{"product_id":"rare-fully-marked-wwii-arp-wardens-handbell-by-james-barwell-ltd-of-birmingham","title":"Rare, Fully Marked, WWII ARP Warden's Handbell by James Barwell Ltd. of Birmingham","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eAn \u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e \u003cspan\u003eauthentic British Air Raid Precautions (ARP) Warden’s handbell, manufactured at the very outbreak of World War II. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003eIn 1939, the British Home Office commissioned these heavy cast-brass handbells to equip Air Raid Wardens across the UK home front. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eWhile rattles warned of gas attacks, these handbells were rung continuously through \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 20px;\"\u003eneighbourhood\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e streets to signal the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"rQesXe MPyX\" style=\"color: black; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\"All Clear\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e after a Luftwaffe bombing raid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eThis particular piece is a collector's dream because it features a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"rQesXe MPyX\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\"Full House\" of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 20px;\"\u003emanufacturers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e markings \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eacross the brass body, the collar and the original turned wood handle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMost surviving wartime bells only carry a partial stamp, making this fully attributed example incredibly rare.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eAlso, unlike most examples on the market which have missing or replaced parts, this bell retains its \u003cspan class=\"rQesXe MPyX\"\u003eoriginal iron chain-link assembly and heavy black-painted iron clapper\u003c\/span\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003eIt functions perfectly with a loud, clear, resonant ring.\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"XSq4R KI3fJ\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"ep\" data-epip=\"\" data-hveid=\"CAAIGRAA\" data-processed=\"true\" data-complete=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #000000; font-family: Comic Sans MS;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15pt;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"iNqyIf\" data-sfc-cp=\"\" data-sfc-root=\"ep\" data-epip=\"\" data-complete=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe handbell is in an overall very good condition.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe cast brass body features an excellent, genuine wartime patina with authentic age-darkening and surface oxidation. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eIt has deliberately not been modern-cleaned or over-polished, preserving its historical integrity.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe turned wood handle remains solid, tight to the brass collar, and free of cracks and though scuffed in places it still retains its beautiful original grain and smooth finish. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003eThe photographs are of the actual item and form part of the description. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 15.0pt; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; color: black; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;\"\u003ePlease examine the photographs carefully and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" align=\"center\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Haywards Antiques \u0026 Collectables","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57449332179209,"sku":null,"price":85.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0736\/5437\/0569\/files\/AF1414E3-68B3-48B6-BB08-60A309592E50_1_201_a-Photoroom.png?v=1791988159","url":"https:\/\/haywardsantiques.co.uk\/products\/rare-fully-marked-wwii-arp-wardens-handbell-by-james-barwell-ltd-of-birmingham","provider":"Haywards Antiques \u0026 Collectables","version":"1.0","type":"link"}