Vintage Genuine Cloche a Vache (Cow Bell) by Devouassoud Chamonix, France № 0

Description: Up for your consideration this Vintage Genuine Cloche a Vache (Cow Bell) № 0 by Devouassoud France, in perfect working condition, complete with original clapper. Bell is approximately 4" wide, 5" tall and 2" deep. Marked with Devouassoud Sonnettes SAS cow logo/Devouassoud/Chamonix (a town in Southeast France)/0 (possibly bell size). The Devouassoud family have been making cowbells and church bells the traditional way since 1829 in the capital of old school cowbell manufacture Chamonix - the Alpine town on the French side of the Mont Blanc.The first Devouassoud cow bells were made by Pierre Devouassoud. Six generations later, 25-year-old Thomas is in charge, though his 74-year-old father Gérard likes to keep a hand in. "I just come in each morning to read the papers," he quips. The workmanship is authentic and labor intensive. A bell starts life as a sheet of steel, out of which Thomas stamps the bell's shape. The cut pieces are wrought, closed up and riveted, and the colombette is forged (this is the metal loop that the wide brown or black, brass-buckled leather collar is threaded through). The entire bell is now heated in an oven to over 1,000 Deg C, after which it is polished and varnished and the clapper is fixed. There are 51 operations in all; small wonder, then, that it takes four hours of labour on average to make one bell.The tone of the ringing depends on the size of the bell. Proportions range from a petite 3cm high (weighing 20g) to 19cm high (3.5kg). Small sonnettes (bells) grace the necks of goats, calves and sheep; hunting dogs wear them too, and hikers attach them to their rucksacks to shoo away vipers (and scare off bears in Canada).The bells have domestic uses as well: housewives use larger ones to call the family to table (the alpine version of the dinner gong) and they have a decorative function hung inside and outside chalets. I found no significant condition issues (except rust) with this bell, but signs of previous use and ownership should be expected consistent with its vintage timeline and should be taken into consideration with age and ownership. Please note: I will accept any reasonable offer. Please check out all of the pictures and thank you for watching.

Price: 60 USD

Location: Katy, Texas

End Time: 2025-01-08T04:10:26.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD