1876 Antique Mechanical Paperweight bell displayed at the 1st US worlds fair

Following the Industrial Revolution, the first World's fair to be held in the US held 250 buildings of new inventions widgets and gagets of that time period from 37 countries.. It was called the 1876 Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Alexander Graham Bell presented his telephone March 1876. "Watson come here, I want to see you". This piece could have been on his desk that held the note he might have read. A piece of history. This weight was patented in February 1876 and would have been among the other cutting edge technologies of the day such as the remington typewriter. The bottom of this reads Combination weight and clip pat feb 1 1876. This measures 2 1/2" wide and 2 1/2" tall and then you push the top button the the bell shape lifts up to hold a piece of paper. It is heavy so it would also have been used as a paperweight. Disguised as a hotel bell that one would ring to get service, this interesting antique is a part of history that was of the utmost interest to everyone. This is in very good working condition and is all original. Ask about our ten percent off special before you buy, it could save you a lot of money. VintageSparkles offers Layaway on all our pieces regardless of which site it comes from.All layaway payments will need to be in the form of a check or money order only. Please remember that vintage & antique items are not mint, nor are they perfect but they sure are full of old history and charm. Please use photos to make your decisions and read our policies prior to buying so you can have an excellent experience with us.