HMS Ganges bell for sale
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Simpo Two

Original Poster:

92,670 posts

294 months

Monday 7th April 2014
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Just in case any old salts here want some memorabilia:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HMS-Ganges-Bronze-Ships-...

Curiously, in Israel!

J3JCV

1,266 posts

184 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
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I grew up on the harbour where the Ganges was moored, my Father used to manage the place (Mylor Yacht Harbour) and he had loads of old bits and bobs off the vessel including cannon balls and the like. There are still old buildings that served the ship and the part that was the hospital became holiday flats, there were loads of comments over the years that it was haunted with the sound of running feet!

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

92,670 posts

294 months

Tuesday 8th April 2014
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I went there with my father in the '70s to see a passing out parade. Lord Mountbatten was officiating and I remember he was very late!

phumy

5,827 posts

266 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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I was there from June `71 to March `72, one of the toughest things I had ever done, 9 months of growing up extremely fast for a 15 year old....Been looking at that bell on Ebay and I don't know why but I sniff a scam, well not a scam but sense that its maybe a copy. The engraving looks too clean for it to be original as does all the other items the seller is selling. That old brass used to get polished on a daily basis and would get worn away due to the amount of brasso applied, look at any old original bell and the engraving is never as sharp as it was when first cast or engraved due to the amount of polishing and rubbing it had done to it.

paulrussell

2,306 posts

190 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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phumy said:
I was there from June `71 to March `72, one of the toughest things I had ever done, 9 months of growing up extremely fast for a 15 year old....Been looking at that bell on Ebay and I don't know why but I sniff a scam, well not a scam but sense that its maybe a copy. The engraving looks too clean for it to be original as does all the other items the seller is selling. That old brass used to get polished on a daily basis and would get worn away due to the amount of brasso applied, look at any old original bell and the engraving is never as sharp as it was when first cast or engraved due to the amount of polishing and rubbing it had done to it.
I did think that it looks in rather good condition for a bell that's nearly 200 years old.

phumy

5,827 posts

266 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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paulrussell said:
phumy said:
I was there from June `71 to March `72, one of the toughest things I had ever done, 9 months of growing up extremely fast for a 15 year old....Been looking at that bell on Ebay and I don't know why but I sniff a scam, well not a scam but sense that its maybe a copy. The engraving looks too clean for it to be original as does all the other items the seller is selling. That old brass used to get polished on a daily basis and would get worn away due to the amount of brasso applied, look at any old original bell and the engraving is never as sharp as it was when first cast or engraved due to the amount of polishing and rubbing it had done to it.
I did think that it looks in rather good condition for a bell that's nearly 200 years old.
Thats my point, it looks too good for something that old, the rest of the sellers stuff is the same too, all a bit dodgy but not once does he say the word genuine..

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

92,670 posts

294 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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On searching for a poto of 'HMS Ganges bell' I found the same seller's earlier auction for the bell, ending the week before..

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HMS-Ganges-Bronze-Ships-Be...

$4,250 down to $99.99 - WTF?!

badgers_back

513 posts

215 months

Wednesday 9th April 2014
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RN Ships bells often have the names of the children christened in them engraved on the inside.

I'd expect some on the inside of one that old