Weights
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Glasgow Museums has a collection in excess of 300 measuring weights, together with scales, and weighing beams which date from the 16th century to the 20th century. This collection is relevant to Scotland through use and manufacture, and correspond to a wide variety of professionals such as tradesmen, shopkeepers, apothecaries and surgeons as well as government bodies such as customs officials, and burgh government. Some weights carry the names of sovereigns, such as the 18th century monarch, Queen Anne, or names of burghs for which sets of weights were bought such as Glasgow,Govan, Gorbals, Calton and Greenock nearby Glasgow as well as Aberdeen, Banff, and Harris further afield. Commonly, sets of these types of weights were made of brass, and kept in boxes. However, some older weights are made of gun metal and stone. The collections of weights are relevant to Scottish government, rural life and banking in that they were used to assess wealth, crops and monetary values. Weights were regularly inspected and checked by calibration officers and customs and excise officers who then stamped the weights with date marks to verify that they were accurate and usable. The provenance of the collection, starting in 1882 to 2007 indicates that Glasgow Museums has had a consistent interest in collecting and displaying weights.
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