[limey]

So the first bell (which was the second one I listed, but for a shorter "auction" time) just sold for £11.70. I thought that it had some interesting features, notably the original (as far as I could tell) clapper ("It still has a clapper consisting of an iron ring fastened to the bell with a leather strap. I was told when I bought the bell that this type of clapper was found in the bells used for express post horses. If fresh horses were needed at the next posting station the bell was allowed to ring out, but if it was night and no new horses required, a strap was passed through the rings in the clappers preventing the bells from sounding").
The Russian dealer who has one listed for around £250 may have to wait a while to get that amount, as may the sellers of various other similar bells on Ebay at around £35 to £85 ... These are the ones that keep getting re-listed.