1937 Wichita Kansas Bell

Lot 449 Batch note: the frames run 2 through 16 with no frame 1, so the first photo may have dropped from the upload; three tape-measure frames are included, so the sizes below are measured. 25-Character Title 1937 Wichita Kansas Bell (24) Alternates: Ring For Wichita Bell (21) Souvenir Cow Bell 1937 (22) Wichita KS Souvenir Bell (24) HiBid DESCRIPTION VINTAGE SOUVENIR COW BELL - "RING FOR WICHITA KANSAS" AND DATED 1937, WITH LEATHER THONG Small stamped steel souvenir bell of tapered cow-bell form with a rectangular mouth, riveted top loop, and internal wire-hung clapper, fitted with an old grey suede or split-leather hanging thong knotted through the loop. One side is embossed in raised block letters "RING FOR / WICHITA / KANSAS" - the R of "RING" is worn shallow and reads as a P at a glance in the photographs - and the opposite side is embossed "1937." No maker mark, manufacturer name, or country stamp is visible anywhere on the bell or inside the mouth, so no maker is claimed. The finish is a dark grey-brown oxidized steel with old surface staining. Flaws include overall dark oxidation and mottled brown staining, small rust freckles and pitting scattered across both faces and along the mouth rim, shallow wear to the raised lettering, light dents and creasing in the sheet steel, and a leather thong that is dry, stiff, soiled, frayed at the ends, and cracking. UNTESTED - the clapper is present and appears to hang free, but the tone, the security of the clapper mount, and the strength of the leather have not been tested. Sold as one souvenir bell with thong only. Description Form: tapered four-sided cow-bell shape, rectangular mouth, riveted strap loop at the crown, internal wire-hung clapper with rounded head Construction/Finish: stamped and folded sheet steel with a crimped seam, dark oxidized surface, no paint or plating remaining; grey split-leather thong knotted through the top loop Marks: embossed "RING FOR / WICHITA / KANSAS" on one face and "1937" on the reverse; no maker mark or origin stamp is visible Size: bell approximately 1 1/2 in tall and approximately 1 1/2 in across the mouth by approximately 1 in deep, with the leather thong adding approximately 4 in, per the tape-measure photographs Attribution note Small embossed steel bells reading "RING FOR WICHITA KANSAS" turn up regularly as Wichita civic and booster souvenirs, and comparable examples appear in eBay and Etsy listings described as vintage Wichita souvenir steel bells, some dated to the 1940s by their sellers. Bells of this kind were typically sold or given away as promotional novelties by chambers of commerce, celebrations, conventions, and local businesses, with the town name embossed on one face and a year on the other. The 1937 date on this example is at least suggestive of a specific event or campaign that year in Wichita, which is also the year the city adopted its official flag from a public design contest according to Wikipedia and Visit Wichita - but nothing here connects the bell to that or any other event, and the tie is not claimed. No issuing organization, occasion, or maker can be established from the piece itself. Any period, origin, or attribution comments are offered as the consignor's photo-based opinion and are not guaranteed. Bid on the item(s) as pictured. Notes for bidders Leave the surface as it is. That dark oxidized steel and the crisp raised lettering are what date the piece; wire brushing, naval jelly, or polishing will flatten the letters and destroy the look, and a repainted or stripped souvenir bell is worth less than an honest dirty one. Keep it dry and out of a damp shed or basement, since the active rust freckles will spread. If the thong needs to be replaced, keep the original with the bell rather than discarding it. Do not oil or condition the old leather aggressively; it is past saving and treatments will darken and smear it. Only the item(s) pictured are included in this lot. Terms Sold as-is, where-is, with no warranty expressed or implied. All sales final. Please ask any questions before bidding. Buyer is responsible for pickup or shipping arrangements per auction terms.