Antique lot of 21 George W. Tucker patent sleigh bells, 1 1/8 in., with partial leather strap pieces.
These are late-19th-century brass crotal (pellet) sleigh bells designed by George W. Tucker of Waterbury, Connecticut, and generally attributed to manufacture by the American Ring Company of Waterbury. Each bell is stamped with a diamond and his patent dates, “PAT OCT 24 76 & MAY 14 78,”. These are one-piece bell stamped from thick sheet brass, with tongues bent inward to trap the loose pellet and form the throats. Tucker bells are the only common American sleigh bells marked with patent dates. Many also carry a small diamond maker’s mark near the base.
The lot includes 21 matching bells, each about 1 1/8 in. in diameter, double-throat, rivet-mount style. The brass is bright, with a clean golden tone and only light age wear. Overall condition is excellent for their age: shells are round, throats are open, and the bells are intact.
The original leather is present only in fragments. Several short, dark, worn strap sections remain, some still holding bells by their rivets, along with loose leather pieces and rivet heads. This is not a complete continuous harness strap.Suitable for harness or sleigh restoration, re-mounting on a new leather strap, Christmas and holiday décor, crafts, or display as a dated set of patent-marked Tucker bells. Please review the photos for the exact arrangement of bells and strap pieces. Sold as shown.
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