Featured Velvetone Bell

Picked this up at the flea-market on the weekend. Ain't it cute?



From what I've read, bells like these were used on old horse carriages, very early automobiles, and streetcars/cable cars, around the turn of the century.

Coming from Melbourne, I reckon something like this would've been used on an old fashioned tram (Melbourne has been famous for its trams since the 1880s), and I know that old trams did used to have bells like these on them, which the driver would operate with his foot (because his hands were too busy operating the gears and levers up top).



I polished the bell extensively when I got it home, and pulled it apart, polished it even more, I cleaned the mechanism and then put the entire thing back together.



After generous lubrication and reassembly, I'm proud to say that the bell now rings loud and true



I'd say it dates to the early 1900s, but I'm not sure exactly when. It's cute though. And it was cheap!

 

You're the third person to tell me that in a week. I can't do that until I GET the screws. And bugger knows when that'll be. I gotta find metal-threaded brass countersunks to do it properly. And nothing is made of brass these days. It's all steel and I hate steel.

I know an antiques restoration place in town. I might try there, but I'm not sure if they sell screws of the type I'm after...

 

Shangas, I don't just "like" it . . . I love it!!! I also love its "brand" name.

Would I be correct in saying that you enjoy the "rehabilitation/restoration" of items as much (if not more than) the "finding" of items to be rehabilitated?

Shangas, when I was a young child I used to ride (with my mother) the old trolleys here in town which rode on tracks/rails in the street(s) and then a "long arm" rose up from the top of the trolley and connected with the "electric" line(s) running above the street. They weren't for "show" or "fun" -- they were the only form of public (mass) transportation back then in the city.

 

The tram network in Melbourne is our main form of public transportation. It's mediocre at best.

But yes, I do like restoring stuff. It's fun. I don't adhere to the belief that to leave something in its "original condition" is doing it any favours, if the condition you found it in is absolutely atrocious.

 

Just dab a little gold paint on those screws till you can replace them . Its a neat thing .

 

Shangas,

What thread pitch are those screws? (And length) I come across brass taper-head/slotted once in awhile.

 

Here's an article showing the placement (underneath the footboard) and use of such bells or "foot gongs" on early automobiles and horse carriages. It mentions this manufacturer, but does not provide any additional details.
http://classicbells.com/info/Chimes.html

 

We always seek out locksmiths when we travel. In Belgium, locksmiths also sole shoes and make license plates! In Kortrijk, we met Blinky. One time when we were there, he said a local hotel started using American locks and he couldn't get keys. When we got home, we shipped him a box of key blanks.

 

The screws on this bell are a big muddle to me.

The screws in the photos are the ones that I put on. The bell originally had other screws (smaller than those, and flathead instead of philips/flat-combo), but they were in horrible condition. I hope to find better ones soon.