1921 Ring Bell Used in the Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier Bout....

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1921 Ring Bell Used in the Jack Dempsey vs. Georges Carpentier Bout. Jack Dempsey was an icon of the Roaring Twenties. As big, if not bigger than Babe Ruth, Dempsey was a crowd favorite and sold out arenas wherever he went. Under the management of Jack Kearns and the promotion of Tex Rickard, he became a legend in his time and his name to this day is still recognized by people as one of our country's most celebrated figures.

The first million-dollar gate in boxing history and the first national radio broadcast, the 1921 Dempsey-Carpentier fight at Boyle's Thirty Acres Oval in Jersey City, New Jersey was seen by 91,000 spectators. The favorite Dempsey was wobbled by World War I veteran and Frenchman early on but returned with a fury to win in four. Also, going into the fight, Dempsey was positioned by the press as anti-establishment and the anti-hero because he had not fought in The Great War.

Presented here is the actual ring bell used in the fight. The entire apparatus consists of a brass bell (10" diameter), black cast iron mounting bracket/striker, and wooden base (11.25x11"), all of which is mounted on a wooden display (22.5x35" ) along with photos of the bout, fight program (reproduction), and metal inscription plate. There is also an inscribed wooden plaque, which explains the bell's provenance and was originally affixed to the bottom of the base of the bell when our consignor first acquired it. Shortly after, our consignor removed the wood plaque from the back of the bell so that he could create the display which you see here now.

Provenance: Our consignor acquired the bell from the estate of Maria Killian the widow of Joseph O'Connor, an electrician who received the bell as payment for services rendered in preparation for the fight. Notarized letter of provenance from our consignor.