Antique Hand Truck Scale - American Harrow / Stimpson - coffee table / bench

Description

This is an outstanding example of a hand truck with a scale built into its platform. With a 600-pound capacity for the scale, it was used for all types of farm-related weighing. Ads for other brands even depicted ramps on the sides, weighing a pig! The
American Harrow
brand is unusual, but what makes this item very unusual is the original logos that are in excellent condition (most of these scales no longer have any visible logo) -- and the hand trunk is
over 100 years old
!
Walter F. Stimpson
of Milan, Michigan, and of the Stimpson Computing Scale Company fame, holds the Jan. 23, 1900, patent for the mechanism that raises the platform off its frame. This mechanism allows the scale to operate. The last two photos show the mechanism and the patent (a copy comes with this item). The weighing beam is under the curved lid that is between the handles.
This hand truck also includes the auxiliary hanging proportional weight, adding 200 pounds to the beam's 200-pound capacity. This weight is typically missing. There is another 200-pound sliding weight adjustment on a bar, making the total capacity of 600 pounds.
Many people clean up these hand trucks, put on a glass top, and turn it into a coffee table. I have another one, and we put on two pillows for seating (when the cat isn't sleeping there). Cleaned up as a coffee table, these items sell from 0-850 -- without having the original logo decals.
SHIPPING: This item is large and heavy; so local pick-up is recommended. If shipped, the buyer pays for carrier pick-up, professional packaging and shipping.