Saturday, January 3, 2009

Antique Dinner Bells

Antique dinner bells are odd pieces to attain in the world of antique collectors, and there are reasons for this being so. Varying in all shapes, sizes, and designs, dinner bells all served a relatively common purpose, to announce the beginning of dinner. Despite its universal purpose, they each are a piece of art, and are now treated as such, instead as dinner bells!

Another aspect that makes dinner bells such a hot commodity is that they can be found throughout the world, and from all periods of human history. Some antique dinner bells were used for kings, queens, and important royal families. The most common antique dinner bells are from the Victorian period.

As well, these bells may have seemed inexpensive at the time, now some antique dinner bells can be worth thousands, if not millions. In fact, the most expensive antique dinner bells come from the 1800s, during the Victorian period, and can be purchased for about one thousands dollars (United States dollars).

If you want to find the true gems of dinner bells, look for the ones crafted with sterling silver, gold, or a valuable metal. Some even have jewels within the design. These ones will typically prove to be more valuable then ones of brass or porcelain.

However, what makes collecting antique dinner bells so difficult is that the process can be cumbersome and lengthy. Do not worry though, there are immediate benefits to creating a collection, and making the appropriate additions to them. One clearly obvious benefit is that the more specific your collection is, such as antique dinner bells from a specific country or era, will create a more valuable price with each piece. As mentioned before, this can take some time to accomplish, for pieces may be scattered throughout the world, and you will have to worry about proper shipping and handling, which means costs for that will be naturally expensive.

So, hopefully you have gained some interest in the unique world of antique dinner bells, and note that once you have begun this journey of collecting, there is so much opportunity out in the world to create the most enjoyable hobby, as well as a very profitable venture! A great place to start searching for antique pieces, http://www.iantiqueonline.com is an excellent place to begin!

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