Click to open a timeline of dates and locations for
Queensland bell makers. (PDF)
| The Condamine bell was named as a
Queensland Icon in 2004. |
These horse shoes were made by Alf Ormand and won him a
Certificate of Merit from the National Agricultural and
Industrial Association in 1907. |
In 1868,
Samuel Jones was accredited with making the first Condamine
bell* from a used pitsaw blade (*the name derived from the Queensland town where he
lived at the time). His design was not completely original
as his inspiration was from what he had seen in his youth in
Britain. However, his bell was generally larger and more
suitable for the Australian conditions. He referred to them
as 'Bullfrog Bells' and continued producing them until
his retirement in 1912. Although his signature bell is
referred to as the 'Condamine', in reality the majority
of them were made in in his smithy in Toowong, Brisbane,
after he moved there in 1876. Christy Andersen,
Fred Andersen, Alf Ormand, James Ormand and Alf Ormand Jnr
and Thomas Beckett
were just a few of the well known bell makers who marked
their bells with identifying stamps.
Christy Andersen established a large blacksmith shop in
miles and with the help of numerous assistants he made
many 'Condamine' and 'Kentucky' bells from about 1880 to
1919. After that, he and his son Fred, continued bell
production in Brisbane.
While in Brisbane, S.W. Jones had offsiders who helped
with production, the last being Alf Ormand who then took
over the business and continued on under his own name
and stamp. Alf moved the production to a smithy that was
constructed in his backyard, also at Toowong. Two of
Alf's sons (James and Alfred) also became bell makers
and worked in the family blacksmith shop. Alfred (A.H)
wound down the business in the mid 1990s.
Thomas Beckett also made Condamine bells and these are
identified by his 'TB' tongue stamp. They also had a
distinctive square mouth shape.
Bells from all these makers are widely sought after with
the genuine article bringing high prices at auction.
S.W. Jones
C. Andersen
Alf Ormand
A.H.Ormand |
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