Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09
WIND BELLS OF THE JAPs
Singular Devices of Glass or Metal
Which the Breezes Ring.


From the Chicago Chronicle
The wind bell, as IT'S name apDlies IL
made to ring by the action Of the wind. In
fact, the wind bell is not a bell at all,
strictly speaking. but a contrivance COM
posed Of number of pendants suspended
In circle from a ring and hung close to-
gether SO that they Will come into contact
and produce sounds whenN swayed by the
winds.
Some wind bells produce sounds that are
pleasing and musical Some are made with
glass pendants, some with pendants Of
metal; some are small and very simple In
construction, others are large and massive
and elaborate.
Wind bells range in price from % cents
to $500. The original home of the wind
bell is Japan.
In its simplest form the wind bell is COM
posed of a number OF narrow strips of
glass, perhaps six inches in length sus
pended lengthwfse from a wire ring about
two inches in diameter. Within the circle
formed by the strips thus suspended Is
hung by one corner little square piece
of glass half way down the length of the
long strips, the strips and the square piece
being ornamented with various Japanese
characters and designs. This wind bell
may be hung up wherever a breeze will
strike it and blow the strips into contact
with one another and with the square sus-
pended among them
But slightly more expensive than this
simplest form of wind bell are others of
glass, with pendants of different lengths
and with g. number of squares of different
sizes such wind bell producing a. greater
variety of tones.
Another inexpensive sort of wind bell has
a number of small bell-shaped metal objects
suspended on a cord at different heights,
with a corresponding number of little glass
oalls hanging from cords, to come into con-
tact with The metal objects when the bell
is swayed by the wind.
Still another costly form of wind bell has
for pendants number of variously colored
leaf-shaped pieces Of metal, metallic leaves
OF various forms and sizes suspended
around from ring by cords. The wind
blows these leaves together, producing
nesseS-a variety of musical tones.
A metallic wind bell that sells for S35 and
occupies vertically space of about three
feet has, suspended around from a ring
about foot in diameter, a number of pend
ants, each composed of a number of Curl
Gus metal objects strung ,one below the
other. Below this circle of pendants and
hanging from the center of the support of
the bell Is a cylindrical lantern of metal
the lantern being about foot in height.
A larger wind bell of metal. one that sells
eor $Io, has no lantern, but a bigger hoop
and longer and larger and more numerous
pendants, these each composed of several
metal objects attached one below the other.
A strange IL not grotesQue wind bell Of
metal, one that sells for 500. has for a top
piece solid metal construction two feet or
more in length around from Its outer edge.
Tho pendants of this great wind bell, each
composed of a number of oddly shaped OBJ
jects suspended one below the other along
1t, vary In length. and at the end of mum.
Der OF the pendants hang odd small bells
with tongues.
Wind bells in their less expensive and
more familiar forms are hung on porches in
summer, where the breezes can play with
them and make them tInkle or produce
their musical sounds. In winter such wind
bells may be hung at windows more or less
likely to be opened at the top whore the
wind can strike them.
The wind bell OF metal with the lantern
hanging below Il would probably be hung
In a hall, where 1t would be sounded when
the door was opened. The great wind
bell would. in Japan. be hung In some tenn
pies grounds and probably near the gate.
Here 1t would be hung In garden.