1878 Saignelégier Chiantel Fondeur Swiss Cast Bell 4 Inches Tall For Sale

1878 Saignelégier ChiantelFondeur Swiss Cast Bell 4 Inches Tall

For consideration is thisvintage 4 inch bell marked 1878 Saignelegier Chiantel Fondeur. It measures 4inches tall and 3 7/8 inches in diameter. The patina is natural and it weighs over1 pound unboxed. I performed the “magnet” test and it did not stick, indicatingit is either bronze or brass with cast detailing. The bell reads “1878Saignelegier” on one side and “Chiantel Fondeur” on the other. It has a squaredhandle and its original clapper. It has a superior sound! Many of these bellsare referred to as cow bells but many of these pieces were used as festivesleigh bells or for sheep and horses. The date on the bell is when the foundrywas created and not necessarily the production year of the bell. I am unable tocornfirm that this is an authentic Chiantel Fondeur bell or if it was producedby Bevin Bros. Mfg. Co., in East Hampton, Connecticut. It is in excellentvintage condition with no problems noted. Thank you for looking!

NOTE: Chiantel Fondeur (or Chiantel Foundry) was arenowned Swiss bell-casting operation located in Saignelégier, Switzerland, establishedaround 1878 by Mr. Chiantel, an artisan of Italian or Savoyard origin.Specializing in high-quality brass and bronze bells, often used for sleighs andlivestock, the foundry is famous for its \"1878 Saignelégier\" stampedbells, which are highly collectible today. Authentic 1878 Chiantel bells are known fortheir weight (e.g., a 4.5-inch bell weighing 2 lbs) and deep relief casting,distinguishing them from lighter, cheaper reproductions.

NOTE: According to Chuck Kelly and his wife DeeAnnaWeed of Classic Bells, I found the following information from their website wwwdot classicbells dot com where DeeAnna wrote:

“These open mouth bellsoften found on the collectibles marked in eitht sizes ranging from 2¾ inches to6 inches in diameter are sometimes called Swiss cow bells. I have not found anyreputable bell historian who can provide an accurate history of the Saignelagierbell design. Because of this, I am extremely skeptical of the many fanciful storiesabout its origins. What I do know for certain is that Bevin Bros. Mfg. Co. ofEast Hampton, Connecticut, has made these bells for many decades. According toa Bevin sales brochure “These Swiss cow and sheep bell reproductions are handcast from mold patterns found in the Bevin Bros. factory almost 100 years ago.Each bell is cast from bronze in the pattern of the famous 1878 Saignelegierbell, which, legend tells, comes from the town of the same name. Swiss cowbells that are genuinely old cannot easily be distinguished from new ones,especially since many new bells have been artificially antiqued.”

NOTE: Founded in 1832 by brothers William,Chauncey, and Abner Bevin in East Hampton, Connecticut, Bevin Bros. Mfg. Co. isthe last remaining, family-owned bell foundry in the U.S. \"BellTown\". The company survived a 2012 factory fire to continue producingdiverse bells, including those for the Salvation Army and the \"It\'s aWonderful Life\" bell.