Catalogue

 

Square or Rectangular Types

1100fr
1100 Symbols Only
“The Prototype”
Brass – Stamped – 17th to 18th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
I call this set the Prototype because they seem to have arrived on the scene rather suddenly towards the end of the 17th Century. As this was the time when the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries was nearing its period of greatest influence, it is not unreasonable to suppose that the Society was responsible  for these and the next few sets up to 1113. It should be remembered that for much of the 18th Century, the Society held the contract to supply medicinals to the Army and to the Admiralty  and this would have included scales, weights, bandages and all the other necessary items as well as medications.
The earliest of this type had rather  archaic depictions of the Apothecary Symbols and were often stamped with a rose-like sign. Professor Biggs states that ‘this mark…may have some connection with the Apothecaries Company’.
It is also interesting to note that these weights did not really seem to replace anything very specific but suddenly appeared and their use seems to have become quite widespread very quickly.
It also seems that these weights, though the symbols became a little more standardised, were almost the only ones available for the next 100 or so years until the advent of the commercial Scale Companies in the early 19th Century.
See the Article: The Prototypes and the Worshipfull Society of Apothecaries of London

 

1110 Symbols Only Brass – Stamped – 18th to 19th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
I treat this set as the earliest of what may be called the standardised sets and think it may date from the 18th Century. Prof Biggs states that the reverse of the smaller weights may be blank ,  but as I have a complete set,  all  with  blank reverse, I prefer to treat them as a distinct set , which I have provisionally numbered  1110 A  – pending classification by Prof Biggs.

 

1110A Symbols Only – Similar to 1110 Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Blank
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
Similar to Set No.1110 but stamped on one side only.
See note under Set No 1110

 

1111 Script Letters & Symbols Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight

 

1111A Script Lettering On Both Sides Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Reverse: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Spelling: Drams
Notes: This set is not listed by Biggs although I have two weights (1 & 2 Drams) of this description.
I have numbered it set 1111A pending Professor Biggs’ decision.
Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight

 

1111B Script Lettering On one Side Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Reverse: Blank
Spelling: Drams
Notes: This set is not listed by Biggs although I have four weights (½ & 1 Scruple and ½ & 2 Drams) of this description.
I have numbered it set 1111B pending Professor Biggs’ decision.
Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight

 

1112 Script Lettering & Symbols – Modified Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: The Scruple Weights of Set 1111 and Set 1112 would be identical.
Cut roughly square and filed to correct weights.

 

 
1112A Capital Lettering & Symbols – Modified Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in CAPITAL Lettering
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol
Spelling: Drams
Notes:  Cut roughly square and filed to correct weights.

 

1113 Numeral & Capital Letters Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Denomination in Capital Letters
Reverse: Numeral with Denomination in Capital Letters
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight

 

1113B Numeral & Capital Letters -modified Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Numeral with Denomination in Capital Letters
Reverse: Blank
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight

 

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1114 Austerity Type Brass – Stamped – 20th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Numeral & “GRAINS”
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
Probably World War 2 or Post War Austerity Issue.

 

1115 Austerity Type Brass – Stamped – 20th Century
Front: Numeral & “GRAINS”
Reverse: Numeral & “GRAINS”
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
Probably World War 2 or Post War Austerity Issue.

 

1116 Post World War 2 Type Brass – Stamped – 20th Century
Front: Numeral with Unit in words
Reverse: Numeral with Unit in words
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Cut roughly square and filed to correct weight.
Spelling sometimes abbreviated on smaller weights to ‘SCR’ instead of ‘SCRUPLE’

 

Round Brass Types

1120 Symbols & Words Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Numeral with Unit in words
Spelling: Drams
Notes:

 

1121 Uniface with Words & Symbols Brass – Stamped – 19th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol with the Numeral above and the Unit in Words beneath
Reverse: Numeral with Unit in words
Spelling: Drams
Notes:

 

1122 Uniface with Symbols Only Brass – Stamped – 20th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Blank
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Biggs states that these are rare and apparently date mid-20th Century

 

Other Shapes

1130 Rectangular with Concave Edges Brass – Stamped – Late 19th to Early 20th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol
Reverse: Numeral with Unit in Script Lettering
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Biggs states that these were probably made by Day & Millward.
They are rare.

 

1140[1]

1140 Figurative Type Brass – Stamped – Early 20th Century
Front: Made in Shape of Numeral with name of Unit stamped on.
Reverse: Blank
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Patented in 1903 by P. Edwards.
They are rare.

