Object Details
- Description
- Several members of the religious group the United Society of Believers, or Shakers, were known for their skill as woodworkers. From March of 1877 until 1900 (at least), the Shakers of West Gloucester (later Sabbathday), Maine sold demonstration metric grain measures like these. The objects were first marketed by the American Metric Bureau of Boston and then by the Library Bureau.
- The set consists of seven copper-soldered wooden volumetric measures. These are marked with the volume represented. The sizes include, from largest to smallest, 1 dekaliter (a dekaliter is 10 liters), 1/2 dekaliter (5 liters), 2 liters, 1 liter, 5 deciliters (a deciliter is 1/10 of a liter or 100 cubic centimeters), 2 deciliters, and 1 deciliter. All of the measures are stamped: Sealed. The two largest also are stamped: United Society (/) W. Gloucester, Me.
- Reference:
- P.A. Kidwell, "Publicizing the Metric System in America from F. R. Hassler to the American Metric Bureau," Rittenhouse, 5 #4, pp. 111-117.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
- maker
- Shakers
- date made
- 1877-1900
- Physical Description
- wood (overall material)
- Measurements
- dekaliter: 9 11/16 in x 10 1/8 in; 24.60625 cm x 25.7175 cm
- deciliter: 2 11/16 in x 2 5/16 in; 6.82625 cm x 5.87375 cm
- liter: 4 9/16 in x 4 5/8 in; 11.58875 cm x 11.7475 cm
- overall; nested: 9 5/8 in x 9 3/4 in; 24.4475 cm x 24.765 cm
- Object Name
- volumetric measures
