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Tiger bells in China
China
Tiger bells are of the A type, smaller B type and some of alternative variations.
Four tiger bells, on a brightly colored woven belt. Bells and belt look recently made. No further details available.
In the Leyden Ethnological Museum, procured in 1976.
Group: Solon
More than 60 type A tiger bells in different sizes, on a shaman costume; 25 tiger bells on the collar, 36 on the caftan, one or two on the stick.One large tiger bell, behind an ordinary crotal bell, in the background on the left, out of focus, one or two smaller tiger bells
Both costumes were collected in 1938.
The bells have a width of 2.7 cm. and a height of 2.1 cm. No further information available.
In the Mission museum, Steyl, (Limburg, the Netherlands)
Dimensions: wide 2,7 cm., high 2,5 cm., side 2,1 cm.,
hoop 1,5 cm. rectangular
...I bought [the bell] from an old curio shop on the Guangdong border, thinking that it looked like some ancient Pacman. It's about 3 1/2" around. It's attached to an old handbeaten heavy double-link bronze chain. The chain doesn't look like it's of Chinese origin, though. No further information was available.
Group: Unknown
One tiger bell, type A, unusually large, picture placed on Flickr (adress: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24603840@N04/3578911414/), by John Cornelius. He writes:(The bell).. was in a box of miscellaneous stuff I came across in a basement in Rochester NY USA, in the 1970s. The owner of the property had no information about it and let me have it, as I had an interest in it.
The 'face' is about 6,5 cm wide and the 'side' view is about 5,5 cm deep. From the top of the handle to the bottom of the bell is about 7,5 cm.
I did show it to a curator of Chinese art at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA. He thought it might be more likely from the south of Asia (Philippines / Indonesia?) but it was just a guess.This tiger bell has several interesting features. First of all the size:
the bell is larger than most other reported type A tiger bells
(except for a bell from Korea).
The holes at the sides are not seen on other tiger bells.
The 'Wang' character is present; other Chinese characters are replaced by
what propably are floral motives. All pictures courtesy: John CorneliusThe various design elements are clearly the same as those of the other type A tiger bells. The size of the bell is however uncommon. I have seen bells this size and bigger, with a tiger's face as decoration but not in the style of the tiger bells, used as door bells, in a Chinese shop in Bangkok. Probably this bell was used as a door bell too. The age is uncertain but probably not more than 100 to 150 years old.
Reported in 2008.
Also with the Iban one finds classic tiger bells of type A that are larger than usual but these are not common.
The face is very different from the usual tiger bells
The square hoop and Chinese characters are present
North East China (formerly Inner Mongolia)In the television program Vrije geluiden (Free sounds), a weekly program about all aspects of music, broadcast in November 2010 by the Dutch broadcasting organization VPRO, there was a performance by Hanggai, a group from China, playing music in fusion style, based on traditional music from Mongolia and contemporary pop music. The drum set featured, together with the usual contemporary cymbals and drums, a bundle of metal bells. In a close up of the bundle clearly the face-like motif of the tiger bells can be seen.
One of the two bundles of tiger bells
Photograph (screenshot): courtesy VPRO Vrije Geluiden
http://beta.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1003725
(shows the complete broadcast; Hanggai starts at about 34 minutes;
close up on the bigger bundle a.o. on 46 min. 40 sec.)Drummer Li Dan behind his drum set. He has two bundles of bells on his drumset. Both bundles have everal tiger bells, of different types.
All bells, including the tiger bells are newly made.
Photograph: courtesy Hans VerzendaalDuring a performance in Groningen in december 2010 the group allowed long-time friend Hans Verzendaal to make some pictures of the tiger bells and to ask some questions. Band leader Ilchi explained how the bells came into the instrumentation of the group. Read his statement and see detailed pictures of the tiger bells.Hans Verzendaal also made several videoclips of the performance of Hanggai. You can find these at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on_XsEbuPgM&feature=related
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Pictures: courtesy Sea Eagle Coins
The bell is quite large. The relief and the representation of the nose differ from the type A tiger bells, and the representation of the whiskers is unusual. These factors make this one of the alternative tiger bells.
