Thanks to all who have helped me with my bell toy history puzzle!

[BellToyBoy]

Thanks!

More than a few friends have been helping me find pieces to my bell toy history puzzle. Just recently I've received pieces from Dean Markham, Jay Hansen, Elaine Brophy, Barbara Sargent, Richard Mueller, and a librarian as yet unidentified at The East Hampton Public Library.

Jay Hansen sent me a newspaper article about Joel Perkins, a bell toy designer at Gong Bell. that he thought I might be interested in. Wow, was I! It had clues as to the Watrous Perkins partnership, which coincided with some patent information and helped identify the designer of many early bell toys. 

Dean Markham sent me numerous clippings and then let me know about The East Hampton News archive online.

Barbara Sargent a descendant of Norman Newton Hill, aka N. N. Hill, sent several photos of the N. N. Hill plant and numerous articles and an N. N. Hill genealogy.

Elaine Brophy, a fellow ABA member, sent me a treasure trove of articles regarding East Hampton she had been saving, and then went to the Connecticut Library and found numerous articles on Watrous..

Richard Mueller keeps sending me bell toy photos, catalogs etc...

The Librarian for East Hampton wrote in a facebook reply to my note that The East Hampton News archive project was a collaborative effort. So has my project. Without all the help I have had over the years I never would have been able to get as far as I have with the research.

The list of people and organization that have helped me over the years keep growing. Here's the list I've been putting together for all the help I've received so far in my project. It's a work in progress.

Thanks!

 

It took a lot of pieces of information to piece this history together, and a lot of people and organizations helped me gather all these puzzle pieces. I could not have accomplished any of it without their help. Special thanks to all the following that helped make this possible:

 

Jeff Bell, for many a gracious good day sharing our research

Jay Hansen, East Hampton town historian, for sharing with me so much Watrous history, especially for the loan of the Watrous Mfg. Co. corporate ledger

Ted Willerford, my Watrous family relation to one of the East Hampton Watrous clans, and a great guy, for sharing so many historical facts, photos, etc…

Nelson Gustine, for the camping and sharing of so many documents

Newton Clark, Newt, for so many things shared

Dean Markham, for his knowledge of East Hampton history, and for sharing it

Bill Jones, for all the dedication to digitize the J&E Stevens ledgers and for explaining iron casting processes

Richard Mueller, the pulltoyprofessor, for so many things and so many good times together

Donald Kaufmann, for the Watrous catalog

Druscilla Wells, for the conversation and great letter

Lorraine Bevin, Larry, for sharing her experiences and knowledge

Stanley Bevin, for being Stanley and calling me with one of the most memorable calls

Matt Bevin, for spending time with me on the phone and allowing me to tour the temporary plant

Perry Eichor, for the Watrous catalog

Dr. Greg Zemenick, Dr. Z, for the Watrous Billy Possum and other catalog sheets

Bob Saylor, walking encyclopedia of all things National Novelty Corporation, or Kenton Hardware

Elaine Brophy, for sharing her research, Wow!

Hillel Don Lazarus, Hilly, for copying all his ads that showed bell toys

Robert W. Vogel, for his enthusiasm talking about Watrous bell toys

Craig Strange, for numerous catalog copies

Paul Cole, for sharing his collection with me

MacDonald Gordon and Bette, my adopted toy collecting parents

Connecticut Historical Society, Barbara E. Austen, Florence M. Crofut Archivist, for being so accommodating

The Mechanical Bank Collectors of America, for being generous with the J & E Stevens history

University of California, Santa Barbara, for conserving all their N. N. Hill Ledgers

Chatham Historical Society, Sandy Doran, President

East Hampton public library, Sue Berescik, librarian

The Connecticut State Library

Barbara Sargent, for sharing her knowledge of the N. N. Hill family and company history

Tighe and Bond, for the East Hampton history

W.E. Bushnell Antique Books on CD

Antique Toy Collectors of America, for introducing me to so many wonderful toy collectors

American Bell Association, for introducing me to so many wonderful bell collecting people

Google, especially their patent and digitized book project and their search tools

eBay, for making available so many things that would otherwise be thrown away, and eBay from days gone by when you could contact fellow bidders and find other people with similar interests.

 

I’m sure I’ve forgotten to mention more than a few names. This is a draft and I hope to correct that.

 

Life is good,

Bob Watrous