Handelsetiket met een zandloper en het wapen van de stad Haarlem c. 1681 - 1740

This trade label featuring an hourglass and the coat of arms of Haarlem was etched by Isaac Vincentsz. van der Vinne in the Netherlands, likely in the early 18th century. The design is dominated by an hourglass, a potent symbol of time's passage and the fleeting nature of life. It's surrounded by the words 'SABLON A L'ORLOGE' which is old-fashioned French, meaning 'Sand at the Clock'. This refers to the product being sold: sand for use in hourglasses. Above the hourglass we see the coat of arms of Haarlem, suggesting the merchant who sold the sand was based in this city, and perhaps held some civic position there. In a society where timekeeping was becoming increasingly important for commerce, this label highlights the intersection of trade, local identity, and the commodification of time itself. Historians might use archival records of Haarlem merchants, alongside studies of early modern timekeeping devices, to further contextualize this intriguing little print.