Hourglass

Date1659

Terms

Hourglasses
Glass
Wood
England

Dimensions19.05 x 10.48 cm (7 1/2 x 4 1/8 in.)

MarkingsOlder number (apparently F516) is painted on one end of the rectangular upright, and an old, hand-written file card for that number is this sandglass. Illegible paper label (probably reads "West Cambridge") on one end.

Credit LineHourglass, unknown maker, Massachusetts, 1659. Concord Museum Collection, Gift of Cummings E. Davis; H166.

Object numberH166

DescriptionBlown glass sandglass, in two pieces held together at the waist with some sort of material (sealing wax?). Glass is clear, with slight green color to it. Red sand inside, still runs. Wood frame with two flat, circular end pieces with five upright posts between them. Outside of each end piece has two pairs of incised concentric circles. Four posts are turned, with bulging centers and tapered ends, the fifth is a roughly carved replacement. Wood has been painted or stained and varnished, now a dark brown-black color. Carved date in one end piece: 1659. From old card file: American or English, 1659 (probably 1/2 hour). The glasses, of early green metal, are blown in two parts, held together with sealing-wax. The wax, of course, represents a bit of late repair work. The original linen and lacing with which the glasses were held together has disappeared. The sand is red, and still runs through the glass, although the piece is probably no longer accurate. In addition to the sealing wax, there seems to be a small piece of wood with a hole in it between the two pieces of glass. It takes about 60 minutes for the sand to run through presently.