antique metalware

[Anne Willis]

Our late organist lent me a copy of volume 12 of the Journal of the Antique
Metalware Society. This has two articles of interest; one on handbells by
Bill Butler, which summarises his book, and has a lovely picture of Warner's
moulding shop around 1862.

The other article is on Bristol Brass Founders, Braziers and Coppersmiths,
c.1650 - 1890. It's by David Eveleigh, who I think is curator at Blaise
Castle House Museum. It only mentions bell founders in passing, and there is
no mention of the Purdue family. Indeed it gives the impression that there
was no bell founding in Bristol in the latter part of the 17th century.

What is interesting is the history of the availability of the metals used
and the descriptions of the various brass-founding firms, and how bell
founding, if they did such things, seems to have been a sideline. There are
details on Wasborough and Hale in their various permutations. I had not
realised that L&J originated as early as 1735 and that Peter Llewellin
served his apprenticeship with his Uncle, Thomas Blinman.

I wonder how many bellfounders operated that side of their business as a
sideline. I know the Wells of Aldbourne and James Burrough of Devizes were
both general braziers and coppersmiths. The Cockeys of Frome and Warminster
were also pewterers, which may have been a useful source of subsidised tin.

The Antique Metalware Society can be contacted at P.O. Box 63, Honiton,
Devon, EX14 1HP, e-mail amsmemsec at ... 

Anne