What's this thingamajig called?

jpsartre

I've got this handle kind of thing on my wall next to my fireplace. The cover is missing and I would like to look for a replacement but I have no idea what the thing is called. Any help?

http://i67.tinypic.com/2nroqic.jpg

TheCyclingProgrammer

What does it do?

Gloomendoom

It looks like the sort of thing that you use to summon servants from below stairs.

A bell pull.

Biggles

You must be in an old Victorian house; we had a four-story one some years ago.

You turn the handle, which pulls on a wire within the walls, which runs down to the basement - at one time the servants' quarters - and pulls on a bell on a spring.

When we lived there, there was still a board in the basement with a row of bells on it. When one of the bells rang, they were supposed to see which one it was and scamper up to that room to see what they wanted.

Happy days!

jpsartre

TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »

What does it do?

Nothing as far as I can tell.

teddysmum

There's a photo of a complete one lower down the page in this article.


OP, you don't live a house like that, do you ?


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3330604/Servants-bells-hidden-former-home-Westonbirt-Arboretum-designer.html

jpsartre

Biggles wrote: »

You must be in an old Victorian house; we had a four-story one some years ago.

You turn the handle, which pulls on a wire within the walls, which runs down to the basement - at one time the servants' quarters - and pulls on a bell on a spring.

When we lived there, there was still a board in the basement with a row of bells on it. When one of the bells rang, they were supposed to see which one it was and scamper up to that room to see what they wanted.

Happy days!

Indeed, it looks like it's a servants bell. "Rotary servants bell" pulls up some similar images on Google although they seem to be rarer than I had hoped for. If anyone knows of a more common name do let me know.

Ganga

As it is next to the fireplace is it not some sort of control for the flue?
does the handle turn round and round or only move so far in both directions.

Le_Kirk

I have a little bell that I ring ............. and then one of the servants comes and turns the handle for me!

Ant555

Ganga wrote: »

As it is next to the fireplace is it not some sort of control for the flue?
does the handle turn round and round or only move so far in both directions.

Thats what I was thinking, something to control the air flow to an open fire


Look at the third or fourth picture down this page - more modern but very similar
http://inspectapedia.com/heat/Ductwork_Zone_Dampers.php

It probably does nothing practical now but this might help you locate something as a replacement item

Hope this helps

Jackieboy

Ant555 wrote: »

Thats what I was thinking, something to control the air flow to an open fire


Look at the third or fourth picture down this page - more modern but very similar
http://inspectapedia.com/heat/Ductwork_Zone_Dampers.php

It probably does nothing practical now but this might help you locate something as a replacement item

Hope this helps

But that's an American site talking about furnaces, not a simple UK fireplace. I've had several homes with working firplaces and seen nothing like that.