Industrial design from the 18th century, bronze and wood... Collector's item because of its combined historical and practical value. Some glasses were measured for up to two hours and used at a time when pews were designed by the Inquisition to torment the human back. The ship's hourglasses were calibrated to the half-hours of the ship's clock, and if the helmsman didn't turn the glass too early, it actually doubled in defining longitude. Navigators tried to count the hours; The galleons wrecked on the Western Australian reefs remind us of the dangers of false timings. To honor the important symbolism of the hourglass, Renaissance artists painted still lifes, also called vanitas, full of symbolism and morality. Colour: bronze, brown Material: mango wood, metal and glass Dimensions: LxWxH: 8 x 8 x 13.5 cm