Please come to the side parking lot for pick up. Right: Antique bell showing a darker greenish-brown natural oxidation and grime. Left: Freshly polished antique bell. Their hefty size gives the Swedish bells a deep and loud tone. The antique #15 bell measures about 3 1/4" across. Again, four holes. Petal bells are almost egg shaped Photo by Erik Bentley. Find our entire collection of antiques here: https://www.cityfarmhouseantiques.com/collections/antiques-vintageFollow us on SOCIAL MEDIA to stay up to date on all our newest finds: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cityfarmhouseantiquesPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cfarmantiques/https://www.pinterest.com Do you still have the bells? Antique North American sleigh bells date from the 1700s through the 1920s. Comment on our blog. In both Europe and the United States, sleighing became a popular form of recreation in the winter as well as a method of transportation in the nineteenth century. Designs, History, Crotals, and Sizing Bells. Petal bells in cast brass. Here you have one hole and you flip this over and you have a second hole, and whoopsI lost my bells! Antique Sleigh Bells. Key signs of artificially aged sleigh bells are splotchy color on any one bell and a wide variation in color on bells next to each other on a strap. They have great sound. Antique Old Brass Metal Sleigh Bells Christmas Dcor Bells Pinecone Decorative. Body strap: Arguably one of the more common places to put your bell string, the body strap buckles over the traces of the harness around the horses middle. 13th-15th century. If they look a beautiful buttery color, a golden color, and clean without any dirt or what I call a patina.they are probably not old. See also the new and antique petal bells shown earlier in this article. Give us a like on our Facebook page and comment and let us know where you would hang these. ] 1880's Style Team Harness with Wood Hames. There are several ways to identify antique sleigh bells. This color can be produced quickly by using an antiquing agent or slowly by natural exposure to air. I know of. Both styles of bells are still made, although with telling differences from the antiques. The "scales" on these antique bells are smaller and more detailed than the modern versions. Like I said, this strap hanging, hangs three feet. SPONSORED. How to Play Sleigh Bells. If so, how much are they or what did they sell for? Neck strap: Perhaps a safer option than the body strap, the neck strap simply places those bells around the horses neck or collar. Bell pins are only used with shank-style bells, and this is a give-away that these bells are new, despite their aged appearance. The color will be fairly even over the surface of each bell, and all bells on a strap will have consistent coloring. Sleigh bells ring, are you listening? 10. Photo by Kristen Kovatch. Brosamer's Bells buys and sells many types of large vintage bells. Antique/Vintage Brass Sleigh Bells with Leather 17"Equestrian Rump Strap. Perhaps for a horse pulling an antique sled at Christmas time? All bells will have shanks -- there were no rivet bells made in this era. Bells from the 15th to 17th century you probably won't come across. Middle: New bell with a golden brown patina. 3 Comments. That is your first clue that this is an antique bell. Antique Set of 4 Sleigh Bells. Now is a good time to get started. Most of these multiple-throat bells were stamped rather than cast, allowing for new and unusual shapes. Bells larger than 1 1/4" in diameter almost always have four holes in the base. Bell manufacturers began to shape an industry in the eighteenth century, casting their makers marks and ornate designs on individual bells. Mouse over to Zoom- An antique farm bell is typically between 10 and 20 inches in diameter and weighs between 25 and 100 lbs. Cast petal bells marked with sizes. The name refers to where they are placed on the vehicle: the saddle bell is placed on the horses back pad while the shaft bells are attached to the shaves of the wagon or sleigh. A lot of these bells, I don't think you are going to be able to see it, but the grooves inside, in between the strap, and this is an original antique strap you can see the wear on this strap and you can see how it separates. It is wise to assume any raspberry bell you find is a modern "instant antique" until the facts clearly prove otherwise. Full-Size Antique Portland Cutter Sleigh. Shape: Crotal bells for harness purposes are commonly seen in a few shapes: round or egg-shaped bells were called arctic or globe bells by the makers. Copyright 2002-2022 - All rights reserved by Classic Bells Ltd. Got bells to fix up? When turned into "instant antiques", new raspberry and acorn bells are usually darkened with a tell-tale rusty patina, and put on straps made of recycled leather. Read Sizing bells for more details. The ornamentation on an antique bell will be more crisp, ornate, and delicate. Fig.4. Website Designed by Parkhya Solutions Pvt. All modern sleigh bells produced in large volumes are manufactured in India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, etc. Like other