About Our Bells Safety caution Our antique bells are honestly old. Most were made from the 1860s through the 1920s when horses were the major mode of transportation. A few date even earlier than that -- to the late 1700s and early 1800s. All of our antique bells are solid brass. They have been thoroughly cleaned inside and out, gently polished, and lacquered. The lacquer is non-toxic when dry. Learn more about the different styles of antique sleigh bells... Vintage bells are used bells that date from about the 1930s through the modern time. Most are solid brass, except our large vintage Dexter bells made from plated steel. Our vintage bells have also been thoroughly cleaned inside and out, gently polished, and lacquered. The lacquer is non-toxic when dry. Our new bells are direct from the manufacturer. These bells are mainly used in our Running Horse Bell Co. product line. Our new solid-brass bells are lacquered to prevent tarnish. The lacquer is non-toxic when dry. Our new steel bells are plated with nickel or brass for protection. Our bells are sold individually unless specifically noted in the product description.
Small bells are a choking hazard for infants and toddlers. Please choose wisely when selecting a gift bell for a young child. We recommend bells 2 inches and larger for the littlest ones.
Each of our antique and new bells will ring clearly, although the quality of the sound will vary depending on the style, size, and condition of the bell. New solid-brass "petal" bells have a loud, clear ring. The pitch of new bells is fairly consistent and is closely related to the size of the bell -- smaller bells ring on a high note; larger bells have a lower pitch. If you want a sleigh bell with a bright, ringing musical tone similar to an open (liberty) bell, a new solid-brass bell is a good choice. The sound quality of antique sleigh bells varies more. The pitch of antique bells is also not as closely related to size as with new bells. Small antique bells usually have a bright, clear tone. The smaller antique bells -- 1 3/4" diameter and smaller -- are a good choice if you want a musical sound similar to the sound of an open (liberty) bell. Big antique bells usually have a deeper, slightly "clangy" quality to their ring. Most folks think the larger antique bells are not as musical or bright sounding as their smaller cousins. Swedish bells sound quite different than other sleigh bells. These bells have a distinctive, resonant "chiming" tone much different than the ringing sound of an open bell. Some people tell us the larger Swedish bells sound a little like a musical cowbell.
Most antiques have flaws from age and use, and our antique sleigh bells are no exception. Most of our bells are well over 100 years old, and many show the minor cracks, dings or scrapes from decades of normal use. We want to make all of our customers happy by providing the nicest antique sleigh bells we can find, but we also want our customers to have realistic expectations about our bells. The antique bells we sell are sturdy and typical for their age, and most also have some minor defects. You can expect to find the following characteristics and imperfections in the "first quality" sleigh bells we sell:
It is not possible for us to supply only defect-free antique bells -- we appreciate your understanding in this matter. |