bell metal

noun

an alloy of about 80 percent copper and 20 percent tin, sometimes with small amounts of lead and zinc, having low damping qualities and used especially for bells.

bell metal

First recorded in 1535–45

The bells were cast in Spain and much silver jewellery and household plate were melted with the bell-metal.

Tin also occurs as sulphide combined with sulphides of copper and iron in the mineral stannine or bell-metal ore.

Bronze, bell-metal, and probably all the other alloys of tin with copper present the same peculiarities.

By this process, from 100 pounds of bell metal, about 50 pounds of copper were extracted, containing only one per cent.

Now I think of it, tell the Bishop of Clogher, he shall not cheat me of one inch of my bell metal.

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