Items Similar to Brass sand hourglass with circular base and blown glass cruet 1930s
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
Brass sand hourglass with circular base and blown glass cruet 1930s
About the Item
Sand hourglass, brass container with circular base and glass cruet blown. Height cm 14 (5.5 in) diameter cm 5, (in 2).
English manufacture of the 1930s. Bon état.
The last photo is the gift box.
The hourglass is engraved with the Latin motto Navigare Necess est, a famous phrase that has passed into history and was uttered according to Plutarch by Pompey in front of soldiers who did not want to embark because of bad weather.
Around the year 57 BC, Pompey was commissioned, to collect as much grain as possible from all the provinces, to supply Rome during a severe famine.
After completing the task and finding a huge amount of grain, with ships loaded with grain and ready to leave, bad weather suddenly arrived with strong winds, the sailors and helmsmen refused to set sail.
Pompey determined and resolute boarded the first ship uttering the words Navigare Necesse est, Vivere non est Necesse, Sailing is Necessary, Living is not Necessary.
His exhortation meant that everyone was in the service of Rome and that it was necessary to bring grain to the starving population even at the risk of their lives.
The sailors then obeyed, the ships set sail and arrived at Ostia with more grain than was needed.
The name hourglass comes directly from the original Greek name klepsydra, which literally means water-stealer. It was the first time-measuring instrument independent of astronomical observations. One of the oldest specimens was found in the tomb of Pharaoh Amenhotep I, dating back to the 15th century BC.
In Greece, the use of hourglasses was introduced in 325 B.C., in the form of truncated-cone-shaped stone containers that spilled water from a hole in the bottom at a constant rate.
Other hourglasses were cylindrical or cup-shaped and were slowly filled by a steady stream of water. Some marks on the inner surface of the container indicated the passage of hours as the liquid level rose. Another version consisted of a metal container pierced at the bottom that, when placed to float in a larger container, sank in a specified time. This system remained in use until the 20th century in North Africa. These clocks were generally used during the night, but not during the day, when more accurate sundials were available.
In the first half of the third century BC. Ctesibius transformed the hourglass into the more complex water clock. Various mechanisms were introduced by him and others to increase the accuracy of the clock by adjusting the pressure and keeping the flow of water constant, but also to provide a better display of the time. More advanced specimens could ring bells or gongs, open windows to show images, or had moving indicators, dials or representations of celestial bodies. Among the designers of such clocks were Archimedes and Heron of Alexandria.
The Macedonian astronomer Andronicus, was responsible for the construction of the Horologion, known today as the Tower of the Winds at the marketplace in Athens, in the first half of the first century BC. It is an octagonal tower with depictions of students and people at the market, and bears both a sundial and a mechanical time display.
It contains an hourglass mechanism capable of showing all 24 hours, the season of the year as well as astrological dates and periods. It also indicates the direction of the main winds, hence the current name.
About the Seller
4.9
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 1999
1stDibs seller since 2014
395 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 2 hours
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Milan, Italy
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllStick barometer in glass and wood case Northern Italy early 19th century
Located in Milan, IT
Ebonized wood cue barometer, manufacturing in northern Italy from the early 19th century, housed in an elegant custom-made shrine glass and ebonized wood with decorative motifs.
B...
Category
Antique 1810s Grandfather Clocks and Longcase Clocks
Materials
Wood
FER model logarithmic circular slide rule H 39 n. 1675 1930s
Located in Milan, IT
FER model logarithmic circular slide rule H 39 No. 1675 from the 1930s, Italian Patent No. 1680, housed in its original round-shaped wooden box like the instrument, complete with in...
Category
Vintage 1930s Scientific Instruments
Materials
Aluminum
Brass 7-day winding nautical wall clock, signed S. Marti 1931.
Located in Milan, IT
Nautical brass wall clock with 7-day spring winding, signed S. Marti Montbeliard Grand Prix Paris 1931, Samuel Marti was a renowned 19th century Par...
