Conestoga Wagon Bell

[lenmac65]

I dug this open mouth bell in the woods today in an area that used to be farmland. It rang up like a can on first pass, but I was nonetheless hopeful, as it made no noise when I lifted my coil 6 to 12 inches up. I have seen these called Conestoga wagon bells. I included an antique picture circa 1910 that shows the bells as attached. I am not sure of the age of mine, though I am guessing late 1800s or early 1900s. (I have seen similar ones posted claiming to be late 1700s or early 1800s, so who knows.) It has no markings and the clapper is gone. I also found a 1907 Indian Head penny near this same area last week. It cleaned up nice with peroxide, but I think I left it in too long, as it is now pitted 😞. Happy hunting!

 

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[creskol]

That's a beauty!

 

[PickTime]

Real nice finds. Best looking can I’ve seen. lol

 

[CRUSADER]

Nice to get complete. We call the Carriage Bells.

 

[scruggs]

It's a nice one!

 

[Digger RJ]

I dug this open mouth bell in the woods today in an area that used to be farmland. It rang up like a can on first pass, but I was nonetheless hopeful, as it made no noise when I lifted my coil 6 to 12 inches up. I have seen these called Conestoga wagon bells. I included an antique picture circa 1910 that shows the bells as attached. I am not sure of the age of mine, though I am guessing late 1800s or early 1900s. It has no markings and the clapper is gone. I also found a 1907 Indian Head penny near this same area last week. It cleaned up nice with peroxide, but I think I left it in too long, as it is now pitted 😞. Happy hunting! View attachment 2061510 View attachment 2061511 View attachment 2061512 View attachment 2061513

Very Cool!!! Congrats!!!

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

@CRUSADER, do you know what metal those "Carriage Bells" are made of? It looks like the White Tombac buttons which have a "spun" back. No patina forms on it.

 

[CRUSADER]

@CRUSADER, do you know what metal those "Carriage Bells" are made of? It looks like the White Tombac buttons which have a "spun" back. No patina forms on it.

All the ones we find seem to be of a Tombac metal, these started being produced in the 18th C, not sure when they stopped doing them....

 

[dognose]

Very cool. Great find.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

A great looking Bell and Indian Cent - congrats !

 

[sprailroad]

Great looking bell. I found one just like yours about a block away from my house. Did not know it would be refered to as a "Conestoga" bell. I was thinking cow?, or maybe a really big goat or something. I don't know.

 

[CRUSADER]

Great looking bell. I found one just like yours about a block away from my house. Did not know it would be refered to as a "Conestoga" bell. I was thinking cow?, or maybe a really big goat or something. I don't know.

In the UK, these were hung from a bar that had several bells side by side. It warned walkers to get out of the way of fast horse carriages in the Georgian/Victorian period.

 

[oldmxrat]

Super nice recovery, congrats!

 

[lenmac65]

Great looking bell. I found one just like yours about a block away from my house. Did not know it would be refered to as a "Conestoga" bell. I was thinking cow?, or maybe a really big goat or something. I don't know.

Thanks. I often see them referred to as Conestoga bells, though it is tough to say for sure when you dig a solitary one out of the ground.. The “safer” and more generic term would be “open mouth bell,” I suppose. From what I have read, this one would likely be for a horse. I found one in January that still rang, which was really cool.

 

[lenmac65]

In the UK, these were hung from a bar that had several bells side by side. It warned walkers to get out of the way of fast horse carriages in the Georgian/Victorian period.

Thanks. Sounds similar to the Conestoga bells, which were also hung in series, though the wagon was likely not fast moving like a carriage. You can see about five bells in the somewhat blurry antique photo I attached.

 

[lenmac65]

All the ones we find seem to be of a Tombac metal, these started being produced in the 18th C, not sure when they stopped doing them....

Thanks. I am not sure of the metal for this bell, which has sort of a bluish tint to it. If it is tombac, perhaps the bell is a little older than I thought.

 

[miserman]

Nice bell with nice patina... Still on my bucket list after 40 years!

 

[CRUSADER]

Carriage Bells

A pair of carriage bells, one minus its leather cover. English 19th century. Price is for the pair. H:51 W:51 D:14 CM H:20 W:20 D:5.5 INCHES

www.drewpritchard.co.uk

 

[pepperj]

Thanks. I am not sure of the metal for this bell, which has sort of a bluish tint to it. If it is tombac, perhaps the bell is a little older than I thought.

Congrats on the beauty

Dug a lot of Crotal bells but only a few complete carriage types as yours. Lots of broken pieces over the years
How big is this bell?

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[river roamer]

very nice finds