Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Think of this as similar to one those sand-filled Feng Shui plates in the waiting room at the psychiatrist's office. You know, they're often a wooden box with sides to contain the sand or sometimes made of stoneware. Either way you use the complimentary mini-rake to make furrows and patterns in the sand so as to sooth your nerves while you wait to spill your guts to a certifiable head shrinker instead of phoning up Dr Laura.
EXCEPT, this is very cool and there is no mini-rake: It's all done by hand with a flourish.
No vid? Look here.
UPDATE: Sometimes these devices are called Executive Sand Boxes and can be found in attorney's offices.
As Ever,
TWC
tip of the glass to Charles S