Category
Vintage 1930s Wall Clocks
Materials
Brass
Antique English aneroid barometer from the 1930s made of turned wood and brass
Located in Milan, IT
Antique English aneroid barometer 1930s turned wood, brass, and glass.
Bon état. Working order.
Diameter cm 19.7 - inches 7.7, thickness cm 5.5 - inches 2.2.
Last photo gift box....
Category
Vintage 1930s Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Large brass nautical compass signed OBSERVATOR Rotterdam of the 1930s
Located in Milan, IT
Large brass liquid compass signed OBSERVATOR Rotterdam from the 1930s. Eight-twenty rose complete with goniometric circle.
Compass diameter cm 21.5 - 8.5 in, height cm 10.5 - 4.1 in...
Category
Vintage 1930s Nautical Objects
Materials
Brass
Brass sextant signed H. Hughes & Son Ltd No. 32890 of the 1930s
Located in Milan, IT
Brass sextant signed H. Hughes & Son Ltd No. 32890 of the 1930s; instrument complete with optics and housed in its original mahogany wood box of with locking hooks and brass handle,...
Category
Vintage 1930s Nautical Objects
Materials
Brass
You May Also Like
Wooden Hour Glass or Sand Timer with Hand Blown Glass
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hour Glass or Sand Timer of solid wood frame, in Mahogany or Walnut. The piece is a compliment to any space and because of its clean lines and angular glass...
Category
20th Century Mantel Clocks
Materials
Glass, Mahogany
$1,760 Sale Price
20% Off
Mantel Clock with a Glass Dome, circa 1930s
Located in Opole, PL
A clock with a glass shade, circa 1930, on a wooden base.
The striking, metal casing of the clock is decorated with hunting emblems, and is crowned with a semi-plastic figure of a h...
Category
Vintage 1930s French Mantel Clocks
Materials
Metal
$740 Sale Price
20% Off
1930s Art Deco Table Clock With Rosaline Glass And Art Deco Typical Numerals
Located in Ulm, DE
Table / desk clock on wooden base
Rosaline colored glass dial with Art Deco typical numerals
Original Art Deco, France 1930s
Width: 40 cm
Height: 24 cm
Depth: 11 cm.
Category
Early 20th Century French Art Deco Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Glass, Wood
Art Deco Large English 1930s Pink Glass and Mirror Mantle Clock
By Smiths English Clock Systems
Located in Devon, England
In what can only be described as remarkable condition for it's age is this totally authentic 1930s Art Deco Mirror clock which originates from En...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Mantel Clocks
Materials
Glass, Mirror
Clessidra Hourglass in Gray and Red Glass by Venini
By Venini
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Perfectly balanced between two different colours, the sand flows through the sleek glass chambers made using the Incalmo technique, taking on its colour and becoming a part of it. Grains of sand, impalpable and imperceptible as a whole, yet so real, like time passing. Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini sealed it in the Clessidra in 1957
Little grains of sand, impalpable and unnoticeable as a whole yet so real, like time ticking away. Clessidra – designed by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini in 1957 – evolves in 2015, taking on a more sinuous, feminine appearance. Perfectly balanced between two different colors, sand flows through sleek glass, crafted using the Incalmo technique; as it flows, it gradually colors and becomes an integral part of the glass.
Additional Information:
Material: Glass, sand
Color: Gray/red
Dimensions: Ø 15 x H 28 cm
Available in other color options: Green river /Powder pink...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern More Clocks
Materials
Glass
$2,090 / item
English 1930s Art Deco Blue Glass and Chrome Clock by Enfield
By Enfield Clock Company 1
Located in Devon, England
Stylish 1930s English blue glass clock with chrome accents by Enfield. Ideal size for modern use, mantel or desk area. Has a metal easel to the back t...
Category
Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Table Clocks and Desk Clocks
Materials
Chrome
