The Last Bell factory in America

[rjphil]

East Hampton, CT - The Higher Grounds Coffee House is exhibiting images from my series "The last Bell Factory in America" through July. These are b/w large format images of the Bevin Bros. Bell Co, the only firm in America left that manufactures only bells, and is still in the original family ownership since 1832. Sadly the factory (built in the 1880s) was struck by lightning over memorial day weekend and was completely destroyed. The whole hindsight thing makes me wish I had spent more time in there, but I'm glad that I was given the access that I had. The company is planning to rebuild on the original site, and has taken temporary prodution space, but it won't be the same as the old building with the creaky floors and the history. The exhibit is up through July. (And they feature terrific coffee from Bean and Leaf).

Some of the series is located here - http://rjphil.com/wordpress/

[Richard Rankin]

Pretty interesting series. Too bad about the fire.

[jp]

Nice photos; thanks for sharing. The old workshops and workspaces are fascinating and will never be redone exactly for practical business reasons.

I have a customer that makes only bells; have never visited their foundry though. http://www.bellinghambell.com/

[ic-racer]

Bells are nice. I find the electronic "bell sound" made by most elevators these days to be directionally indeterminate; can't tell which elevator came up without looking for the associated light. The sound seems to be coming from all directions. By comparison, as a bell rings, I can clearly tell where the sound comes from.

[gene LaFord]

I thought of you when I heard of the fire on the local news. Good series of an interesting place.

[rjphil]

The July/August issue of View Camera (out now) includes 6 of the photographs from the series and a short piece on the work.
More of the series on my website - http://rjphil.com

[Jim Graves]

Just received it in the mail today .... very nice!

Congratulations on the article. Especially enjoyed "Sleigh Bells" and "Parts." Thought "Parts" should be used for a class in composition.

[Kirk Gittings]

Superb work RJ.

[Louie Powell]

This is exactly why I continue to support Large Format Magazine. Beautiful work, and not just pictures to show what the process is capable of doing.

[Mark MacKenzie]

I enjoyed your work very much! I once shot an old church three days before a tornado destroyed it completely. I don't know what compelled me to shot it that day.