Need help with bells...

[JccEldreth]

Can anyone ID or date these?
Got them in a box lot at an auction.
$17.00

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Terry Soloman]

This will help you a lot! Cool catch! https://classicbells.com/info/Petal.html

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice purchase!

 

[Breezie]

In the song, JINGLE BELLS, what was the horse's name

Neat buy,
Breezie

 

[Dirtminer]

The horses name was BOB.

 

[JccEldreth]

No bell experts out there? The bigger ones have a running horse and W.E.B. On the tops of the bells and the smaller one have the number 2 on them.
Are they worth anything? I see some for sale on sites for $20 a bell

 

[nhbenz]

The link Terry posted mentions that the ones with W.E.B. were made by William E. Barton, grandson of William Barton (without the E), whose bells sell for for more.

 

[JccEldreth]

The link Terry posted mentions that the ones with W.E.B. were made by William E. Barton, grandson of William Barton (without the E), whose bells sell for for more.

So the grand fathers are more valuable? Without the "E"

 

[Terry Soloman]

Tell you what Jcc, $10.00 and I'll do the research on your bells online. It should take no more than 10-15 minutes. Or, you could do it yourself in 20-25 minutes online, an come back and tell US all about your bells. Just giving you options!

 

[JccEldreth]

Tell you what Jcc, $10.00 and I'll do the research on your bells online. It should take no more than 10-15 minutes. Or, you could do it yourself in 20-25 minutes online, an come back and tell US all about your bells. Just giving you options!

Thanks Terry, don't mean to be an ingrate. I have done some looking and the link you sent seems to be the best source out there, but they stop short of giving any real info. I was hoping for a nice little date range and a round about value for them. 1800 to 1860, but I am still not sure if that is grand dad, dad or jr. They seam to be worth $20 to $30 a bell retail from them, eBay is all over the place with them.

I appreciate all your responses and likes, it makes us part timers feel good. If I ever get cought up on work, I hope to spend a little more time, responding and liking a few post. Thanks again, if your ever in south side VA. Give me a shout.

 

[Terry Soloman]

William E. Barton (b 1826 or 1830?, d 1895)

W E B and a running horse logo on petal bells.
No maker's mark on his other styles of bells.
William E. (Edward?) Barton was the son of Hiram Barton and grandson of William Barton. Barton manufactured sleigh bells at his father's East Hampton foundry until it was destroyed by fire in 1874. William E. relocated the business to a nearby foundry originally built by the Union Bell Company and resumed making bells. By 1881, the business had been sold to new owners and renamed the Barton Bell Company. (9)
William E. patented several innovative designs for sleigh bells and bell straps in the mid 1800s. One of his patents from the 1860s describes the way he drilled and tapped the base of bells so they could be fastened to a strap with machine screws, rather than the more common rivets. Another patent covers a unique method for attaching buckles to bell straps. (5)
From the bells we have seen, William E. made petal, round ridge, egg, stamped egg, and "Eastlake" style bells in the 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" size range. Many of these bells were plated with soft nickel or tin. Although only his petal bells had his initials and running horse maker's mark, all of his bells can be identified by his patented machine screw fasteners.
Many of his cast egg and round-ridge bells show another innovation -- they have a separate oval-shaped metal collar between the bell and its strap. According to his patent, the collar raises the bell off the leather to improve the sound. (5) In our restoration work, we have seen collars made of plated steel, copper, and lead. The oval collar detail was eventually incorporated into his bell molds, so the bell and collar were cast in one piece. Barton's stamped egg bells have a separate cast-brass base crimped into the bottom of the bell to improve the sturdiness of the bell.
William E. did make cast-brass petal bells larger than 1 3/8", although they are not as common as his smaller bells. These larger bells are marked with his running horse logo, but some have a cast shank and others have his patented machine screw fastening. Although the machine screw fastener works well for the smaller bells, it is not so successful for a larger, heavier bell. A traditional cast shank is a better design.
William E. was married to Harriet Watrous in 1853. (12) His son Abner Watrous Barton was part owner of the Barton Bell Co.
​

 

[JccEldreth]

William E. Barton (b 1826 or 1830?, d 1895)

W E B and a running horse logo on petal bells.
No maker's mark on his other styles of bells.
William E. (Edward?) Barton was the son of Hiram Barton and grandson of William Barton. Barton manufactured sleigh bells at his father's East Hampton foundry until it was destroyed by fire in 1874. William E. relocated the business to a nearby foundry originally built by the Union Bell Company and resumed making bells. By 1881, the business had been sold to new owners and renamed the Barton Bell Company. (9)
William E. patented several innovative designs for sleigh bells and bell straps in the mid 1800s. One of his patents from the 1860s describes the way he drilled and tapped the base of bells so they could be fastened to a strap with machine screws, rather than the more common rivets. Another patent covers a unique method for attaching buckles to bell straps. (5)
From the bells we have seen, William E. made petal, round ridge, egg, stamped egg, and "Eastlake" style bells in the 1 1/4" to 1 3/8" size range. Many of these bells were plated with soft nickel or tin. Although only his petal bells had his initials and running horse maker's mark, all of his bells can be identified by his patented machine screw fasteners.
Many of his cast egg and round-ridge bells show another innovation -- they have a separate oval-shaped metal collar between the bell and its strap. According to his patent, the collar raises the bell off the leather to improve the sound. (5) In our restoration work, we have seen collars made of plated steel, copper, and lead. The oval collar detail was eventually incorporated into his bell molds, so the bell and collar were cast in one piece. Barton's stamped egg bells have a separate cast-brass base crimped into the bottom of the bell to improve the sturdiness of the bell.
William E. did make cast-brass petal bells larger than 1 3/8", although they are not as common as his smaller bells. These larger bells are marked with his running horse logo, but some have a cast shank and others have his patented machine screw fastening. Although the machine screw fastener works well for the smaller bells, it is not so successful for a larger, heavier bell. A traditional cast shank is a better design.
William E. was married to Harriet Watrous in 1853. (12) His son Abner Watrous Barton was part owner of the Barton Bell Co.
​

Thanks again Terry, I guess I own you some cash! May have to barter with you sense cash is hard to come by. Lol.

 

[oldtimer82]

i don't know about now but when i was younger i would see city folks pay up to 200.00 for a good string of bells like yours. at auctions here in vermont