’Twas the season to be jolly, a time for silver bells and sleigh bells, Santa’s bells and jingle bells. Then came New Year’s Eve, a time, in the words of Alfred Lord Tennyson, to “ring out the old, ring in the new.” But for legions of collectors, one thing is as clear as a bell: There is no time not to appreciate things that tinkle, ring, or clang. Because of their universality, there is a bell that appeals to every taste. And surely, there is nothing more timeless to collect than a bell.

The history of bells can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The earliest archaeological evidence of their existence, dating from the third millennium BCE, is associated with the Yangshao culture of Neolithic China. In the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and Incan kings in Peru, closed mouth bells, called “crotals,” have been found. And in western culture, bells were popularized in the fifth century by Benedictine monks.

Bells can be made from a variety of materials, including metals, such as brass, silver and gold, as well as glass and porcelain. They come in all sizes, from the tiniest of closed mouth bells that decorate a Christmas gift box, to large bells, such as those in church towers.

Bells come in a variety of shapes. According to Marilyn Grismere, an avid collector and member of the American Bell Association, there are three general categories of bells. First there are bell-shaped gongs, which are sounded with a striking rod. Then there are the aforementioned closed mouth bells. Bells of this sort are found tied to holiday packages, around the necks of cats to warn unsuspecting birds of potential danger, or on horse-drawn sleighs to announce their silent approach to unsuspecting bystanders. Finally, there are clappers, “the ones we think of,” as Grismere explained. A bell can be sounded by twisting, tapping, or pushing, depending upon the type. And yes, some bells are silent.

Over the years, bells have served in a variety of societal roles. They play an integral part in many religious ceremonies and rites, calling the faithful to worship, pealing to celebrate the newly married, and tolling the recently deceased. Bells sound alarms. They call people to supper or suggest, in a not-so-subtle way, that it’s time for kids to come indoors. When tied around the necks of farm animals, bells serve a necessary – and practical – function. The sounding of a bell might alert a servant that he or she is needed, or that assistance is required at a counter in a store or library. And it is a bell – the Liberty Bell – that stands as a symbol of American freedom. Finally, some bells are appreciated simply for their musicality.

So many bells, so little time: Where to begin?

For Grismere, who serves as the editor of the American Bell Association’s bimonthly publication, The Bell Tower, her collection virtually exploded on day one. Back in 2004, “I was looking to start a collection.” Heading out for a day of antiquing, she decided to look for something small. “I decided on crystal bells and bought 57 on the first outing,” she recalled with a laugh. Today, her collection numbers around 1,000 bells. “That’s nothing compared to some people,” she added.

“Everyone has a bell in the house, some more than others,” noted Arlene Foreman, whose collection began unintentionally. Friends of the frequent business traveler encouraged her to purchase mementos of her trips. And so, in an airport in 1978, she picked up a small souvenir bell. Today, Foreman serves as the president of the premier collectors’ club, officially known as the American Bell Association International, Inc.

“We go way, way back,” Foreman said, explaining that the club held its first convention in Chicago in 1946. The diversity of collections, she continued, contributes to “friendly competition” among today’s members.

Not surprisingly, enthusiasts narrow their collections and begin to specialize after time. Foreman now favors lady bells, which, according to tradition, were used by Queen Anne to call for help. Similarly, wedding bells, as Grismere pointed out, trace their popularity to Queen Victoria, who commissioned a glassblower to make a bell that would ring out “lustily” at a wedding and then serve as a goblet for all wedding guests. Whether these stories are true or not matters little to collectors, it should be noted.

Some collectors focus on bells made of a specific material or by a certain artisan. Others are drawn to certain styles, including “swayers” and “nodders.” Many favor oft-elegant bells used in ladies’ boudoirs to summon assistance from servants. Bell collectors distinguish between “figurine” bells, in the shape of women, their skirts forming the body of the bell, and “figural” bells, where the figure serves as the handle. Sleigh bells (“you wouldn’t believe the intricacies,” commented Foreman) are another specialty. Handbells (“that’s another category,” said Grismere), church bells (one club member has an entire collection in his backyard). . .it goes on and on.

For those wanting to begin a collection, a $2 or $3 investment is all it takes to get started, Grismere continued. But she said “serious collectors pay in the thousands” for the objects of their affections. Bells may or may not be marked. Not surprisingly, reproductions can be a problem, “but word gets out,” she stated. “You get smarter as you go along.”

Today, members of the collectors’ club hail from all over the United States, as well as from countries that include India, France, and Australia; there are chapters all over the country, with international chapters including those in Russian and the United Kingdom.

“It’s the discovery,” the club president said, that makes bell collecting so interesting, finding a long-lost (or overlooked) treasure in the back of a dark and dusty antique shop. Many times, bell collections are passed down through families, she noted. One extraordinary collection in particular has been preserved in a private museum in Vermont.

Annual conventions sponsored by the collectors’ club provide an opportunity to gather, exchange information, and perhaps sell or buy a new bell at auction; this year’s event is scheduled for June 23 – 29 in Dubuque, Iowa. Grismere concluded, “Bells bring us together, but we get together to renew friendships.”

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