forms of equine ornamentation, bells on the harness, tack or horse itself were used as charms: they were said to bring good luck, ward off evil and protect against disease and injury. Sheet-metal crotal bell. A modern #18 bell, for example, Bells should also have a mouth on each end of the slit or throat of each bell and many have four holes on the underside of the bells. We can remove and polish your antique bells and put them on a brand new handcrafted leather strap with heirloom quality details such as hand stitched and fancy embossed loops, colored felt scallops, colored patent leather, etc. "Tinkle" would apply at best to a very small bell (and at worst is slang for urinate as I commented above), and "brrring" would apply to the repeated hammering on a bell such as one used to hear telephones or school bells make. There are different designs of antique bells. The throat (slit) across a bell should end in large circular openings. Cast brass bells are rose-gold or brownish-gold in color when polished. Antique bells often have a textured surface School bells usually were 20 to 30 inches. Left: Freshly polished new bell with a bright shine. Petal bells: Bells decorated with a daisy or horseshoe pattern American horse bell makers: Some of the foundries in the 1800s and early 1900s Swedish bells: Large bells usually with six distinctive pie wedges on the top Round ridge bells: Similar in shape to a petal bell but without the decorative daisy pattern 4 Answers. The vast majority of horse and sleigh bells were made from about 1845 to about 1920, perhaps as late as 1940. Left: Freshly polished new bell with a bright yellow-gold color. Right: Artificially aged new bell with a tell-tale splotchy rusty color. Round bells with a flared ridge were also popular. cast) through the shank. Throats on other bell designs may or may not have this detail. Left: New raspberry bell on a recycled leather strap. Individual specialty antique bells can still be found with fish-scale or ornate petal designs, but these are much less common. Antique American raspberry bells bear a strong resemblance to their UK cousins. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). Sign up for home decor tips, updates on the latest vintage finds, and more.. 2022 This is your first clue. Right: Another golden-brown unpolished antique bell with attractive dark design. Note the separate copper rivet still attached to the base of this bell. antique bells of any style are brownish, blackish or Right: Bell with a rusty patina not naturally found on brass. Characteristics of modern bells include the following: Most have a petal design. Look familiar? Antique acorn bells are not as rare as raspberry/fishscale bells. Rivet bells were first made in the 1860s. Bells might all be one standard size or they may be graduated. Ltd. will measure about 3 1/4" across, but an antique #18 is larger -- just under 4" across. Everyone wants to know how do you tell antique sleigh bells. Most larger bells have a petal or Swedish design. made in many styles. Sold individually. I don't know who can beat the story of a horse and sleigh rides at Christmas time. Photo by Erik Bentley. Sleigh bells produced after 1940 are considered to be new, recent or reproduction bells, since they were made long after the horse-and-buggy era had ended. These incredibly rare bells have been uncovered by archaeologists at the sites of early European settlements along the eastern seaboard of North America and along the paths of Spanish expeditions through Mexico and the southwestern and southern United States. Check out our antique sleigh bells selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our home decor shops. So, a lot of you ask..how can you tell if antique sleigh bells are really antique? Another clue, is that you should have four holes, however not always, on the bottom of your bell. from the sand molds in which they were cast and from the dings and scrapes Contact us at www.cityfarmhousenantiques.com and I will get them packaged up and shipped out to you. 12 ANTIQUE BRASS HORSE GRADUATED SLEIGH BELLS ON LEATHER STRAP. Required fields are marked *. You see all those dark spots there and you can see the grooves in the petal design and how there is a darker area in the grooves. It should also be noted that what we think of as a traditional sleigh bell a pellet trapped within a hollow globe is actually called a crotal and is technically a rattle, not a bell. When looking for antique sleigh bells, you should focus mainly on the age of the bells themselves, but the leather straps can offer important clues. Rivet bells should have a hole drilled The first way really is obvious. Nickel or tin plating dates bells to the 1870s or later. Here is your second clue. There were several North American manufacturers of this style, so several antique acorn designs appear on the collectibles market. Bells should not look new.. These holes are decidedly larger than the holes in mid-to-late 1800s bells. If they look a beautiful buttery color, a golden color, and clean without any dirt or what I call a patinathey are probably not old. $40.00 + $17.05 shipping. Key