Peter IV Vanden Gheyn
Peter van den Gheyn (Dutch: Peeter Vanden Ghein;[1] 1605[2] or 1607[1]–1654[3] or 1659)[1] was a bell-founder of the Spanish Netherlands (now Belgium).
Life
Peter was born into a family of noted bell-founders and himself became the most famous bell-founder of the 17th century.[2] His father was Jan van den Gheyn.[3] The family forge was at Mechelen in what is now Belgium.[3] His associate was named Peter Deklerk[2] or de Clerck, his uncle by marriage.[3]
His total production of bells was not great.[3] He cast the Salvator bell for St Rumbold's in Mechelen in 1638, which weighed 15,000 pounds (6,800 kg)[3] and cracked in 1696.[4] He also cast the Salvator bell for St Gudula's in Brussels.[1]
He had the curious affectation of inscribing his bells using type of various sizes within the same word.[5]