Natalia's set of American cowbells

25 bells, 2 full octaves starting and ending with F including all sharps and flats.
The bells appear to be made from mild steel or iron, and then coated with brass. The clappers are not like standard choir bells which move in a straight motion, but rather swing freely.
This set of bells was owned by a woman named Iris Southerland in New Zealand for 40 years and who passed away a few years before 2002. She skillfully played the cowbells and also used then to direct a children's choir who played Christmas music and popular favorites. When Iris died the bells went into the possesion of a man from her church who tried to carry on with the children's bell choir, but it did not work out.
In 1992 this set was shipped to the USA from NZ to be professionally tuned. The tuning is accomplished by a precision cut in the base at the corners of each bell.
These bells were probably made by the Bevin Bros of CT when they were still manufacturing tuned bells.

Click on images to see an enlarged photo of my set of American cowbells:

Cowbells joke

Why do cows have bells?

Because their horns don't work.

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