SILVER BELLS - CROATIAN BELLS - CELEBRATING HOLIDAY RESONANCE...

As I post about Croatia during this holiday season I'm poring through the 1,700 photos made on the trip & realizing how many images I made of bells. I suppose I was thinking of the requests I get to do slideshows at ABA conventions. [The American Bell Association is an international organization for bell collectors of which I've been a member for 30 years.]

Of course the "silver bells" part notes my long time passion for making small bells, usually in sterling silver, which I market on the website: GRB BELLS  While I've been happily in thrall to the archetype of bells I celebrate them particularly at this season...

We trekked steep steps to the tops of several bell towers in the churches of the stone-wall fortified cities we visited along the Dalmatian Coast but we also discovered numerous bells stashed in museums or even stored in dead-silent crypts.

Stephen made these shots of the bell tower in Split & me on the way up... The Bell Tower is the name of the ABA's journal.

These bronze automatons functioned as theater, 

miming striking the bells high in the tower yet visible from the pavement.

These originals, having been replaced, are now retired... 

relegated to stand at such attention for eternity.

Since they chimed the hours there was clockwork involved as well.
This apparatus was also replaced, allowing me to enjoy in the same museum it's
mechanique antique 

Climbing into the throats of some big bells...

Wondering what the environment would be when they were ringing.

 Such art & engineering!

Stephen leads the way up ancient steps
fortunately retrofitted for safety 

along with the structure supporting the bells.

 They can be massive, mounted to swing,... or more usually be struck... pounding tones from their tonnes atop what becomes delicate engineering... comforting for the proof of longevity.

 One was tucked in a courtyard... seemingly to cap the well... 

Curious... thus sealing off the water, muting resonance"?

& this one is a resin replica... a big prop for what show?

 These seemed staged toward some installation
 developing an open space

I

A table in a street in Ston presented this conundrum on bell sound.

 I must invent stories for the bells relegated to a crypt in Split...

 While others get to hang-out in glorious exposure.

 I can only then wonder at the resonance here when the bells peal.

Solstice is Shifting.
Much Joy & Resonant Peace!