Almost all Fenton pieces are popular items on eBay.  It seems that Fenton Bells are one of the more popular shapes.  As of the time this guide was written, there were 350+ auctions featuring items identified as Fenton Bells.  Fenton has hundreds of bell designs and dozens of bell shapes and sizes.  Because of this, the appearance of the correct bell information in an eBay auction is most critical for buying and selling success. 

This guide will focus on some of the mould designs offered by Fenton as well as some of the critical attributes of a bell that should be mentioned (or sought) during an eBay auction.

(All of the photos that appear in this guide are of my Father's collection.  Thanks, Dad!  Shown above is a Fenton 7463ED.)

(For more information on collecting Fenton pieces please see my other guides:  Fenton Cat Figurines and Glass Shoes and Slippers.)

Fenton Bell Mould Designs

Fenton has many, many mould designs (or shapes) for glass bells.  One aspect that complicates the buying process, is that some of the shapes appear in different sizes.  For instance, the bell shape shown below is provided in a tall size (1774 that is 6-inches tall ) and a shorter size (1777 that is 4-1/2 inches tall).

Another aspect of the designs, that complicates the the art of collecting these pieces, is that some of the mould designs (shapes) are very similar.  Some of the more traditional bell designs may feature a bell body that is slightly fluted with straight sides as compared to a bell body that is slightly curved.

Some of Fenton's bells are very distinct and even have distinctive names which describe the mould shape.  Other bell shapes, however, are not very distinct and Fenton distinguishes them (at least in the catalogs) by their height alone.

Below, is a list of Fenton bell mould numbers and a short discription of their appearance.

1774 - 6-inches tall (Shown in photo of Blue Bell with Pear above - tall)

1777 - 4-1/2 inches tall (Shown in the photo of Blue Bell with Pear above - short)

1765 - Diamond Optic Bell, 6-inches tall

1760 - Diamond Optic (1765 and 1760 are the same shape.  1760 is the shorter one at 4-1/2 inches tall.)

1966 - Daisy and Button Bell

1967 - Daisy and Button Bell with ruffles, 5-1/2 inches tall

3368 - Hobnail Bell with ruffles, 5-1/2 inches tall

3667 - Hobnail Bell, 6-inches tall

3645 - Gift Shop Hobnail Bell, 5-1/2 inches tall

4694 - 6-inches tall with ruffled edge and diamond cut handle

4764 - 5-1/2 inches tall with diamond shaped handle

4960 - 6-inch bell with ball knob on the handle (Larger bell in the Language of Love line.)

5364 - Atlantis Bell, (6-inches tall with fish) 

5762 - 5-1/2 inches tall with a closed flower bloom on the top of the handle.  (Bell in the Rosemilk Opalescent line.)

5966 -  Priscilla Bell, 4-1/2 inches tall

6536 - Drapery Bell, 6-inches tall

6863 - Melon Bell, 6-inches tall

7278 - Petite Bell, Beauty (4- inches tall)

7463 - 6-inches tall (Shown in the photo at the beginning of this guide.)

7568 - Legacy Bell, 6-1/2 inches tall

7663 - 4-1/2 inch bell (The shorter of the Hydrangeas on Rosemilk bell pair.)

7665 - Petite Bell, 4-1/2 inch (Smaller bell in the Language of Love line.)

7668 - 6-1/2 inch bell (7665 and 7668 are the same shape, but different sizes.  I would describe them as traditional bells.)

7768 - 6 inch bell (Bell from the Dreamy Violets line.)

8362 - 6-1/2 inch bell (flowers and basketweave)

8363 - Lily of the Valley Bell, 6-inches tall

9265 - Butterfly Bell, 7-inches tall (butterfly on tip of the handle)

9266 - Bow and Drape Bell, 4-1/2 inches tall

9268 - Bow and Drape Bell (9268 and 9266 are the same shape. 9268 is the tallest at 6-inches tall.)

9560 - Templebells Bell, 6-1/2 inch tall

9667 - Aurora Bell. 6-inches tall

9763 - Heart Handle Bell, 4-1/2 inches tall

9764 - Heart Handle Bell (9763 and 9764 are the same shape, but 9764 is the large size - 6-1/2 inches)

2768 - Bell shape is shown in the photo below.

Fenton's Complete Ware Number 

As you probably know, there is more to identifying a bell design then just the mould number.  Fenton also adds a few alpha characters to each mould number to designate a particular design.  Usually the mould number is the first 4 digits and the design is the last 2 digits.  This entire catalog name or number is usually referred to as a "ware number".  (For example, see the opening photo.  The ware number 7463ED consists of the mould number "7463" (designating the mould used to craft the bell) and the "ED" which designates the design (type of glass and painted design) line that the bell originally appeared with in the catalog.  If a piece was not a part of a design line, then it is considered an "off line" piece, but will still have additional identifying alpha or numeric characters in the ware number beside the mould number.     

