Vintage Doctor's Scale - What Value?

[Shangas]

Hey Guys,

Long story short, my father spotted something at an antiques shop that he would like to buy. But him, being the cautious purchaser that he is, refuses to put down any money on it unless he thinks he's getting a good deal on it.

So here's what I want to know...

The item in question is a vintage, column-style doctor's scale. Mechanical. White. SECA, made in Germany. It appears to be in good condition. The asking-price is $100.00 AUD.

My questions are...

- 1. Is this too much to pay?
- 2. Are they easy to fix/clean/service if necessary?

That's basically it. From what I've seen, the going-price for a modern SECA-brand scale is between approx 250-600 dollars, depending on model. The electronic ones cost more, the mechanical ones cost less.

We don't know how old the scale is. But it's definitely a mechanical one. It's where you've got the rack and you have to slide the weights back and forth, until they equal your bodyweight.

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Hello, I would think if this scale is in fairly good condition, it would be worth the asking price. To keep it maintained, I would imagine you can see where any metal rods/brace type brackets would be, see that if the are pivoting on a joint that is similar to a rivet, are kept clean and a light oil to ward off any rust should be about all anyone would have to do. It actually sounds like a nice purchase! Good luck!

 

[Shangas]

Thanks. I also reckon it's a good deal, but dad's dad...*sigh*

I told him that I'd be happy to clean the scale for him. But...well. We'll see.