WWII BRITISH WAR DEPARTMENT / ARP WARDEN’S BRASS HAND BELL

A substantial Second World War British cast brass hand bell, bearing the raised War Department Broad Arrow mark to the body and fitted with its original red-painted wooden handle. Bells of this type were issued for wartime civil-defence and Air Raid Precautions use. They were used by wardens for signalling purposes, including the cancellation of local gas warnings and other civil-defence alerts. The bell retains its internal iron clapper and chain and remains in working order. The red-painted wooden handle shows considerable surface wear, rubbing and losses to the paint, entirely consistent with age and service use. The brass body has an attractive aged patina with surface marks and oxidation commensurate with its wartime history. Period: Second World War Mark: British Government / War Department Broad Arrow