One of the best ways to identify a Fenton bell is to invest in a collector's book.  There are many Fenton Glass Collector's Books available through the Fenton Art Glass Company or on eBay.  A collector's book is often the most helpful in identifying an item because these books usually provide information on pieces that were produced for special occasions and pieces that did not appear in the Fenton catalog.  Examples of these pieces would be items produced for QVC and trade shows.  (Newer items produced specifically for QVC can be found through the QVC website or through a link provided on the Fenton website under "catalogs".)

If you need quick information or are looking for relatively new pieces, another great place to investigate is the Fenton Art Glass website.  This website includes online catalogs from the year 2000 to present and online pricing guides.  When using this online catalog, it is important to understand that all bells will not be shown lumped together in a single exhibit (with the exception of a Bell Medley consists of a few bell designs lumped together in a package).    Most bells will be found with their associated line of pieces which may include lamps, bowls, ring holders, etc.  Therefore, if you do not know the name of the collection or the year of production, you will need to browse each entire catalog to find your bell.   

Fenton Bell eBay Value

Collector's books and catalogs can generally give you good guidance on the value of a piece.  Another excellent way to determine value is to monitor eBay for auctions on similar pieces.  Fenton glass bells can be found in a few different catagories.  Listings for the cats are sometimes under "Pottery and Glass" and also "Collectables".  When searching eBay, keywords such as Fenton Glass Bell entered under "All Categories" are normally specific enough and, yet, general enough to bring up the most listings.  These keywords will also find other Fenton pieces that may have a bell shape. 

If a bell that you own or would like to own shows up for auction you may choose to "Watch" the item before deciding to buy (or sell) to get a feel for the overall popularity of the piece.  After all, the real monetary value of a piece depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it.  But, as most of the eBay community knows, prices and demand vary from week to week and certain factors influence the ultimate price.

Critical Information for eBay Listings

Photos

When listing items on eBay for auction, photos are a must when selling glass of any type.  Two or more clear photos that show more than one side of the bell are the better than one just photograph.  If there is a crack or scratch and you can photograph it, please provide that photo.  Divulging flaws may lower your selling price, but will win you great feedback and happy customers.  Photographing a flaw (if possible) may even increase your chances of selling that piece because then the buyer can see how minor or major the flaw really is. 

I admit that the photos in this guide are not the clearest.  I took them about 200 miles away from my home and can't easily repeat the process.  If I were trying to sell these bells, I would rephotograph them using my camera's setting which allows for closeup photography. 

When trying to photograph any item for auction (especially translucent bells) it's best to pick a background color that doesn't blend into the bell itself.  If you will notice, my previous photos were taken using an oak table background.  For the pink translucent bell (shown below), I switched to the blue carpet for my background because it was easier to see the bell against the blue rather than against the oak.

Size

As mentioned in the previous info, Fenton makes several bells using the same shape but different sizes.  Therefore, if you are selling a bell, please include the height of the bell in your description of the bell.  Even if you have a photo, it is very difficult to judge height when looking at a photograph.  

When you are buying a bell, it is best that you ask the seller about the height of the bell if height does matter to you.  This may be especially important if you are looking for a particular height to complete a collection or if you are planning to place the bell in a display case or on a shelf where space is limited.  Once you have the height dimension, compare it against a ruler or tape measure to make sure that it is really the size that you have in your mind. 

Remember, also, that as the height of the bell changes the diameter of the bell also changes in proportion.  Therefore, it is also good to list or request the diameter measurement for the bell.   

Quality

Fenton does release factory seconds which present a production flaw.  These less-than-top-quality pieces are typically marked with a boxed F or a star in order to identify them as seconds.  Also, the moulded Fenton logo may be missing from a factory second.  (The moulded Fenton mark or logo was not added to pieces until circa 1973 and, therefore, its absence will not always signal a factory second.)  These pieces are not as highly valued by collectors as the highest quality pieces.  Before purchasing a piece, it is best to ask about indications that the piece may be a second.

Condition

The condition of the bell, of course, is extremely important to mention in an eBay auction.  Buyers will want to know some of the following items:

• Is the Fenton sticker intact?
• Is the clapper intact?
• Does the area where the clapper attaches appear damaged or repaired?
• Are there are cracks or dings on the piece?
• Are there any bubbles in the glass?
• Does the piece appear warped or does it show some other quality that makes you suspect it is a second quality item?

Signature

It is good practice to indicate if the piece is signed and provide the name signed (if you can read it).  A signature by a Fenton family member can increase the value of the piece.  Be aware that your piece will (most likely) only have an artist's signature if it was painted.

Resources

Although the information in this guide was obtained from several Fenton Catalogs (see Fenton's website for some of the more recent catalogs) there are many Fenton collector's books that are a must for serious Fenton collectors.  One such book is Fenton Art Glass Patterns by Margaret Whitmyer.  The book provides hundreds of pictures of fabulous Fenton pieces along with pricing information.

If this guide was helpful to you, please click "Yes" below.  I appreciate it!  Thanks!