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Identifying crotal and rumbler bells

The round jingling bells of harness, hawks, and sleighs.

A crotal is a hollow spherical bell with a loose pea inside and a slot cut in the lower half. They hung on horse harness, livestock, sledges, and hawks from medieval times into the 19th century, so single finds in farmland are entirely typical.

Cast crotals often carry initials or a founder's mark and a petal or sunburst design around the slot. A two-part seam around the equator means later sheet-metal manufacture; a single-piece casting with an integral loop is earlier. Size ranges from hawk bells under 2 cm to sleigh bells above 5 cm.

They survive well and identify readily: record diameter, metal, any maker's initials by the loop, and whether the pea survives. The distinctive rusted iron pea explains the rattle — or its silence.

From the guide library inside Collectors Catalogues, a free app for cataloguing antiques and finds with honest, museum-grade records.

More on metalwork

Identifying harness and horse fittings — Pendants, mounts, and buckles.

Identifying weights — Standardised mass, marked.

Identifying keys and locks — Bit, bow, and stem.

Identifying pins and needles — Head form and point.

Identifying mounts and fittings — Rivets, solder, and back.

Identifying buckles — The commonest metal-detecting find after coins — and surprisingly datable.

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