In the pre-automobile countryside crotal bells were used on horse drawn wagons and carriages to warn others that they were approaching. On smaller wagons and carriages they were typically hung on a small leather harness above the horse's collar. On larger units, such as delivery wagons, they were driven into the wooden
frame of the wagon.
The crotal bells shown in the photos and the wooden base itself were donated by Pat Moore. The metal pieces above the crotal bells moved them in batches during the manufacturing process. The depressions in the wooden base into which the crotal bells sit is a precise fit. How this unit came to be in the barn in which it was found is not known. The precise age of these crotal bells is also not known but they likely fall in the 1870 to early 1900's range.
The photo of the crotal bell harness at the very bottom is a stock photo used to demonstrate how they were used.