Rare antique souvenir commemorating the Panama-California Exposition (a world exposition held in Balboa Park in San Diego between 1/1/1915 and 1/1/1917) and Mission San Diego and California in general. Bell swings in the arch and produces a delightful ting-a-ling ring when articulated. One side of the memento features a relief of Mission San Diego bordered by images of flowers, a palm tree, Father Serra and a caballero. The other side features a relief of California’s Golden Gate (the strait which links the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay; it would be 18 more years before construction started on the bridge) bordered by images of California poppies, a cactus, a miner and a Native American. Bottom is marked: Patent Pending, LW Swarts.
• 5 inch height
• 3 7/8 inch width
• 1 1/2 inch depth
In very good condition, showing only extremely minor finish wear.
Cast of pot metal(?) with a metallic goldtone finish; unsure if bell is cast bronze or iron with a goldtone finish.
I believe the piece to be extremely rare, as extensive online searching produced only one other example in poor condition showing extreme wear and priced at $250.
Free US shipping.
Rare antique souvenir commemorating the Panama-California Exposition (a world exposition held in Balboa Park in San Diego between 1/1/1915 and 1/1/1917) and Mission San Diego and California in general. Bell swings in the arch and produces a delightful ting-a-ling ring when articulated. One side of the memento features a relief of Mission San Diego bordered by images of flowers, a palm tree, Father Serra and a caballero. The other side features a relief of California’s Golden Gate (the strait which links the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay; it would be 18 more years before construction started on the bridge) bordered by images of California poppies, a cactus, a miner and a Native American. Bottom is marked: Patent Pending, LW Swarts.
• 5 inch height
• 3 7/8 inch width
• 1 1/2 inch depth
In very good condition, showing only extremely minor finish wear.
Cast of pot metal(?) with a metallic goldtone finish; unsure if bell is cast bronze or iron with a goldtone finish.
I believe the piece to be extremely rare, as extensive online searching produced only one other example in poor condition showing extreme wear and priced at $250.
Free US shipping.
