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I've owned a "Wurlitzer Professional" 3 valve Bb helicon for about 30 years. I've played it several times but mainly it just collects sawdust in the workroom. I bought it from a kid who played it in his high school marching band. Would someone know how I could track down when it was manufactured? Is anyone aware of other brass or wind instruments made by Wurlitzer?

rosotuba wrote:I've owned a "Wurlitzer Professional" 3 valve Bb helicon for about 30 years. I've played it several times but mainly it just collects sawdust in the workroom. I bought it from a kid who played it in his high school marching band. Would someone know how I could track down when it was manufactured? Is anyone aware of other brass or wind instruments made by Wurlitzer?

There are Wurlitzer-branded stencils from Conn, King and Martin. I'm not sure that Wurlitzer ever made brasswinds themselves. IIRC, the "Professional" brand puts it in the 1930's.

Do you have the ability to post some pictures? We'd love to see it!!!

Tim

I've got pictures of the helicon but can't figure out how to get them here so that you can see them, I'll keep trying. I've read a few of the previous threads on posting pictures but I've not been able to make it work yet.
Thanks for the information about the age of the horn.

Wurlitzer Cincinnati 1865, Chicago 1865, Rudolph Wurlitzer & Bro 1872, Rudolph Wurlitzer & Co 1890-1912

rosotuba wrote:I've got pictures of the helicon but can't figure out how to get them here so that you can see them, I'll keep trying. I've read a few of the previous threads on posting pictures but I've not been able to make it work yet.
Thanks for the information about the age of the horn.

Upload 'em here:

http://www.imageshack.com/

BTW, the labeling on the Wurlizter stuff seems to be all over the place from very ornate "Rudolph Wurlitzer" to very plain "Wurlizter" in a simple border, nothing else. The strange thing is that the simple label looks to be by Martin, probably the best of the lot.

Here are pictures of the Wurlitzer helicon. Thanks for your help Chuck. Since I've taken it out again I realize it's a pretty good sounding horn. I think I'll have a few dents taken out and look for opportunities to use it.
http://www.dropshots.com/rowens

Boy, that doesn't look like a domestic product.

Maybe French or Czech...

Indeed. Compare it to a current Amati:
http://www.amati.cz/deutsch/produktion/ ... h_260g.htm
http://www.amati.cz/deutsch/produktion/ ... h_254g.htm

You are right. But I think that the valve system suggests that it is British made. If you compare it with the valvesystems om the small Indian instruments, that I believe to be copies of old British instruments, it looks similar:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2007-BBb-ZWEISS-S ... dZViewItem


http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SOUSAPHONE-2006-M ... dZViewItem

The older European instruments I believe to have a slightly different wrap.

Looks similar in valve assembly structure to this Muller, does it not?

http://www.horn-u-copia.net/cgi-bin/yab ... 1139359040

That helicon makes me salivate!

Is the finish silver or nickel plate? It looks liike nickel in the photo.

Interesting horn - it really bears resemblance to early Holton / more recent Amati instruments.

It doesn't look anything like the Wurlitzer-stenciled Conn BBb helicon that I repaired for Mr. Michael Moore of the Atlanta Symphony. His, a 1920's-vintage instrument was just like a pre-1970's Conn 14K sousaphone except for the straight bell and elongated main tuning slide.

If someone happens to have some early Wurlitzer history, I'd like to find out more about an old Wurliter Eb tuba I have. The bell inscription is readable with the instrument sitting on its bell. I'd have to pull the instrument out of the storage room to get it exact, but it says something like, "(Initial) Wurlitzer und Sohne, makers, Cincinatti, OH". Looking at the instrument, I'd guess that it was made in-, or before the 1880's. A silver-plated, 3-top-piston instrument, it has elaborate engraving and machine-embossed ferrules and brace flanges somewhat like a Distin tuba. The required mouthpiece size is comparable to that of a modern bass trombone, and it is in quite good condition for its age. Please contact me if you have any information about 19th century Wurlitzer brass instruments.

Lee, if it's that old, it's almost certainly a Kaiser & Kohler stencil. See:

http://www.usd.edu/smm/UtleyPages/OTSCo ... S1859.html
http://excelsiorcornetband.com/wst_page2.html

for example.

Chuck,
Thanks, man! The engraving looks just like that on the Kaiser u. Kohler instrument.

I'd say the finish on the horn is silver. It doesn't have that shiny, chrome like appearance anywhere. I am interested in seeing how clean I can get it, any ideas?