Ship bell c. 1854

Editor: This is a ship bell made of bronze by G.H. van Hengel & Zoon around 1854. It has such a sturdy presence! Given its function and time period, I wonder about the socio-economic implications of ship bells as part of maritime culture. What aspects of this object stand out to you? Curator: The industrial revolution allowed not just for new technologies in ship building, but new markets, too. It's not merely an instrument for signalling, but part of the global capitalist project. The "LW" inscription, probably denoting the ship it served, speaks to the specificity of labour and capital at that time. Do you see how the aesthetic choices --the shape and the material –also perform a kind of statement about its function? Editor: I suppose the polished bronze suggests the wealth associated with seafaring and global trade, although it also looks quite used. Curator: Exactly. The wear and tear is just as important. It highlights the reality of maritime labor in the mid-19th century. It raises questions about the conditions, who specifically operated the bell, and what the overall organization of work was aboard that specific vessel, no? The bell represents both luxury and labor, which can provide a unique commentary. Editor: That’s a great point, I hadn’t considered it that way. It seems such a simple object, but reveals so much about power structures. Curator: Indeed. Material objects always do reflect socio-political conditions. Recognizing those implications can teach us a lot about global and local histories.