Originators of the 1906 El Camino Real Bell
Established by Mrs. A.S.C. Forbes
This beautiful bell is made of cast brass with a verde green patina finish. The bell is 13.75" tall by 10.5" in diameter and weighs 25 pounds. It comes with a hand forged iron hanger bracket and cast clapper. The bell has a very masterful and pleasing tone.
This bell has been a very
popular piece to accent mission style homes in California and Arizona.
It is perfect to place
in a belfry, arc shaped niche, or attached to a wall for display.
The Jesus Maria 1690 Bells were originally cast in the early 1920's by Mrs. Forbes.
Mrs. Forbes writes that this bell is designed after the Angelus bell at Santa Barbara Mission which was cast in Lima Peru in 1818. She states that it has never failed to tap the triple Angelica Salutation for the workers since it came to the Mission Santa Barbara.
Two original Jesus Maria 1690 bells currently hang in the courtyard at Mission San Miguel and also at Olvera Street, Los Angeles. Mrs. Forbes writes that the bell at Olvera Street was "Dedicated to California Women of Achievement", by the California Women of the Golden West in 1937.
One can only speculate on the text of the bell. Possibly the bell was to celebrate one of the first missions founded in the United States. Fray Francisco Casanas de Jesus Maria founded the San Francisco de los Tejas Mission in Weches, Texas in the year 1690. We will be researching this further. If you have any information on this, please let us know.
California Bell Co.
Phone (408) 741-1549
