This set of five unlined display straps have 3 to 6 vintage steel "jingle" bells. Although steel bells have little value as a collectible, these bells are a treasured family keepsake.
Almost all of the bells were heavily rusted, so I used a non-toxic rust remover to dissolve the rust on these bells. Three bells still had some of their original shiny nickel plating, so I put these on the 3-bell strap. The bells on the remaining four straps were all a matte silver-gray color.
To control costs, I constructed simple unlined straps -- straps made with a single layer of leather -- and used modern aluminum blind rivets ("Pop" rivets) to fasten the bells onto each strap. I darkened the solid brass rings so they blended better with the gray bells.
The 3-bell strap is about 10" long not including the ring. The four 6-bell straps are about 17" long, again not including the rings. The ring adds about 3" to the overall length. The dark brown leather straps are all 1 1/2" wide.
This particular item is a custom, one-of-a-kind project made for a past client. Items in this Custom Projects section are for information only; they are not available for regular sale.
