[Bell Historians] Early exports?

[Carl S Zimmerman]

Recent correspondence with an American historian has raised an interesting question or two.  It is known that in our early colonial days, England discouraged industrial production here, wanting to import raw materials from the colonies and export finished goods to them.  Among those finished goods would be bells.  What are the earliest records of exports from British bellfounders to the colonies?
Also, we know quite a bit about early bellfounding practices, but what about the commercial practices of those bellfounders?  For example, how would church bells have been packed for export to prevent damage in transit?  What fittings would have been shipped with those bells, and what would the buyer have been expected to supply at destination?  Etc., &c.
This will give you something to think about when it's too cold to go out exploring ancient belfries.  :-)

Carl Scott Zimmerman, Campanologist 
Saint Louis, Missouri, USA -
 - 19th c. home of at least 37 bell founders or resellers 
Tel. +1-314-821-8437 
Webmaster for www.TowerBells.org
 * Avocation: tower bells
 * Recreation: handbells
 * Mission: church bellsWebmaster for www.TSCChapter134.orgTreasurer, World Carillon Federation
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