“Mounted Knight” Vintage Tubular Doorbell Chime; Manufacturer Unknown.

“Mounted Knignt” Vintage Tubular Doorbell Chime-Manufacturer Unknown

Manufacturer Unknown ~1938

The manufacturer of this chime is unknown. Obtained in rough condition—the original stamped brass ornament was found under several layers of latex paint. The ornament features a mounted knight in armor approaching a castle.

Typical of many early long-bell door chimes, the mechanism employs a simple coiled resistor between the rear and front terminals. When electric power is applied to the rear (far left) terminal it must travel through the resistor before continuing to the solenoid coil thus effecting reducing velocity to the solenoid plunger. This produces a softer strike of the bells than when the same amount of power is applied to the front (center) terminal. This design is marginally effective and largely supplemented by a pair of solenoids in later designs.

Nineteen-thirties manufacture is assumed as this door chime has features typically found on pre-war examples: The strikers have bakelite tips and, the solenoid coil is hand wound. The mounted knight motif helps date the chime as it would have fit well with fashionable tudor revival homes of the 1930s.