Antiqued Copper Bell 8"

Aboard sailing vessels, one of the essential duties of a ship’s boy was to watch over the small brass bells and operate them by following a set of half-hour glasses, marking the time for the crew. With a set of eight small brass bells, the ship’s boy in charge of the hour glasses would strike a series of tones to mark shifts and the general time of day. Since this was not an exact science, noon was not marked by the hour glasses, but by the ship’s captain taking the reading of the sun depending on where the ship was in the world. These nautical bells became an essential part of sailing, as they marked and regulated the activities of the person at helm, aided in navigating by determining approximate distances traveled, and for keeping sailors alert to trimming the sails and keeping lookout. In conjunction with the hour glass, a ship’s small brass bells were the only means of telling time aboard a constantly moving vessel. Each of these ship bells for sale is crafted with this rich history in mind, with authentic detail and symbolic pride.

In 1485 a mention is made of a brass ships bell aboard the British ship Grace Dieu, one of the first written mentions of ships bells being used aboard a sailing vessel. Almost ten years later twin ships bells were noted aboard the Regent, as their use began to spread throughout Europe. As sailing expanded exponentially, with European countries pushing ever farther into the new world, ships bells took on a variety of responsibilities at sea. Aside from decorative bells, the first bells were perfect for was marking the passage of time at sea, used to indicate the different shifts of the sailors aboard ship. As this is the case, the bells on a ship tolled not according to the hour of the day, but to inform the sailors of the changing shifts.