signs of artificially aged sleigh bells are splotchy color on any one bell and a wide variation in color on bells next to each other on a strap. An exception to these rules is the Swedish bell, typically a very large bell up to two or three inches in diameter. Free shipping. Our hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8am-4:00pm. Here you can see. An antique farm bell is typically between 10 and 20 inches in diameter and weighs between 25 and 100 lbs. of the bell, even after it is polished. Therefore, horses and sleighs were turned out spotlessly with plenty of decoration, including rich strings of harness bells again emphasizing the wealth and status of the owner. Left: Antique bell gently polished to a soft gold with natural texture Middle: Greenish-brown antique bells. $40.00 + $17.05 shipping. The sound of a hand held brass bell, to me, is " ding-a-ling .". Major Holidays Include: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteeth, Independence Day, Labor Day . Copyright 2002-2022 - All rights reserved by Classic Bells Ltd. Got bells to fix up? Hip straps: Usually just a few bells make up a hip strap, which slides onto the back strap of the harness and hangs down over the horses lower back or hips. Was: $479.99. Who decided that putting bells all over a sleigh and harness were festive? New petal bells sizes 13-18 are smaller in diameter than antique petal bells marked with the same size numbers. The first way really is obvious. The best rule of thumb is to gauge the size. When I use the terms "new" or "modern" or "vintage" or "reproduction", I am referring to sleigh bells made after the era of horse transportation -- from the 1930s through today. greenish -- occasionally grayish. Source: UK Detector Finds Database, http://www.ukdfd.co.uk/. How do you identify real antique sleigh bells? First look for an antique patina. I have one. The above information can all be referenced to Classic Bells thorough history! There are several key characteristics that differentiate new petal bells from antique petal bells: the design of the throat (slit), the quality of the ornamentation, and the size of the larger bells. Left: Two #15 bells, one antique (left) and one new (right). A warning: even the most careful driver may sometimes get a line caught up in the bells. with only a gentle hump around the middle. The sound on these is amazing! Many bells are plain, however, with no special markings or initials. I know some of you are already getting snow this morning and that should get you in the mood for the holiday. gold color, sometimes Middle: Antique bell with a light golden-brown natural oxidation and thin surface grime. The classic "petal" bell is the sleigh bell most often sold as an "instant antique". Your email address will not be published. or the all-metal Sunday strap which would be used only on special occasions. Construction: As mentioned above, harness bells were originally cast in brass. That's a great question. Right: Deep greenish-black antique bell. People use them for decoration during the holidays because they are so collectible and beautiful and plus the sound is just awesome. Two holes in the base of all bells. brownish gold or rosy Website Designed by Parkhya Solutions Pvt. Sleigh bells are the sound of winter ,,Large Jumbo Size Christmas Star Cutout Jingle Sleigh Bell Ornament 3,Antique Sleigh Bells,How to Identify Antique Sleigh Bells,52 Antique Sleigh Bells ideas ,Antique Graduated Sleigh Bells on Original Leather Strap ,Antique Sleigh Bells Jingle Bells 12 Size 2 Cast Brass Bells on ,,TBT: Everything You Never . Less common body straps are the pony strap, which includes a double-row of small bells (so named because of the size of the bell, not the animal!) Middle: A similar antique acorn bell with a thick layer of dirt and patches of its original nickel (silvery) plating. That is patina from age. with splotches Traditional and authentic bells, with an open mouth and a clapper, were used on occasion and are still found on European working harnesses with one bell suspended between the hames. The fourth bell is shown still attached to the strap. This is antique set of sleigh bells and they are absolutely gorgeous! If they are buttery and look new and shiny they are probably from China, India or somewhere else. The other way to tell is if you look at the throat of the bell you are going to see a little opening or mouth on either side of that bell where these newer bells they are passing off as antique bells are just going to have slits. Therefore, horses and sleighs were turned out spotlessly with plenty of decoration, including rich strings of harness bells again emphasizing the wealth and status of the owner. or Best Offer. Flip on the radio to virtually any station this time of year and you can tell within seconds if youre listening to a holiday song youll hear sleigh bells in the background.) My goal in this article is to help you identify the modern versions of these sleigh bells from the antique ones. Decoration:Old traditional cast bells from Europe commonly carried a petal or horseshoe design and were subsequently referred to as petal bells. Individual