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.





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

[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 !