Oberschalenwaage Top-loading balance (see note below)

Waagen, balances and scales:
A "balance" was originally an equal-arm balance, with a pan hanging from the end of each arm. The item to be weighed was placed on one pan, and "balanced" by adding known weights to the other pan, or, for very small weights, along one arm. Such a balance was typically inside a wooden case with glass windows to avoid air currents, and was used in a chemical laboratory to weigh items of up to about 100 grams to a precision of about 0.0001 g. It was often called an "analytical balance". A long pointer at the center of the beam was used to determine "balance", usually defined as the condition in which the pointer would swing equally far to each side of center. The center of the beam had a "knife-edge", such as an agate prism sitting on a hard plate. Careful handling was required to avoid chipping the knife-edge.

http://www.dyerlabs.com/glossary/pharm_german_english.html

Use a top loading balance to weigh solid material when a precision of 0.1 g is adequate. For more accurate mass measurements or small amounts, use an analytical balance.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chemlab/techniques/top_balance.htm...