I have used one continually for years. Change the water in it every couple days, make sure to wash it out between fillings. Works great and just put the whole thing in fridge if we go on vacation and know we wont be using it for a few days.

While on the subject of butter dishes I have a different question. I was gifted an antique "French or English?" butter dish that has a bowl, tray with holes in it, and a cover, but I do not have any idea how to use it, if any of you know, please enlighten me? Also, do any of you know how to verify lead content so I know if it is safe to use it?

I have a DH who will use the knife from his dinner to get butter from the butter dish and it makes me crazy! Do not ever use any utensil that you are eating with in dishes that others are being served from or that will not be refrigerated! In fact, don't use them at all. Get a separate knife or spoon or fork or whatever! I keep a BUTTER knife near the butter on the counter, but that does not always mean it will be used as it is intended. My DH is too old of a dog to teach a new trick especially since I have been asking him to refrain for over 40 years, but if any of you have some newer dogs, please train them better than I or his dearly departed mother have done my DH.
When at the dinner table, cut off a piece of butter with the butter knife and place it on your bread dish or on the side of the plate so that you do not have to go back to the butter dish.

You place the butter in the smaller bowl and insert it into the larger bowl with cold water. This water will need to changed every 2 or 3 days. I have one but not like yours. Yours would look great with my collection of dinner ware. I to have this pattern. Have a lovely day!
clmay

Wow, I can learn something new on here everyday, but this "butter bell" was not something I would thought would be my learning lesson today. Love the idea but have never seen one among my friends. Maybe I will start a trend for us.

My Texas grandma had one in her un-air conditioned cottage and the butter was always great. My mom just used a glass butter dish and it was out all the time. My mother-in-law never even covered her butter - she was in California.

Actually, I DO find my butter bell a necessity -- for me. I hate hard, cold butter on toast, English muffins, rolls, and baked potatoes!
Bought mine from Amazon, around $20, in yellow (Like butter, get it?!)

To use you put about 1/2 inch fresh water in the "bowl" part -- change it every 2-3 days for best results -- press your softened butter into the "bell" section (I use the paper the quarter was wrapped in to press it down), and place the bell into the water.

Why in water?? Because having the bell in the water creates an anaerobic environment for the butter which then does not go rancid. The butter doesn't get wet from the water as the placement creates a bit of a vacuum when you put the bell down into the bowl.

I LOVE mine and gave them for Christmas a couple years ago!

Jan in VA

I used to have a butter bell and you have to change the water every few days. I leave mine sitting in a covered glass dish. The dish does not seal.n I have never had an issue with the butter and I live in Fl.

You don't say where you lived or where you are traveling. Are you traveling to a more humid climate? We used to leave butter on the table when I grew up on So Cal but I would never do it here in Houston. Way too humid.

I asked original question. We live in Midwest, where Summers can get humid. When I grew up, butter came in 1 lb hunks, not quarters and Mom put the whole lb on the table, never had mold. We are winter vacationing in TX and mold I found (1 time) surprised me. I'll probably get a Bell, because I think they're kind of a novelty, but my reason for asking was to see if there's a favorite brand.