Frequently Asked Questions

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I want my sleigh bells fixed up. Can you do the work?

Yes! See Bell Restoration and Custom Projects.

What are my sleigh bells worth? Will you buy my bells?

See Appraising & Buying Sleigh Bells.

Do you have a printed catalog of your products?

No, we do not. Our product availability changes often, so it is tough to keep a printed catalog up-to-date. Please explore our website and contact us if you have questions.

What can you tell me about my sleigh bells?

See our Learn about bells section for Sleigh Bell Designs, Dating Bells, Fakes I: Old bells that aren't and History.

What can you tell me about my ______ bell?

See our Learn about bells section for information about sleigh bells. See Links for information about other types of bells.

Do you sell foot gongs? (Also known as Bermuda bells, carriage bells, or "ding dong" bells)?

We do not sell foot gongs. See Saddle bells, shaft bells, and foot gongs for tips on where to find them.

Is my Swiss 1878 Saignelegier bell a valuable antique?

See Open-mouth Bells

What kind of sleigh bell sounds best?

It really depends on the listener. See Sleigh Bell Sound and About Our Bells

How can I polish my bells and clean up their strap?

See Sleigh Bell Care

Will polishing ruin the antique value of my sleigh bells?

See What can be Done with Sleigh Bells?

Your sleigh bells are new, right?

Some are brand new, and they are clearly labeled as such. Some are vintage bells from the 1930s to modern times. Most are honest antiques from the horse and buggy era.

See our Learn about bells section for Dating Bells, Fakes I: Old bells that aren't, Fakes II: Old straps that aren't, and About Our Bells.

Are there good books or other resources about sleigh bells?

The most informative printed book is Horse Bells, available from us. See also our Learn about bells section.

Books about bells in general often have a few pages about horse and sleigh bells. I cannot recommend any for accuracy, completeness, and usefulness, if your interest is specifically about horse and sleigh bells. The Horse Bells book and our website are your best resources.

What kinds of sleigh bell straps are there?

See Bell Straps and Brackets and What can be Done with Sleigh Bell Straps?

What do the numbers on some sleigh bells mean?

See Sizing Bells

What is the difference between a crotal, a horse bell, and a sleigh bell?

See Crotals and History

Were sleigh bells ever tuned to specific notes?

See Sleigh Bell Sound

How were sleigh bells made?

See Crotals and Machine-stamped Bells