Antique Victorian /early 20th / late 19th century century mahogany hand made dinner gong with silver presentation badge and brass gong. Arts and crafts piece in lovely condition. The end of the hammer has been replaced with hessian but otherwise all original. This one has, we believe, a silver presentation badge LTC (lawn tennis club?) a name and date 1892 & 1893 . More research required. Some age related wear
30 cm wide 15 cm depth 33 cm tall.
-
The history of dinner gongs can be traced back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras, when they were used in upper-class homes, hotels, and ships to signal the start of a meal.
Origins
Gongs have been used since around 2000 BC, but historians believe they may have been used even earlier.
The word "gong" comes from the Malay word gōng.
Gongs were often used in Central Asia and were valued for their volume.
Uses
Gongs were used to signal the start of a meal.
Gongs were used to signal punctuality.
Gongs were used to announce daily activities.
Gongs were used to announce hierarchies.
In Japanese culture, gongs are rung to gain the attention of Buddhist deities before prayer.
Examples
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa has a dinner gong made from a fragment of steel armor plating from the British battleship HMS New Zealand. The fragment was struck by a German shell during the Battle of Jutland in 1916.
