The Woman on the Scales 1954 - Premium poster with matte paper

At Vanadisbadet – Weighing on a 1950s mechanical scale

It's a sunny summer day in 1954 at Vanadisbadet in Stockholm, a popular oasis in the middle of the city where Stockholmers flock to swim, sunbathe and socialize. Here, a young blonde woman in a dark swimsuit stands on a classic personal scale from the 1950s.

Vanadisbadet – A popular meeting place

Vanadisbadet, located in Vanadislunden, is a beloved spot for Stockholmers in the 1950s. There is a personal scale in the bath – a common feature at public bathing places. It is a time when body ideals are starting to come into focus, and many, especially young women, are curious about their weight.

1950s bathroom scale – A mechanical classic with a weight ticket

The scale she steps onto is a typical 1950s model, robust and mechanical. On the front of the scale there is a small coin slot and a slot for weight tickets – a typical detail for public scales of the time.

Weighing yourself costs 10 öre, a sum that most bathers can easily spare. The woman has put in a small coin and when she steps onto the platform, her weight presses down a mechanism of springs inside the scale. After a few seconds, the needle stops – perhaps at 55 kilos, a common weight for a young woman at the time. At the same time, a small click is heard, and a weight ticket is spit out of the hatch: a small piece of paper with printed text showing "Weight: 55 kg" along with the date and place, "Vanadisbadet, 1954".

1950s ideal woman