just a bit flat

[imperialbari]

I have no idea about how big that Kansas City Mo. import company was in the market, but they may have acted wisely by protecting their share by patenting whatever detail in the US. Today’s Chinese factories will put whatever engraving on their instruments that will increase their (perceived) market share. The Europeans weren’t and aren’t better. Within the last decade we have seen the B&S sole importer in Detroit being circumvented by Schmidt/Schneider/whatever branded BBb tubas promoted through a now defunct Dallas dealership.

I may have seen photos of the actual Eb helicon worked on by bloke, but I don’t remember it specifically. If I see photos, I may see details pointing towards a geographic region. Already now I wonder how the tuning slide is placed in the architecture. From old Buescher’s (like the one bloke turned into CC) we know the very wide tuning slide sitting in the leadpipe. From King we know the narrow tuning slide sitting below the 1st slide. From Conn, Eb & BBb, we know the fairly wide dual bore tuning slide sitting after the valve block. This actual tuning also is dual bore, but not nearly as wide as those from Conn.

Klaus

[sloan]

I have no idea about how big that Kansas City Mo. import company was in the market, but they may have acted wisely by protecting their share by patenting whatever detail in the US. Today’s Chinese factories will put whatever engraving on their instruments that will increase their (perceived) market share. The Europeans weren’t and aren’t better. Within the last decade we have seen the B&S sole importer in Detroit being circumvented by Schmidt/Schneider/whatever branded BBb tubas promoted through a now defunct Dallas dealership.

I may have seen photos of the actual Eb helicon worked on by bloke, but I don’t remember it specifically. If I see photos, I may see details pointing towards a geographic region. Already now I wonder how the tuning slide is placed in the architecture. From old Buescher’s (like the one bloke turned into CC) we know the very wide tuning slide sitting in the leadpipe. From King we know the narrow tuning slide sitting below the 1st slide. From Conn, Eb & BBb, we know the fairly wide dual bore tuning slide sitting after the valve block. This actual tuning also is dual bore, but not nearly as wide as those from Conn.

Klaus

I'm about to drive from Memphis to BHM; the afternoon will be devoted to graduation ceremonies; the evening to a departmental Christmas party. After that, I'll have a chance to post pictures (and measurements - like everyone else, I followed bloke's recent advice and purchased a new set of calipers - hmmm...what would ONE caliper be?).

Key features from examination: tuning slide is before the 3rd valve (the path is directly from the mouthpiece to the 3rd valve); the bell is further away from the player than the loop (this is the reverse of the Buescher, where the bell is closer to the player than the loop); by eye only - I don't see any increase in bore until the tubing leaves the first valve (headed to the rear and downward) and starts to turn into the outer loop. There is one very long brace, with a very slight jog in it that runs as a chord of the loop which supports the valve section. The mouthpipe is supporte by one brace which terminates on this long, chord brace and another which butts against the loop

The only words engraved on the bell are "Symphony" (in very fancy script) and "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." in a very plain font. These words are surrounded by a wreath with two large branches, two smaller branches a bit further out, a bow (with a series of small dots trailing down from the bow and two ends of ribbon hanging down from the knot of the bow. The "Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." could be original, or it might very easily have been added. I can't find any other markings (valve numbers, serial numbers) - nada, zip, zilch, bupkis.

Please submit your list of "things to measure" and "details to photograph". I'll be back in about 15 hours...

[imperialbari]

Many brass instruments’ photos are taken from funny angles either to display (the lack of) dents or for more or less artistic reasons. For me ideal photos rather reflect the blueprints for a given instrument. That is the main plane photographed from front and rear. In some instruments like the Conn 5XJ series side shots are necessary also to display a special 4th valve wrap. With King sousaphones extra shots are necessary to display the relation between the main tuning slide and the 1st slide. Other instruments are special in their own ways.

The hardest part to get photos of often is the engraving. There shall be a good focus and reflections shall be absent.

Some makes like B&S have distinct flanges for carrying rings, thumb ring, and lyre holder. Others have distinct ferrules. bloke always recognizes B&M/Nirschl instruments from their valve blocks (I don’t). Apparently superfluous information sometimes gives the maker and the period away.

Klaus

[eupher61]

J. W. Jemkins Sons Music Co. in Kansa City - Missouri

Actually J.W. Jenkins& Sons in Kansas City, but close enough.

Into the early 20s, Jenkins was a large company in the KC market, small in comparison to, say, Lyon and Healy. They stenciled instruments from Conn and King and Holton among others, or possibly Buescher rather than Conn. I've seen references to Elkhart, Elkhorn, and Cleveland, at least.
They also published a lot of music, including the wonderful rags of Charles Johnson. He published so many great rags that he used pseudonyms to make them more appealing, because who could write that much great music in such a short time?

It seems most of their non-piano sales were purely local. As the Depression and general decline of the love affair with bands went on, they became purely a piano and keyboard dealer. The company was sold to the Schmidt retail company in the 1990s.

[sloan]

Photos are posted to a new thread: "'Symphony' Eb Helicon".