Mystery Bell

Tucked away beneath the first-floor staircase of the Blockhouse Museum, a massive 19th-centry bell has been waiting in silence for someone to tell its story.  No paperwork. No provenance. Just a magnificent artifact and a trail of tantilizing clues. 

The bell is substantial -- a heavy, imposing piece clearly built for purpose. Its body is cast from non-magnetic bell bronze, while a cast-iron yoke and distinctive S-shaped crank handle complete the assembly.  The entire surface is covered in a heavy dark-grey protective coating; a recent conservation assessment suggests this is a japanning-style finish, a technique used to protect metal from corrosion.  The bell was discovered in storage under the stairs of the Blockhouse Museum, but how it arrived there -- and where it came from -- remains unknown.

Without documentation, we have turned to research. Possible imported manufacturers include the C.S. Bell Company and Goulds. Closer to home, several local foundries may hold the answer: The alloy Foundry Co., Lilly and Hogg, H.D. Smith, and the Merrickville Malleable Iron Works all operated in the region during the period. One especially intriguing lead connects the bell to the Percival Plow and Stove Company - whose roof tower bell is said to have been moved to the Blockhouse in the mid-s0th century.  could this be that very bell?