Vintage helicon picture

[DavidB]

Just came across this on the net. I don't recognize the horn, but I'm no helicon expert.

helicon.jpg (82.34 KiB) Viewed 523 times

[KiltieTuba]

I think this was either a Cerveny or an old Martin. I'm pretty sure I have this marked as a Cerveny in my files at home.

[Mikelynch]

I have always considered this helicon a mystery. It doesn't align with any Cerveny helicons or sousaphones I have seen; and It doesn't look like the two rotary valve helicons that I know. Neat horn though...

[Mikelynch]

I should have added that Ian's two guesses were the same as my first thoughts...

[eupher61]

I wouldn't expect a Martin of that vintage to have rotors.

[eupher61]

I wouldn't expect a Martin of that vintage to have rotors.

Well, I just proved myself wrong, according to this Martin serial number and ID list but I don't see any there with clockspring valves. I may need to look a more, but I'm out of time for now. Interesting.

[KiltieTuba]

There was a Martin Helicon on fleabay a year or two ago.
It had a 24" bell, .750"ish bore and looked almost identical to this.

I wouldn't expect a Martin of that vintage to have rotors.

Well, I just proved myself wrong, according to this Martin serial number and ID list but I don't see any there with clockspring valves. I may need to look a more, but I'm out of time for now. Interesting.

[Mikelynch]

It's the clock spring valves that make it hard to align with Martin. I know of 6 rotary valve Martins, and none have had clock spring valves. But then, Martin was clearly experimenting with the rotary valves, and maybe the pictured helicon was one of those experiments.
Mike

[the elephant]

The large ferrules and braces look European, but the rings on the ends of slide legs, the bell flare and large guards and wires look to be American.

I cannot even guess. Did Martin add the rings to the ends of outer slide legs like York (and Besson) did? I love those. Many people think they are rolled. But they are just a half-round wire soldered to the ends of outer legs for strength. They look great, too.

Maybe it was custom made and this is why the fellow posed in a studio portrait with it. Martin could very well have ordered up a valve set and built the horn themselves once the bits arrived. (Meaning that they did not necessarily have to build their own sets during any experimentation.)

The uniform looks American, too.