Tunbridge Ware at Amherst Antiques

The Edenbridge Galleries

The Edenbridge Galleries in August

This month we are featuring a Tunbridge Ware egg timer, which is a particularly rare item.

Although egg timers have been kitchen essential for hundreds of years surprisingly few were made in Tunbidge Ware and this is only the second example, which we have been fortunate to find, and surely is a must for the serious collector! SOLD

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Edward H Pinto in his masterly book on Treen tells us that sand glasses were instruments for measuring intervals of time ranging from the three or four minute egg timer, through quarter and half hour glasses, to the hour glass.

Basically sand glasses consisted of two glass bulbs, connected by a narrow neck, so as to form a figure 8. For practical, protective reasons they were always enclosed in a wooden or metal cage, usually formed by turned balusters secured to top and bottom plates. One bulb is filled with enough dry sand to occupy a definite period of time in flowing through the upper into the lower bulb.

At one time, sand glasses were a normal part of the equipment of the church pulpit and were used for measuring the parson's sermon. Sand glasses were used in the Royal Navy until 1839, to count the half hours and by nuns of St Mary's Convent, York, until about 1900, when wrist watches were permitted.

Until early in the 18th century, the two bulbs were separate, bedded on a thin lead washer, with a carefully gauged hole in it, puttied, and bound with a lacing of narrow linen or thread. From about the mid 18th century, the two bulbs were accurately blown as a single unit.

Our Tunbridge Ware example dates to circa 1860.

Your visit to The Edenbridge Galleries

You will always be assured a warm welcome at the Gallery, where in addition to the Tunbridge Ware you will be able to view the stock of nine other specialist dealers, all of whom are members of the prestigious British Antique Dealers' Association (BADA).

The Gallery will be open six days a week:

9.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday
10.00am - 4.30pm Saturdays
Closed public holidays

Whilst we will not personally be at the Gallery every day, we would be pleased to meet you there by appointment. We will be most happy to show you round and to discuss your Tunbridge Ware.

We can be contacted on the following numbers:
+44 (0)1732 864163 Gallery
+44 (0)1892 725552 Office

By train:

A train service from London Bridge runs at 8 minutes past the hour to Edenbridge Town station, and similarly for the return journey. This takes 37 minutes.

Trains run on the hour from Victoria Station; change at East Croydon to connect to the Edenbridge Town service above.

The Edenbridge Galleries are a 7 minute walk south along the High Street.

By Car:

From the M25, junction 6: follow signs to Oxted/Westerham on the A25; then follow signs to Edenbridge on B2026.

Approaching from the south, Edenbridge is on the B2026, 20 minutes from Tunbridge Wells in Kent and 15 minutes from East Grinstead, Sussex.

Free parking is available throughout the town.

CLICK HERE to view a map of the Gallery location.