I bought this Victorian English shop bell in London some 20 years ago. It seemed like the perfect upgrade for my shop—authentic, timeless, atmospheric and practical. In other words, super-cool. But I already had a nice, serviceable antique shop bell on my front door; thus, I never got-around to installing the new acquisition. I kept it safely stored for some future need (which never arose). With an inexplicable sense of conflicted nostalgia, I now have decided to let the shop bell go—to list this handsome accessory on the LEO Design website.
The bell is marked with an English patent registry date of 25 October 1878. The brass bell portion screws into the "header jamb" just above the door. The brass "tongue" (which engages the spring loaded clapper) is screwed into the door. (Ensure proper placement such that the tongue hits the clapper when the door is opened.) Each time the door is opened, the metal tongue engages the spring-loaded clapper, resulting in a crystal-clear and resonant "ding." When closing the door, the tongue brushes the clapper out-of-the-way, without a ring.
This bell was made for a merchant's door—intended to notify staff when a customer had entered the shop. But this bell would be useful in a home, too. Perhaps one wants to know when the back, kitchen door has been opened. Or when someone is passing through the cellar or garage door. In an office setting, this bell might help notify employees when a colleague has entered one's department, needing assistance.
Click on the photo above to learn more about this handsome and useful piece.
Though our Greenwich Village store is now permanently closed, LEO Design is still alive and well! Please visit our on-line store where we continue to sell Handsome Gifts (www.LEOdesignNYC.com).
To arrange a visit our Pittsburgh showroom (by private appointment only), please call 917-446-4248.