As luck would have it, during my travels I was able to find this unique small animal yoke. I immediately thought of using this as a primitive scale and with a little ingenuity and imagination well…here is the end result!
This hanging scale is a nice small size and promises not to overpower your kitchen or Dining room but will lend plenty of interest and charm. The form could not be more primitive and this piece is one of a kind.
The yoke is in good condition and has an old piece of wood running through the middle that still has pieces of luscious bark on it. There are several holes in the wood however there are no traces of any insects as this happened long ago. Very well seasoned dark patina can be found on the iron hook and hanging counterpart and desirable square nails were used to keep the iron in place as shown in image 2.
Two shallow gourd bowls were used to act as weighing pans and grace both the right and left side of the yoke. I chose these for the wonderful mottled surface and primitive color elements I wanted to incorporate with the overall look. See images 12, 15 & 19. These bowls (pans) can be filled with interesting items such as fresh string beans (as pictured in image 5), pumpkins, pomegranates, early peas, lemons or apples creating charming results. If one gourd pan is filled more than the other this will create an offset balance that also renders a remarkable look.
Each gourd bowl acting as a pan was drilled to accommodate old sisal rope that was wrapped around wire to keep the bowls in a "taught" position (without sagging). The left side of the bowl has two pegs on either side fashioned from small twigs that were inserted in the holes near the top edge as shown in images 16, 17 & 18. Why, you ask….just to be different by adding another unique feature.
Old heavy gauge wire securely located in the middle of the wood acts as a hanger and is positioned correctly so the gourd bowl pans are balanced properly. This scale can be hung from a ceiling hook over a table, near the fireplace or even in front of a window. You can also hang this from a wall but the hook has to be long enough to clear the depth of the bowls allowing a 4" clearance. There are so many display opportunities to keep in mind but I am sure your home will speak to you forthright and you can't help but listen! Enjoy!
Overall height is 13 1/2" Tall including the gourd bowl measurement (to the bottom of the bowl) and the wire hanger adds another 2". This piece measures 24" across from the end of the gourd bowl on the right to the end of the gourd bowl on the left. If this will be hung on a wall you will need to allow a 4" clearance from the wall so the bowls will be properly balanced. Each bowl measures approximately 7" outside top diameter (opening) and both are 1 1/2" tall (deep).
~Freight (Standard Mail) included, however Insurance is optional and can be purchased @ checkout ~ within the continental U.S.
