Two Piece Crotal Bell?? How old? Also: Buttons and Shoe Buckle!

[coinman123]

I had a fun 1 hour hunt today. After all the rain we had had, I decided to try near a little stream. My first target was a tiny .22 caliber bullet. My second target was an 18th Century shoe buckle frame! I then found an interesting button, looks like the bottom half of a blow hole button, without the blow holes lol. The shank weaves though the button, just like the blow hole button I found (which broke a few months after I found it). My friend found a nice late 18th Century dandy button, with an interesting design. Right as I was leaving I got a deep hit. After spending a long time digging, I pulled up my first Crotal Bell! It have a vertical seam down the middle and is extremely heavy. It is made out of white bronze rather than brass. I was doing some research that said that two piece cast bells like this are from the 15th to 16th century! It is very crude and looks very much like some very old ones I have seen online. Is there as chance it could be as old as I think it is?
Crotal bells - ukdfd


Thanks for Looking!

 

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[trapperart]

Congrats on some nice finds

 

[port ewen ace]

looks like sand cast, but older than the type found in NY, the hanger is also looking older than 1800's, guess is early 1700's. wash the dirt out and weight will drop--- then hope the thumper is there to hear how it sounds.

 

[coinman123]

looks like sand cast, but older than the type found in NY, the hanger is also looking older than 1800's, guess is early 1700's. wash the dirt out and weight will drop--- then hope the thumper is there to hear how it sounds.

Sadly the bottom is damaged, I cleaned it up looking for the weight, it wasn't in there

 

[coinman123]

Underneath the patina is a shiny white color, though I don't want to remove the patina at all. High content of pewter or tin maybe?

 

[Silvermonkey]

That Crotal bell is fantastic. I would love to find one. Maybe one day....

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks for the PM.

Its not as early as your reading suggests, at best its late 18th C, more likely early 19th C. I can't be 100% sure on the date other than its not 15th/16th/17th C because its very difference from most types I know.

 

[coinman123]

Thanks for the PM.

Its not as early as your reading suggests, at best its late 18th C, more likely early 19th C. I can't be 100% sure on the date other than its not 15th/16th/17th C because its very difference from most types I know.

Thanks for the info!

 

[CASPER-2]

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks for the info!

Also, its manufacture suggests its not European, most likely a US made one.

 

[coinman123]

Also, its manufacture suggests its not European, most likely a US made one.

Makes sense considering the lack of design and strange casting techniques (vertical seam with solder). British ones seem to almost always have designs, and are molded in one piece molds (after the 16th century).

Thanks for answering my PM so quickly!

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Congratualtions on the fine relic hunt!

 

[thrifty76now]

A great Crotal bell there.