On the website of Sporting Collection: a complete horse harness with saddle, bridle and stirrups.
Pictures: courtesy Sporting collectionDescription:
Prof. Ovidiu Oana reports a pair of horse bells in his collection. The bells are from the Liao dynasty (AD 947 - 1211). According to prof. Oana the bells are not tiger bells. However, although the bells are very worn, some interesting details are visible. There are clearly two eyes, and the hoop is more or less square.One would think of an alternative type. However, these bells are probably older then the oldest tiger bells and can therefore not be classified as alternatives... Click on this link to see the bells.
(While traveling) from Shanghai to Nanjing we did not see one single bell. It was 1200 kilometers westwards, in Xi'an that we found several tiny new jingle bells of 1 cm. diameter, in several stalls in an antique market in the muslim quarters. One dealer asked us into his shop and showed us several old bells: 'velly old' and expensive: 100 yuan (about € 10,-). Because of language problems we could not find out where they came from...
The bell is a type A tiger bell. The nose seems to be different from the classic type but dimensions and the rest of the design are roughly the same. The bell is photographed from both sides.
Dimensions: 3,3 cm. x 3,1 cm.(without hoop) x 2,6 cm.
Dimensions: 2,7 cm. x 2,6 cm. (without hoop) x 2,5 cm.Reported and donated to author by Dolf Heubers, December 2010. In 2005 and 2006, Dolf Heubers reported several bells from Afghanistan.
Region: unknown
On the website of Harmonic Healing: several alternative tiger bells. They are described as:
Very old Shamanic Tiger bell bestows fearlessness and happiness. The bells have been cleansed and oiled with sandlewood oil.
Photographs: courtesy Harmonic Healing
In the design the 'Wang' character is missing. The 'nose' is replaced by what possibly is a combination of two Chinese characters. No information on country or region of origin, possible age and use are given. It is therefore not sure if these bells, or these necklaces, come from China. It is also not sure if the combination of bells and other elements such as the lingam (fertiliy symbol) is authentic. Compare these bells with the small alternative bell from Thailand, from prof Ovidiu Oana's collection.In the Yiwu Ekia Pet Products factory, tiger bells of various types and sizes are mass produced.
In June 2011, I found a website with address:
The factory produces products for pets, such as dog collars and leashes, bird cages, etc. They also produce antique imitation tiger bells, by the thousands. The factory was opened in the year 2000 and has a production capacity for brass bells of 200.000 pieces per month. Tiger bells can be ordered with a minimum of 2000 pieces. These are some examples:
These new tiger bells are based on originals from the Qing dynasty and classic tiger bells.
The tiger bells in front are clearly based on bells from the Qing dynasty; the bells in the back are not tiger bells. They are seen in the bundle of bells used by the drummer of the Hanggai group.
These bells are based on the classic tiger bell
The company describes them as follow:The tiger brass bell is very traditional, classical and elegant of China products.
It own perfect in workmanship, Create elegant and perfect life for people. His voice sounds sunny, sweet, and lasting. Bell is widely used, it can be used on pet, as signal bells, or as childeren's toies. It also used as necklace, bracelet, anklet, wind bell or accessories of other DIY jewelry. Our Chinese call it Tiger Bell (sic.ed.)Many of the tiger bells offered recently on the internet are most likely produced in this factory,or in other similar factories. They are produced for world export. Buyers should be aware that, contrary to what some sellers state on their website, these bells are modern and mass produced. They are neither old nor antique.Report: June 2011
In 2004 Claire Chantrenne, curator of the Music Instruments Museum in Brussels, Belgium, bought a bundle of four bells, of which two are tiger bells. The other two are not tiger bells but occur regularly on ritual objects, sometimes in combination with tiger bells.
Ms Chantrenne reports:I bought my tiger bells in november 2004 in a flea market in Shaanxi province in West China, possibly in Pinyao but I am not sure of that.
No details known; dimensions follow. See also the bells from Xi'an (Shaanxi) reported by Dolf Heubers.
Reported in september 2011
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