Keeper loop strap with 19 graduated bells

This 19-bell strap is 1 1/2" wide and a hefty 8' long. It was made to fit an elegant Belgian-Standardbred cross mare.

The new bell strap has a buckle at both ends. Two separate tongue straps (billets) were made to buckle onto the bell strap. One billet is sized to allow the bells to fit over the shafts of a regular cart and a second to fit the shafts of a cutter (sleigh).

The sleigh bells probably date from the mid to late 1800s. We added one bell of similar age and design to replace the missing center bell.

The restored strap has four #7 bells (1 7/8" in diameter), six #8s, six #9s, two #10s, and 1 #11 bell (2 3/8").

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.

Photo © Martha Phillips, 2008, all rights reserved