 

Round Die-Struck Weights – Coin Shaped

1220 Avery 1847 Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th Century
Front: A Crown surrounded by lettering “REGISTER MARCH16 1847” & this surrounded by “APOTHECARIES WEIGHT * W & T A”.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Unit in Words above and below
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Crown is omitted on Half & One Scruple Weights.

 

1221 Avery Second Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Unit in Words curved above and “W & T A” below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Unit in Words curved above and “W & T A” below.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Set 1240, manufactured by J.L.B., and Set 1222, made by Hodgson & Stead are copies of this set.
Set 1221 was advertised in Avery’s 1894 Catalogue.

 

1222 H & S Type Brass – Die-Struck – 20th Centuries
Front: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Unit in Words curved above and “H & S” below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Unit in Words curved above and “H & S” below.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: This is a copy of Avery’s Type 1221 but made by Hodgson & Stead which was taken over by Avery in 1913.
Briggs suggests that this set should probably be dated around the time of the take-over.

 

1223 Standard Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: A Crown in Centre with “STANDARD” curved around above and a line ornament below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre with Number in words curved above and denomination in words curved below.
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Maker is unknown.  Set is rare.

 

1224 Rogers First Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: “STANDARD” curved around above a line ornament with “P.ROGERS & CO.” below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre inside a circle with Number in words curved above and Unit in words curved below. With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Set 1224 & Set 1225 differ only in the spelling of ‘Dram’ and ‘Drachm’.    The scruple weights are identical in both sets.
The 2 Dram Weight lacks the inner Circle.

 

1225 Rogers First Type (Modified) Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: “STANDARD” curved around above a line ornament with “P.ROGERS & CO.” below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre inside a circle with Number in words curved above and Unit in words curved below. With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: The 2 Drachm Weight lacks the inner Circle.
Set 1224 & Set 1225 differ only in the spelling of ‘Dram’ and ‘Drachm’.
The scruple weights are identical in both sets.

 

1226 Rogers Birmingham Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: “P. ROGERS” curved around above and “BIRMINGHAM” curved around below with “& CO.” and a line ornament in the centre.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre inside a circle with Number in words curved above and Unit in words curved below.
With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes:

 

1227 Apothecaries Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: A CROWN in centre within a circle, surrounded by “APOTHECARIES WEIGHT”. With a beaded edge.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Number and Unit in words curved around top, and one or more * (stars) curved below.
With a beaded border
Spelling: Drams
Notes:

 

1228 Apothecaries Type (Modified) Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: A CROWN in centre within a circle, surrounded by “APOTHECARIES WEIGHT”.
With a beaded edge.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Number and Unit in words curved around top, and one or more * (stars) curved below.
With a beaded border
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Set 1227 & Set 1228 differ only in the spelling of ‘Dram’ and ‘Drachm’.    The scruple weights are identical in both sets.

 

1229 Double Reverse Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, and one or more * (stars) curved below. With a beaded border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, and one or more * (stars) curved below. With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Both sides are similar to the reverse of Set 1228.

 

1240 JLB Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, with “J.L.B.” below. With a beaded border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, with “J.L.B.” below. With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms and Ounzes
Notes: A copy of Avery’s set 1221.                                                                Quite common and seems to have been used in Household Medicine Kits. Manufacturer is unknown.
This set is unusual in that 4 Drachm and 1 Ounze weights are sometimes seen. Note the unusual spelling of  ‘Ounze’.
They are often rather poorly made.

 

1310 JLB Iron Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries
Front: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, with “J.L.B.” below. With a beaded border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in Centre within a circle with Numeral and Unit in words curved around top, with “J.L.B.” below. With a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Similar to Set 1240 but made of Iron with a silver plating which has usually degenerated to a greater or less extent to a greyish coating.
If in doubt check with a magnet though I have several weights which are not magnetic but seem to be silver coated.
Those sets that are silver plated are usually better finished off than the brass ones of set 1240.

 

Lozenge or Octagonal Types

1250 Avery 1850 Lozenge Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1850
Front: Lion standing on a Crown in Centre with Registration Symbols on either side. “STANDARD” curved around top with “W.& T.A.” below.
All in a beaded border
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words.
All in a beaded border
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Half Dram has no Lion.
One Scruple has neither Lion nor Crown and only one Registration Mark. Half Dram is also found as One & Half Scruples.

