18th Century Italian Bronze Bell With Medici Coat Of Arms

~ 18th Century Italian Bronze Bell ~

This is wonderful 18th Century Italian (probably Florentine) bronze bell. It is decorated with the Medici coat-of-arms to the front.

~ Medici ~

The House of Medici or Famiglia de’ Medici was a political dynasty, banking family and later royal house that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de’ Medici in the Republic of Florence during the late 14th century. The family originated in the Mugello region of the Tuscan countryside, gradually rising until they were able to found the Medici Bank. The bank was the largest in Europe during the 15th century, seeing the Medici gain political power in Florence — though officially they remained simply citizens rather than monarchs.

~ Dimensions ~

The bell is 6 inches high (15cm) high. The mouth is 5.75 inches (14.5cm) in diameter with the shoulders measuring approximately 3.5 inches (9cm) in diameter. The total weight is 1.4 kg.

~ Condition ~

The bell is in good antique condition for its age. It is slightly chipped and has 10cm crack to one side which has been repaired.