and
offered free weigh to any
child under 40 lbs. The
porcelain came in white, red
or blue.
In 1921 the Aristocrat
Deluxe was sold to Peerless
having some subtle changes.
The base was made thinner
and the balance mechanism
was visible on the face of
the scale (photo 3).
The Aristocrat Jr. was
conceived around 1925. It
has the characteristics of the
earlier "lollipop" scales
made by Watling and Toledo
Scale co. The resemblance
to the Caille Washington scale and the National
Normandy chime scale with its' mir-
rored rectangul ar column is evident.
The Aristocrat Jr. illustrates how
earlier scale components can be
blended together (see photo l
again). The Peerless Aristocrat Jr 's
mirrored column has the word
"Peerless" etched diagonally on it
(photo 4 ). Each letter is 2 inches
high and on each side of the mirror
are etched art-deco 1 i nes. Also
etched at the bottom of the mirror
are the words "Weighing and
Vending Machine Corp. New York"
Peerless managed to get their name on the scale
even though Caille Bros. had created it.
The Aristocrat Jr. measures
71 inches in height. The diame-
ter of the head is 18 inches.On
its' face the words "Honest
Weight One Cent" appear in the
top portion of the large mirror
(photo 5). Unlike earlier models
the Aristocrat Jr. used mirrored surfaces during the
roaring 20's. The nickname "Mirror" was given to
the Aristocrat Jr. The rectangular column has a
depth of only 2-1/4 inches making it a real space
saver. Near the bottom of the column is an emblem
which reads "Peerless Weighing
Machine Company Detroit"
(photo 6) adjacent to the emblem
on the right side of the column is
the porcelain cash door. The foot
plate measures 12 inches by 20
inches having an attractive tiled
design of blue, brown, white and ~
green colors similar to the Caille
Washington scale. This is the thinner sized foot
plate which was also used on the Aristocrat Deluxe
made a few years earlier.
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