Bell research pays off

[Digger_O'Dell]

Hi all,
While researching my crotal bell find I stumbled upon some information that had me rethink another find it had some while back. What I thought was an old telephone ringer bell turns out to actually be a later Conestoga bell, also known as a Hame bell. I do have an old telephone ringer bell that I also found but comparing them it was obvious they are quite different. The chrome plating on the latter should have been the dead give away.

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Typical Conestoga rigs from approximately the 1880s to around 1920.
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[MangoAve]

This makes me have to check some of the bells I found. Esp being way behind a site no where close to the house. Maybe those were really conestoga type cuz I could easily see a carriage out back in the fields picking up hay bails, but not a telephone. One other one I can think of is ornate. Maybe it was really a conestoga as well. Is this realty the same name used? I haven researched this type as there is never any defining marks or makers to confirm any research. The regular conestoga I am used to seeing and finding are the ones that are really like a flared bell. Like mini liberty bells. Not a hollow hemisphere. But you obvi got the right pictures and can see how they were mounted on a wagon.

[Digger_O'Dell]

Technically they are Conestoga bells, but are more commonly known as Hame bells. Try looking that name up. You'll see a whole new world of later type bells!

[Digger Don]

Very cool. I didn't know that. I always thought they were phone or alarm bells. Thanks for the info.

[del]

great information Chris , thanks for sharing it !:notworthy: