Scales Box Item Number: 3559/13 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Thin, irregularly-shaped black wooden box (part a) for metal scales (part b); hinged lid slides open from left side. Lid has elephant motif carved in relief across entire surface. Design consists of a large elephant walking towards a split tree trunk. Main body of box is undecorated. The metal scales rest inside the box; walls carved to fit scales. Scales consist of a metal beam and two circular pans, attached on either end with three pieces of thread each; beam has shears and pointer protruding from the top centre edge. Looped cord threaded through top of shears. Ends of beam have triangular cutouts along the edges, giving them a tiered diamond-like shape; similar cutouts towards base of pointer. Shears and pans are undecorated.
Box to hold opium scales. Elephants were used to transport opium in Northern Thailand.