Sealed Bid & Catalog Sales

Specialized University of Washington equipment that retains a significant value, as well as material located at off-campus locations are sold through a sealed bid sale or a catalog sale.

The terms & conditions of sealed bid/catalog sales are specified in each sale’s documentation.

It is the bidder’s responsibility to read and understand the terms and conditions for each sale.

The University of Washington has available for sale a 10cwt ring of eight (8) change-ringing bells (with some fittings). A condition of sale is that the bells will be used for full circle ringing. The bells are located in the UK.

No bid deadline! For full details, forms and pictures, see below.

Bid Form

Specifications (Revised on Friday, 11/12/2010)

REVISION TO SPECIFICATIONS related to bell size and year of retuning (11/12/2010):
The ring is a 10cwt ring of eight with tenor note D -50 cents international pitch (tuning details below). It consists of six historic and two new bells, plus some fittings. The back six of the current ring were originally the front six of a ring of eight removed from a tower in Writtle, Essex, in 2004 to make way for a new ring of bells. In 2004, these six bells were retuned at Whitechapel in London to form the back six of a new ring and two new trebles were cast to complete the eight. The original intention was to hang these eight bells in Seattle and to that end the two new trebles carry inscriptions chosen by the donor in Seattle who donated money to the University of Washington to finance the casting. However, during the design phase it was found that these bells were unsuitable (too heavy) for the Seattle tower (and instead a 6cwt eight has been installed). The six sets of fittings included are those from the Writtle installation and include wheels, headstocks, and clappers and have not been refurbished. The bells and fittings are currently in storage at Taylors Bellfoundry in the UK.

Details of the history of the old Writtle Bells can be found on their website at: http://www.writtleringers.org.uk/oldbells.htm Estimated value of the bells and fittings: $57,000.00 USD

Tuning Figures: WHITECHAPEL BELL FOUNDRY LIMITED Ex. Front six from Writtle, tuned and augmented to eight in 2004.