Helicons in St. Louis

[humBell]

A Martin BBb
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332529011561


A Holton Eb
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332529022344


Seller also has listings for a B&S tuba as well as a Conn, which you can look up yerself, as they don't fit the subject of this post...

[Kirley]

Those crooks look goofy. I can’t imagine Martin wouldn’t have used proper curved crooks.
I wonder if this was a high pitch horn originally. Still don’t know why the tech wouldn’t have reused the crooks, though.
Anyway, you don’t see Martin helicons everyday.

[Donn]

I thought squared off curves was kind of a Martin signature.

[Tubajug]

Both were ended early by the seller because "there was an error in the listing."

[Kirley]

I thought squared off curves was kind of a Martin signature.

Yeah, their curves tend to be squared off a bit. But they aren't usually composed of 2 90s soldered together, like this one. The crooks are still one piece bent to shape. At least on the Martin sousaphones that I've seen.

But then again, there is nothing "usual" about a Martin helicon.

[humBell]

Martin is back up.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/332553077540

Shipping is now offered.

[Kirley]

Also, weird adjustable lyre bracket.
There is a story behind this horn.

[Donn]

Don't recall ever seeing a lyre bracket like that. You think it's one of a kind?

[windshieldbug]

Don't recall ever seeing a lyre bracket like that. You think it's one of a kind?

Around the turn of the 18th/19th century they were very common items for adding lyre brackets to horns that had not been built with one. They were very common in use on cornets, but I've never seen one added to a helicon. That does also bring to mind the other use I've seen them used for; a quick way to patch holes or cracks by just bolting one on in the right place w/wo solder, cork or cloth...

[ufonium2]

Those crooks look goofy. I can’t imagine Martin wouldn’t have used proper curved crooks.

I have an EEb Martin helicon and the crooks look just like this one.