Please help us identify our vintage "family" Bell.

[jjdjr]

Hello all
This rare antique brass bell has been in our family for years. Through hearsay, and undocumented I am afraid, it has been said to have been bolted to one of the Liberty Ships built in the 1941- 1945 WWII era, but sometimes truth becomes stories and stories become embellishments. So the story goes that many years ago, father in law, a retired naval officer- deceased, acquired this bell and said that it came from a liberty ship. After MUCH searching and seeing so many bells, I am just confused now. Ships bell? Railroad bell?

anyway here are the specs and some pics...

Brass Bell
Mouth of bell is 18" Diameter
Height is 14" to first ridge on top and 16" to very top of bell (not  the bolt).
Thought to be off of a "liberty Ship", 1941-45 WWII era.
Very heavy 75-100 lbs.
There are NO marks or hallmarks. I looked with magnifying glass and nothing.
Are all bells marked? Is there places one should look for marks or hallmarks?

Thanks for all help.

Any questions?
Joe Dee

[waywardangler]

A lot of times these bells were dinged so much, any maker's marks just flew off.  I really have no idea but it is a very nice looking bell with nice patina. 

[mart]

My hubby was 20 years Army and the military usually marked everything !! Without documentation or markings of some sort,, there really is no way to verify that it was on a Liberty Ship !!  I will  look around and see if there were any unmarked bells !!

[jjdjr]

Thanks for your help. marks can be taken off like guns... There is a way to electrofy the bell with iron filings that may raise them.. But I don't know where to look... also this may NOT be a military bell. It also looks like a railroad bell also... Being the gentleman is gone now, there is no way to "verify" the story. so I am jut trying to find out, how to find out what kind of bell it is. For instance, school bells are broader at the mouth and are actually thinner than most other bells, so its not a school bell. I suppose it could be a church bell too. I have seen SO MANY pictures, they all start to look the same... LOL.

also, does hubs know how they marked items? Somtimes they use a punch type and sometimes its and engraved type... so many questions... Certainly have learned alot about bells though..LOL
Thanks for all your help.

Joe Dee

[mart]

Of the ones that I have seen,, most were forged with the impression in the mold !! It would not have come off !!  The thing about a bell is if it isn`t molded all in one piece, anything added after the bell was made would affect the tone !! Railroad bells are the same,, molded, marked all in one !!  Yours could be a church bell where marking wasn`t so important,, only the sound was !!

[jjdjr]

so you are saying the "US NAVY" on bells I have seen are actually molded and thats that. Now also I have read about how some bells were "turned" rather than molded. again, which ones?? dunno...LOL Sometimes its a small hallmark, like an "A" with the line in center extending on both sides and thats it. But thats enough to tell the whole history of a bell. Foundry, where foundry located, what the foundry produced and so on. Actually, for two months I have been on blogs and looking and this is the most conversation I have had about the bell... Thanks...  I could be anything... Just trying to find out what... LOL

[cogar]

I once had the opportunity to buy an old cast iron cook stove which had "US Navy" molded right on the oven door.

[mart]

I said that the ones I have seen were molded and marked !!  I looked around a bit and did find several that were called ships bells that were unmarked !!  As well as others such as railroad, misson/church bells ect !!  Tracking yours down may be impossible !! You might contact a foundry and see if they might help !!  Could be that the shape/size is unique to certain types of bells !! Do you have the yoke with it ??  It might help as well !!

[jjdjr]

Sorry.. it is no "yoke".. that I have no yoke with bell... LOL... sorry... been waiting to use that.. LOL Yes.. That is what I am hopeing for at least si that the shape could be unique to certain kind of bells,  ect... The easiest way would be to call an appraiser... but alas, my pocketbook has no budget for that... could be $95 +-... Thanks for all your help and interest... Its been quite the learning experience... nuthin wrong with that!!

[mart]

Yep !!  I would have used that one too !! LOL  Wish we could be more helpful but sometimes you just hit a brick wall when researching things that are unmarked !!  Were it me,, I would just enjoy the bell without worrying about history !!  Whatever it is,, bells are not cheap and yours would be worth around $3500. from the prices I have seen !!  Surprised me !!