MEDIEVAL WEIGHT GROUP - Lead Weights from the Chris Rudd collection, Downham Market, Norfolk, UK.

What is the largest ratio of shipping / handling cost to hammer price? I may have a record at over 50 / 1 on the following lot of lead weights I bought for 1 GBP. Shipping on this 1.7 Kg lot is over 50 GBP!

The seller's description:
MEDIEVAL WEIGHT GROUP
12th-15th century AD
LOT 039
A mixed group of lead weights including barrel-shaped, discoid and biconvex. 1.7 kg total, 22-50mm (1 - 2").
Condition - Fine condition.
Provenance
The Chris Rudd collection, Norfolk, UK; formed since the 1970s; collection number DM4,8 and 9; found near Downham Market, Norfolk, UK.
Footnotes
Chris Rudd has collected ancient coins and antiquities since the 1940s. As an amateur archaeologist he found many himself at Badbury Rings, Dorset, 1952-53. He also dug at Hod Hill with Professor Sir Ian Richmond and at Wroxeter with Dame Kathleen Kenyon and Dr Graham Webster. Today he is best known as a Celtic coin dealer. His catalogues have been described as ‘an important research source’ by Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe and ‘treasure houses of delight’ by Dr Anne Ross. Coins and artefacts associated with Chris Rudd – as a collector, dealer and valuer – can be seen in The British Museum and other museums. This collection was formed since the 1970s.

This group is from an expert on Celtic coins. I bought one from him in 2008. He is getting out of the business after 70 years.
http://www.celticcoins.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CR-collection.pdf

You can see some of my other weights on my blog:
http://rrdenarius.blogspot.com/

 

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This is ultra cool. You have a marvelous collection!

 

That is very cool RR!

What did they use the weights for? Do they correspond to coin weights or multiples of coin weights?

Must have been annoying to money changers and the like when the empire changed the weights of various denominations.

John

 

That is a good question. I do not know yet. I know of several ways weights were used.
Loom Weights were placed on the ends of yarn in a loom to keep the fibers tight. They were made in several shapes. I bought a weight like some I have seen in pictures. This one may be too heavy for a loom at 250 grams+. The lower left hand group in picture shows another form of loom weights that look like slip sinkers my dad used when fishing plastic worms on the bottom of Lake Norfork many years ago. A loom is shown below.



We know that scales were used by the Romans. A set of scale weights was found at Pompeii. I do not have a picture handy, but google find it for you. The Romans and for certain the eastern Romans (Byzantine) used coin weights. These were sold as late Roman or Byzantine. All are about 4 grams -> just the right size to weigh coins, silver or gold. The letter N and the 4 dots are marks of weight.


This coin of Claudius shows scales. Many other coins show scales.


Maybe others can post their scale coins.

 

dont worry its an excellent provenance

 

I have been fortunate when it comes to export papers and timely shipping for items coming to Texas from Europe. This lot is a bit different. Someone deemed it needed export papers. The auction ended 9/23, export papers were submitted 9/27 (by the company web site) and the lot is still waiting for approval. I am a bit surprised that a few fishing weights needed papers.