Dear Donna,
Take a look at this and let me know what you think. This is a big bell! It’s the size of a baseball. Not sure where we got it, but would you know if it has any value?
Andy from Manchester
Dear Andy,
You are right, it is a big bell. Your bell should be brass, and I think it could have been used for a sleigh, a horse or maybe even on one of the cows on a farm. But it’s tough to tell today without a history on it.
Bells are collectible: sleigh bells, antique school bells, old cow and sheep bells and even large church or town hall bells. They all have different values and collectibility. Your bell being brass and seeming to be in good shape with a nice darkened patina could be worth somewhere in the $40 range.
Donna Welch has spent more than 20 years in the antiques and collectibles field and owns From Out Of The Woods Antique Center in Goffstown (fromoutofthewoodsantiques.com). She is an antiques appraiser and instructor. To find out about your antique or collectible, send a clear photo of the object and information about it to Donna Welch, From Out Of The Woods Antique Center, 465 Mast Road, Goffstown, N.H., 03045. Or email her at footwdw@aol.com. Or drop by the shop (call first, 624-8668).