 

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1251 Avery 1850 Incuse Diamond Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1850
Front: Lion standing on a Crown in Centre with Registration Symbols on either side. “STANDARD” curved around top with “W.& T.A.” below.
All in a beaded border.
Same as Set 1250 but with the Registration Diamonds stamped on rather than die-struck.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words.
All in a beaded border.
Same as Set 1250.
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Probably an early version of 1250

 

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1252 Avery 1850 “A” Variety Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1850
Front: Lion standing on a Crown in Centre with Registration Symbols on either side. “STANDARD” curved around top with “A” below. All in a beaded border. Same as Set 1250 but with the “W.& T.A.” replaced by “A”
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words. All in a beaded border.  Same as Set 1250
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Probably an early version of 1250

 

1253 JBB Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1850
Front: Lion standing on a Crown in Centre with Roses on either side. “STANDARD” curved around top with “J.B.B.” below. All in a beaded border. Same as Set 1250 but with the Diamond Registration Symbols replaced by Roses.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words. All in a beaded border. Same as Set 1250 except that name of unit is curved below the Apothecary Symbol.
Notes: Manufacturer unknown.                                                                      Very scarce – perhaps because they infringed Avery’s patent and were withdrawn.
The 2 scruple weight (illustrated),  I noticed in an assortment of weights being sold with a scale on eBay – my most recent acquisition.

 

1254 Standard Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1850
Front: “STANDARD” with a simple line decoration above and below. All in a beaded border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words. All in a beaded border.  Same as Set 1250
Spelling: Drams
Notes: Manufacturer unknown but one wonders if JBB replaced Set 1253 with this set.

 

1255 Avery Birmingham Type Brass – Die-Struck – 19th & 20th Centuries – Post 1895
Front: “LIMITED” across the middle with “W.& T.AVERY” curved above and “BIRMINGHAM” curved below. All in a beaded border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with Number above and Unit below – both in words. All in a beaded border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: Avery became a Limited Company in 1895 which helps date this set.
I have 3 gilt or gold plated weights of this set which I have not seen mentioned elsewhere

 

1256 W & T Avery Type Brass – Die-Struck –Pre 1895
Front: Numeral in Centre with “W & T AVERY” above & Unit in words below.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in centre with “W & T AVERY” above.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: No beaded borders.

 

1257 Avery – First ‘Grains’ Type Brass – Die-Struck – Post 1895
Front: Numeral in Centre with “W & T AVERY LD” above & Unit in words below.
Reverse: Numeral in Centre with “W & T AVERY LD” above & “GRAINS” below.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: There is no LD” on front of smaller weights and whole name is omitted on reverse. No beaded borders.

 

1257A Avery – First ‘Grains’ Type – Variety: Double Grains Brass – Die-Struck – Post 1911
Front: Numeral in Centre with “W & T AVERY LD” above & “GRAINS” below.
Reverse: Numeral in Centre with “W & T AVERY LD” above & “GRAINS” below.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: There is no LD” on front of smaller weights and whole name is omitted on reverse.                                                                                                No beaded borders.                                                                            Professor Biggs does not list this as an Apothecaries set, but as the denominations are the same as a scruple and drachm set, I think they should be listed as apothecaries weights .  If they were a pennyweight set they would be 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 grains respectively.

 

1258 Avery Second ‘Grains’ Type Brass – Lozenge Shaped – Die-Struck – Pre 1895
Front: Numeral  above & “GRAINS” below
Reverse: Numeral in Centre with “AVERY” above & Unit in words below
Spelling: Drachms
Notes:

 

1258A Avery Second ‘Grains’ Type Brass – Lozenge Shaped – Die-Struck – Pre 1895
Front: “AVERY” above Numeral  & “GRAINS” below
Reverse: “AVERY” above Numeral  & “GRAINS” below
Spelling: N/A
Notes:  Prof Biggs does not list this set as an apothecary weight but as a pennyweight set (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 pennyweights) would be 24, 48, 72, 96, 120 grains respectively.

 

Square Die-Cast Types

1280 Symbols Only Type Brass – Square – Die-Struck – Late 19th Century
Front: Apothecary Symbol in a field with a raised border
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in a field with a raised border
Notes: Made from finished flans with rounded edges.

 

1285 Words & Symbols Brass – Square – Die-Struck – Post c.1920
Front: Numeral above the Unit in words curved below.
All in a field with a raised border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in a field with a raised border.
Spelling: Drachms
Notes: My boxed set is labelled “H.M.Stanley Ltd., Burgess Hill, Sussex”.
Made from finished flans with rounded edges.

