Hame or Conestoga Bells

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The most common type of hame bell bracket seen in the North American market is a forged steel bracket with three, five, or more bells mounted on it. The bells are usually the open-mouth type, but they are sometimes crotals.

Each end of the bracket is attached to the top of the hames. Hames are the wood or metal arms that fit tightly around the leather collar on the horse's neck.

The American version is called conestoga bells or hame bells. The bells and bracket are exposed to view. The English version, called team bells or lattern bells, have bells protected from the weather under a leather, cloth, or metal housing.

Possible origins of the saying "I'll be there with bells on."

Russians also mounted one to several open bells on a wooden arch called a duga used in traditional Russian harness. The duga arches high above the horse's head and attaches at either end to the vehicle shafts. Saddle bells look a bit like these traditional Russian bells.

A simpler hame bell design consists of two small forged iron brackets with one or two crotals (sleigh bells) attached to each bracket. Each bracket is attached to the top of a hame. A variation, used on heavy horses in Belgium, is a buckled leather strap with a single crotal (sleigh bell) or open bell attached to it. The strap is buckled onto a ring at the top of the hame.

American conestoga bells featured on a card postmarked 1920 sent from Lancaster PA to Sydney NY.

Note below the photo says: "Notice the Bells on each horse and they drive all with one line."

Message on the back says: "Just a card now. I will answer your letter in a day or 2. I hope you will help Mama some now. We see lots of these rigs here now. They have nice horses here. Dad."