makers might include their initials, or perhaps the size of the bell. One of my favorite stories a customer told me when she was looking for set of antique sleigh bells last year was they lived on a lot of property and had a horse and wanted a set of antique sleigh bells to pull an antique sleigh for all the children at Christmas time. Middle: Other bells on the same strap. Here are some key features of bells made in the mid 1800s through the early 1900s: Bells smaller than about 1 3/4" diameter were The sound of harness bells became inextricably linked with winter activity, especially around Christmas, and an icon was born. $69.95. They hang about three feet long. With considerably less noise on a pre-industrial farm, a bell didn't have to ring as loudly to be heard as within a busy city. My last set did not last long and it took me quite a while to find these. A lot of people, that don't have a horse to put them on, use them to hang over something like this antique door I have. Again, I am so technologically advanced I am doing this with one hand. (5) In the 1700s and 1800s, horse bells in Britain were often used on pack horses traveling narrow trails through the mountains and hills. Hansen Wheel & Wagon Shop . The oldest sleigh bells the average person is likely to find typically date from the late 1700s through about 1845. New max. Restored in 2010 . Currently under restoration, waiting for pinstriping, artwork & upholstery this weekend; Found in a barn in Sciota, PA in 2012; Draft Horse Road Cart. Photo by Erik Bentley. Artificially aged Three types of new sleigh bells are most often misrepresented as antiques in antique stores, flea markets, and online or live auctions. Pick up address: 124 Fourth Crescent Place, Statesville NC 28625. Fire bells were often 30 inches or more in diameter. Here are some of the key characteristics of most late 1700s and early 1800s bells: Almost all are petal bells with an intricate, crisp design, but some are totally plain. This is smaller than other utilitarian bells. The very earliest North American horse bells date to the 1500s and 1600s. I am not aware of any new bells made with a cast "U" shank. The shanks should have a U-shaped hole or a drilled (not cast) circular hole. Note the relatively even color. Notice the bell pins in the background. This variation in color between adjacent bells would be unusual on an original strap of antique bells. All new bells are butter-yellow in color when polished. Left: This new acorn bell from a current wholesale catalog is often transformed into an "instant antique" by giving it a darkened patina and putting it on a recycled leather strap. Sleigh Bell Designs. Give me a cool story. Left: Antique petal bell with a classic rounded opening at each end of its throat (slit). Would you put them over a door? Shanks on new bells have cast or drilled circular openings. See also Bell There will be a metal clip with an oval shaped metal piece in there and that's going to give you another clue that, that is an antique bell. shanks like petal bells, not a loop base like the old ones. The throat (slit) of new petal bells usually does not end in larger circular openings. See also History, Petal Bells, and Crotals. The sound of harness bells became inextricably linked with winter activity, especially around Christmas, and an icon was born. Bells 1 1/4" and smaller often have four small holes in the Any bells that you will typically find will date from 1845 to 1920. Study the photographs throughout this article to educate your eye on the differences. Seven Antique Sleigh Brass Petal Bells On Vintage 18" Leather Strap. Our expertise is in . The leather strap is about 85" so six feet and it's got I believe when I counted 33 bells on it so it is loaded with bells. Numbers to indicate size or the maker's name or initials may be found on some bells. (Dont believe me? Antique British fish-scale bells (aka raspberry bells). See the differences between new and antique #15 bells below. 8pc Front Suspension Kit. We are closed on all major holidays. The variation in color comes from normal handling. A tough layer of dirt and hardened harness oil often coats old, unpolished $239.99. Ornamentation: The ornamentation -- the size markings and petal designs -- on new bells will be blocky and plain, often coarse looking, with wide, deep lines. Throat design: If you take away just one idea from this article, remember this: An antique "petal" bell always has a larger rounded opening cast into each end of its throat (slit.) (Bells fall off the door) It could be worse right? Middle: Artificially aged new bells, one brown and one gray-black, side by side on a strap. People love antique sleigh bells. These bells are distinctive because of the six pie slices formed by the narrow throats that were cut into the bell rather than cast. Additionally, bells and ornaments were a great way to show off your wealth and status: bells and other charms have been in use since at least 800 BC. but Swedish, acorn, raspberry, double-throat, and plain bells are also made. Church bells were most often very large and placed in the bell tower of the church.