Weight (Measurement Tool)

Description

This standard weight, used for verifying the measurement of dry goods rather than liquids, is called a "bell weight" for its slightly flared shape and handle design. In its era, however, bronze was also called "bell metal," so the name is doubly-descriptive. The weight was cast in a London foundry and assayed by the Founders Guildhall during the reign of Charles II. The inscription on the side, "Cornhill Ward" describes a section of old city London where much commerce and exchange occurred during the seventeenth century.