Handbells (Shire Album Series, No. 241)

Portable bells first appeared in Asia and in time they came to be used to attract attention in many situations; for hundreds of years the sound of handbells was part of the daily routine for many people, not least domestic servants. After 1700, when bellfounders improved the shape and musical tone of handbells and began to offer fittings such as leather strap handles, their potential as musical instruments began to be exploited. Once their entertainment, educational and therapeutic values were recognised, complete sets of handbells were eagerly purchased. Nineteenth-century enthusiasts formed handbell-ringing societies, often possessing over two hundred bells, and gave lengthy concerts to large audiences. Many groups of handbell ringers continue the tradition in Britain and North America today. This book describes the basic types of handbell, their history, and how they are made and used.