 

1290 Grains & Symbols Type Brass – Square – Die-Struck
Front: Numeral above “GRAINS” curved below.
All in a field with a raised border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in a field with a raised border.
Notes: Made from finished flans with rounded edges.

 

1291 Grains & Symbols Type – Unfinished Flans Brass – Square – Die-Struck
Front: Numeral above “GRAINS” curved below.
All in a field with a raised border.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol in a field with a raised border.
Notes: Made from rough-cut unfinished flans.
Similar to Set No. 1290

 

Box 3d - V2
1300 Aluminium Type Square cuboidal blocks with bevelled edges
Front: Apothecary Symbol stamped on.
Reverse: Apothecary Symbol stamped on.
Notes: Biggs states that they are often seen with London verification marks from the 1920’s.
My set was a kind gift from Tom Wood.

 

     
 
 
 
 

 

Grain Weights

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2460 GRAIN WEIGHTS
ANNULETS with a Crowned “I” or “C”
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.  17th Century
Front: Stamped with a number of dots or Annulets to indicate the number of Grains.
Notes: Professor Biggs states that these have been found with the marks of James I and Charles II which would date them between 1603 – 1625 (James) and 1625-1649 (Charles).
NB:  Crowned “I” is James because there is no J in Latin.

 

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2470 GRAIN WEIGHTS ANNULETS  with various Countermarks  Stamped on thin sheet Brass.  18th & 19th Century
Front: Stamped with a number of dots or Annulets to indicate the number of Grains.
Notes: Prof Biggs states that Lions and Crowns are common

 

2490 GRAIN WEIGHTS   ANNULETS  with no Countermarks  Stamped on thin sheet Brass.  18th & 19th Century
Front: Stamped with a number of dots or Annulets to indicate the number of Grains.
Notes:

 

2660
Front:
Notes:

 

2662 GRAIN WEIGHTS
AVERY’S GEOMETRICAL (OR) ANGULAR SHAPES
Made from thin sheet brass
Front: Based on the geometrical shapes used for wire weights. See Set 2690. The number of segments equals the number of grains.
Notes: Professor Biggs says they are not later than 1883 because they have a diamond registration mark, but they are listed in Avery’s 1894 Catalogue as “the New Angular Grain Weight”
Mine have Queen Victoria Registration marks but no dates

 

2680 GRAIN WEIGHTS
NUMERAL ONLY
 Stamped on thin sheet Brass. Late 19th & early 20th Century
Front:  These were stamped with Numeral only – no words
Notes:  There are many varieties

 

2688 GRAIN WEIGHTS
FIGURATIVE 
Cut out of thin Aluminium Sheet. Late 19th Century.
Front: Cut out of thin Aluminium Sheet in the form of the Numeral
Notes: Mine are variously dated from 1918 (George V) to 1948 (George VI)

 

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2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var:  “GRS” 
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.
Late 19th & early 20th Century
 Front:  Stamped with the numeral & “GRS”
 Notes:

 

2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var: “GRAINS” 
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.
Late 19th & early 20th Century
Front: Stamped with the Numeral and “GRAINS” – capital letters and sans serifs
Notes: There are many varieties.The smaller Weights are sometimes abbreviated to GR or GRS.

 

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2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var:  “Grains”
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.
Late 19th & early 20th Century
Front:  Stamped with the Numeral and “Grains” with an initial Capital letter and with serifs
Notes:

 

2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var:    curved
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.Late 19th & early 20th Century
Front: Stamped with the Numeral and “GRAINS curved – Capital Letters and sans serif
Notes:

 

2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
var: Script “Grains”
Stamped on thin sheet Brass.Late 19th & early 20th Century
Front: Stamped with the Numeral and “Grains”  – in Cursive Script Letters
Notes:

 

2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var: “GR”
 Stamped on thin sheet Brass.Late 19t & early 20th Century
Front:  Stamped with the numeral and “GR” – capital letters and sans serif
Notes:  They are many varieties

 

2670 GRAIN WEIGHTS
Var:   “GRAINS” in relief
 Stamped on thin sheet Brass.Late 19t & early 20th Century
Front: Stamped in relief with the numeral and “GRAINS” – capital letters and sans serifs
Notes: These were stamped from the reverse side so that the wording was in relief