These were ‘break down’, portable scales that would travel by wagon to all of the wineries bonded or not. They would weigh a barrel, then add the wine and determine the barrel volume. This determined tax revenue due on each barrel. Uncommon item.

HOWE SCALE CO. Manufactured in Brandon/ Rutland, Vt. This was a bulk weight scale used in agriculture, cattle, mining etc. This beauty came off the historic Sonoma County winery & vineyard property of the Hollis Black Ranch in Cloverdale, California. Founded in the 1880s, the winery produced 80 tons of Zinfandel in 1889. A winery ran on this Sonoma County property till the 1980’s. Exceptional condition for a scale of this date. The columns are cast iron, the scale measures are brass and the platform is wood. Dimensions are 60” W X 67” H X 12” D. The scale had the capacity for weighing 30,000 lb’s of grapes. This scale is circa 1900.