Carol Serr wrote:

>The last two replies on this genealogy forum pretty much answer the
>question...of both 'stillard'...and the use in 'pairs'...so I would
>venture to say (altho knowing Nothing about this subject/these
>items)...that 'pair of shillards' is a misspelling (possibly
>transcription of poor handwriting where the 't' looked like an 'h'?) of
>stillard...the scales.  Perhaps like the word pants...it is
>plural...since there are more than one part to them. ?  We use "pair of
>pants"...so maybe it's the same sort of thing. ??
>
>http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/BRETHREN/1999-04/0923614605
>*noun* *1* a set of two things used together or regarded as a unit. *2* *an article consisting of two joined or corresponding parts*. Compact OED
>  
>

Also widely used in iventories for scissors, shears, tongs etc



>Here's a similar estate inventory...with "1 pair stillard"...listed.
>http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~paday/dobbers/russel_barwick.ht
>ml
>
>  
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Marty Pickands [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
>>Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 2:41 PM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: mystery object: "Pair of Shillards"
>>
>>
>>If the etymology "steelyard"-"stillard"-"shillard" is correct, 
>>as seems plausible, why are they invariably called a "pair?" 
>>Although one could say it is because of the two hooks, "yard" 
>>seems to refer to the beam itself, of which, on most examples 
>>I have seen pictured, there is only one. Perhaps we should 
>>look at old roots sounding like "shill." There seem to me to 
>>be at least three meanings associated with this root: the 
>>common one, meaning a false bidder in a negotiation, a second 
>>one meaning the opposite of "shall" (as in "shill he-shall 
>>he") and one from which the root of "shilling" is derived. 
>>Significantly, this last is said by the Free Dictionary online 
>>to have likely originated with the old Scandinavian term, 
>>"skilling," meaning "marks on a stick." This suggests that the 
>>word, like "scales," probably derives from a term referring to 
>>the interval marks on a balance beam, and the shilling, like 
>>the pound, was originally defined by its weight. While this 
>>supports the idea that "shillard" refers to a stillyard, it 
>>still does not explain the use of the word "pair" to describe 
>>it. Any suggestions on that?
>>
>>Marty Pickands
>>
>>    
>>
>
>  
>