Engels "Christbaumgeläute 'Engelfreud'" (Christmas Tree Chimes 'Angel-Joy') (28.5 x 16 cm.)

Engels "Christbaumgeläute" (Christmas Tree Chimes)
(28.5 x 16 cm.)

Keydel “Angel Chimes” (28.5 x 16 cm.)

Keydel “Electric Angel Chime” (28.5 x 16 cm.)

Another attractive and very successful competitor to the Stock line of chimes was the Christbaumgeläute model series first manufactured by the appropriately-named Friedrich Wilhelm Engels of Solingen. Again, the earliest advertisement seen for this chime (right) dates to about 1906, suggesting that the design was developed to compete with the Stock Engelgeläute. If the claim of 500,000 sold can be believed, this was one of the more popular German candle chimes on the market. Manufactured from ca. 1906 through the late 1920s in both Germany and the US, it was certainly one of the longest-lived. The basic design consists of three interlocking supports, each carrying a candle holder, a chime, and a pair of stamped angel figures. The impeller, topped with a star, is mounted on a central spike. The angel figures on this chime are attractively and delicately modeled in low relief, and the bells have a particularly sweet tone.

Engels "Christbaumgeläute 'Engelfreud'" 

This "Angel-Joy" model appears to be the more expensive (Mark 1.50) version alluded to in the Engels ad illustrated above. In addition to the basic features described above this example has angel figures in gold instead of the usual silver, a glass bead detail on the central spike, and a little detachable banner reading "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" (Glory to God in the Highest), a design element very likely "borrowed" from the Rauh “Engel-Geläute Stern von Bethlehem.” All early versions of this chime came disassembled and folded in a small plain box; this example was found in an unusually complete state, including its original instruction leaflet.  
 

Engels "Christbaumgeläute" 

This less-elaborate example of the Engels "Christbaumgeläute" represents perhaps the earliest German candle chime imported to America. According to the instruction leaflet it was distributed for Engels in the United States by Joseph P. Steiner of Milwaukee, WI. (Milwaukee had large population of recent German immigrants at this period.) It differs from the 'Engelfreud' model in that the angels are silver, not gold; and neither "Glasperle" nor banner is included. Like the version illustrated above, this model came disassembled and folded in a small plain box. Note the picture of the chime used as a tree topper, reproduced below from the original instruction/advertising leaflet.
 

Keydel “Angel Chimes”

By the mid-to-late 1920s the Keydel Company of Detroit, MI had taken over the U.S. distribution of this chime, and perhaps the manufacture as well. As marketed by Keydel, the candle chime had a smaller, six pointed gilt star, and came almost fully assembled in a larger box decorated with lithographic images and text (below, right). The box says ‘patents applied for,’ but no American patent for this candle chime has yet come to light. In 1927 the candle chime appeared in Sears, Roebuck catalogues for the princely sum of 79 cents.

 

Keydel/Propp “Electric Angel Chime”

In 1923 Keydel patented an electrically-powered angel chime (original patent drawing at far left, below), which was eventually produced and marketed at about the same time as the candle chime.  The electric motor, which rotated the strike mechanism and lit up a C6 bulb topper, was powered by a cord tipped with a plug designed to screw into an empty socket of a C6 Christmas light string. The motor of the original Keydel model was a bit small for the job, and later models (marketed by the Propp company) had larger coils. In 1926 the Keydel "Electric Angel Chime" was advertised in magazines like Popular Mechanics for $1.50 (right), and in 1927 it appeared in the Sears, Roebuck catalogue  for $1.39, paired with its candle-powered cousin at $.79. 

 

The Engels/Keydel/Propp line of angel chimes was manufactured for nearly thirty years (a long life-span for a product of this kind), and by the time Keydel began marketing the chime in the U.S. the molded figures had lost much of their fine detail — collectors will prefer the earlier German-made versions whenever possible.