Machine-stamped Bells

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By about 1870, machines were developed to stamp sheet brass into bells. The process is faster than hand casting, and less brass is used per bell. Both of these factors greatly reduced manufacturing costs. The downside is that most types of stamped bells are more fragile than their cast cousins.

Some bells were stamped from one piece of brass -- the patent (Tucker) bell is an example. Other styles, such as the stamped egg and beehive bells, were created from two pieces of lightweight brass crimped together in the middle.

Almost all stamped brass bells are all fairly small -- no more than 1 3/8 inch in diameter. Lightweight sheet brass is not rigid enough to be formed into bells much larger than this. One exception to this is the sturdy "improved Swedish" bell that can be as large as 3 inches in diameter. Many stamped bells were plated with nickel or chrome. Most of the original makers attached stamped bells to a strap with copper or mild steel rivets; one maker W.E. Barton used screws. More about rivet-style bells...

These bells were often attached to a dark leather strap about 1 inch wide. The bells were spaced 1 3/8 to 2 1/2 inches apart. Some manufacturers mounted stamped "egg" bells on a flexible "Sunday" strap of linked brass plates.

Some leather straps were edged or lined with one or more layers of thin leather -- or possibly an oilcloth textured to look like leather. Edging material was sometimes cut with a pinking machine. When sewn to a bell strap, this pinked edging created an attractive zig-zag border along the strap. The color of the decorative edging or lining was usually dark to match the bell strap. Sometimes the manufacturer chose a bold, contrasting red -- or less commonly white, green or yellow -- for the lining or edging.

Stamped bells have a lighter, higher sound than cast bells of the same diameter, often with a liquid waterfall or "shimmery" tone.

Two-piece stamped egg bells, 1 1/4" and 1 1/2" diameter. These light-weight brass bells were often nickel plated (bare of any plating in this photo).	Section of a celicate "Sunday" strap dating probably to the early 1900s. Two-piece chrome-plated egg bells riveted to a flexible strap of linked metal plates.	Beehive bells are a two-piece lightweight bell made of sheet brass. They are popular with Native American dancers for their unique shape and sound.	Stamped "pear" bells made of lightweight sheet brass in two pieces.
One-piece "patent" bell by George Tucker of Waterbury, Connecticut. The most common style shown here has two throats (slits) and a conical base. The base is circled with the dates of Tucker's patents.	Closeup of the common style of Tucker bell. This bell, as are most Tucker bells, is inscribed with "PAT. OCT 24. 76 & MAY 14. 78". A few Tucker bells are marked with only the 1876 date.	Tucker bells are all made in one piece from heavy sheet brass. These particular bells have the same shape as the common style shown at left, but they have only one throat.	Spherical Tucker bells are less common than the version with a conical base. Several versions of Tucker's bells were produced through the early 1900s. It is possible that this style is a later one.
One-piece spherical "jingle" or "arctic" bell. It is similar to the spherical Tucker bell shown above, but with a smooth, plain base and no markings. Tucker bells may have evolved into these unmarked bells.	One-piece jingle or arctic bells are made of sheet steel and usually plated with brass or nickel. These vintage bells are descendants of the original Tucker bells.	Delicate one-piece "triple throat" bells possibly made by George Tucker. Unmarked. These bells were made from lightweight sheet steel as well as the brass shown here.	Stamped "band" bells. Two-piece design made of lightweight sheet brass, originally nickel plated.