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No horn manufacturers in Elkhart IL. Grew up near there. I vote frankenhorn.

edsel585960 wrote:No horn manufacturers in Elkhart IL. Grew up near there.

The bell ACTUALLY says "Ind", but the vendor can claim whatever they want...

edsel585960 wrote:No horn manufacturers in Elkhart IL. Grew up near there. I vote frankenhorn.

According to The New Langwill Index p.48:
"Buescher WWI, BI fl Elkhart /IN 1894-p1950."

Perhaps you were born after 1950?

My ca 1907 Buscher Eb helicon which is decidedly not a frankenhorn bears the same engraving:


A couple of things that I find interesting:
This seller also has a listing for a "Conn Buescher Sousaphone Tuba Marching Horn" with description "Conn Bell Buescher Sousaphone".
In the listing he shows photos of both a complete Conn sousie as well as what I take to be this Buescher body.

Also in that listing is shown the Buescher serial number 149260 which according to the Buescher Loyalist would date it around 1924.

The excerpt from the Buescher catalog above I believe is from the 1909 catalog:


Is it possible that the bell was redesigned between then and 1924 as was the King 124x recording bell at some point in history? (e.g. one piece vs. a joining ferrule as in the Buscher bell pictured in OP)

<EDIT>
What I believe to be the 1909 Buescher catalog:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B5-_7UC ... VrYU0/edit

lost wrote:The body is different in both listings so they are two separate listings for two different horns.

Did you actually look at the "Conn Buescher" photos? Included in that listing are:

... photos of a Conn sousaphone as well as a couple of photos of a Buescher body, including a closeup photo of the serial number stamp from the raincatcher body (serial number 149260).

Oops ... This afternoon I sent the seller a message asking if the auction included both of the bodies pictured and he has apparently since removed the listing. And I hadn't saved the images (damn) associated with the Conn Buescher listing. Perhaps a strong indication of an ebay seller to stay away from.

In any event the Buescher rain catcher that you referenced has serial number 28497 which would place it (again according to Buescher Loyalist's list) 1915 - 1916. It also has the "Tru Tone Trade Mark Registered" stamp where stamping on the second valve casing of the "Conn Buescher" photo was identical to a Buescher sousie I own whose serial number places it around 1925 and the stamp (other than the serial number) is identical to the one in the Conn Buscher ebay listing:

2
177xxx
LP
Pat. Oct 29 07

I'm pretty sure that the raincatcher in question is from the mid-1920s