Original item: One Only. We haven’t seen one of these in many years. This is absolutely original from WW2 Royal Air Force. Marked with Crown / A.M. ,standing for AIR MINISTRY, and serial numbered 21C / 1434 with a Maker’s mark of G.& J.. According to our research this most likely stands for Gillett & Johnston foundry of Croydon, England, who was in operation from 1889 to 1957.
The bell is approximately 9″ tall plus hanging ring (12 1/2″ total) by 10 1/2″ at its widest, and comes complete with it’s brass clapper and knotted bell rope, though the rope is most likely not original. It dates from approximately 1940, and weighs about 28 lbs total.
These were used at war time Fighter Airfield to be pealed when the telephone call was received to for “SQUADRON SCRAMBLE”: whereupon the R.A.F. Fighter Pilots ran to their machines, Hurricanes and Spitfires, to intercept the German Luftwaffe. Mostly taken by British Pubs after WW2 to ring “Closing time” this example came from a Pub that closed down a short while ago.
Romantic, very eye catching and totally original, ready to display.