Comparing new & old bells |
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New bell |
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| New bell | ||||
| Two views of
a new "petal" design
bell. Looking through the throat of the bell (top), the inside is
just as
bright and golden as the outside. The side view (bottom) shows the four
small holes in the base, the circular cast hole in the
shank, and the bright yellow-gold color.
How can you tell if the hole in the shank is cast or drilled? Look closely at the edges and inside of the hole. A drill bit makes a hole with sharp, crisp edges and straight, smooth sides. Casting makes a hole that has rounded, textured edges and irregular sides. This particular bell has few, if any, dings or discolorations and no cracks or casting defects. There is no evidence of wear on the shank. The shape of new bells can vary. This bell is almost spherical, with a small, indistinct ridge, similar to an early 1800s bell. Other new bells have a more pronounced ridge, such as the bells shown here (middle photo). The throat (slit) does not have rounded ends like the old bells shown below. This detail is a strong indication that the bell is new. I also think the design is not crisp and detailed as it is on the older bells. |
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| Mid 1800s bell | ||||
Two views of a "dotted petal" bell made perhaps in the mid 1800s. Note the four rather large holes in the base, the "U" shaped hole in the shank, and the distinct round opening at the end of the throat. There is a slight amount of wear on the shank, indicating it had seen some use on a horse. It is a good sign of an antique if a horse bell shows clear signs of wear. Some antique bells show almost no wear, however, because they were not used much. Closeup photos of wear patterns. The interior of the older bell is lightly coated with scale and dirt. A good cleaning in hot water and detergent would probably brighten the sound by removing some deposits. Some older bells polish up brighter than this one. They are seldom as bright yellow as new brass bells, however, unless someone has attacked the surface with coarse abrasives or acid. |
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| Early 1800s bell | ||||
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Two views of a second dotted-petal bell probably from the early 1800s. Note the similarities to the older bell shown above: the large holes in the base, the "U" shaped hole in the shank, and the rounded opening at each end of the throat. A key difference between this older bell and the one shown above is the number of holes in the base. This bell has only two, indicating it is an older style than the other bell with four holes. The interior of this bell is cleaner than the other dotted-petal bell, but it is still not bright & shiny like the new bell. A light coat of rust from the jinglet (upper photo: just visible inside the rounded end of the throat) covers the interior of the bell. The shape of the bell is more rounded than the bell shown immediately above. In some cases, this shape appears similar to the shape of new bells. If you are in doubt, don't rely only on the shape -- consider other factors such as the rounding at each end of the throat, the size and number of holes in the base, the type of hole in the shank, and the color of the bell. The pebbly surface texture on at least the lower half of the bell is a common characteristic of early-1800s bells. The surface finish of this bell is fairly rough from the crude sand-casting process used to make the bell. Many bells of this vintage are considerably smoother than this one. |
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| Two 1800s bells side by side | ||||
| These are the same old petal bells shown above. They measure the
same across
the
ridge
-- 1 3/4 inch -- but the older bell (right) is almost 1/4 inch longer
from top to bottom.
The newer bell (left) has a more graceful recurved shape overall, while the older one is a more awkward egg shape. This difference in shape seems to be a strong indicator of age. |
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| Shanks of new and old bells | ||||
First photo: An older bell with typical light wear on its U-shaped shank. The middle of the shank is polished smooth from rubbing against its strap. Second photo: An older bell that has been used heavily. The entire shank and bottom of the bell are worn down to a silky smoothness. This amount of wear is unusual. Third photo: A nickel-plated bell made in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It has a hole drilled through the base of the bell for use with a rivet or screw. Bells with this type of base are no longer made, as far as we are aware. Last photo: A new bell with no wear on its shank. The shank also has a circular hole through it rather than a U-shaped hole. This design was first seen on bells made in the late 1800s, although the holes were originally made by drilling, which made a smooth sided hole. The circular hole through the shank of this new bell has rough internal walls, because the hole was made in the casting process, not by drilling. This detail is a strong sign of a recently made bell. |
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| Bottom holes in older bells | ||||
The holes in the base of petal bells can help determine age. The oldest bell (left) has two large holes, typical of early-1800s bells. Two bells from the mid 1800s (middle) have four large holes. The plugged hole in the top bell is a common casting defect. The newest bell (right), produced in the late 1800s or early 1900s, has four distinctly smaller holes. |
Click on the image to see a larger version. |
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