I bid and won a 3v silver Eb Helicon-complete- at an auction in Pennsylvania. Picked it up this week, and after a LOT of polishing it says "20th Century," which turns out was an import by the Progressive Musical Instrument Corp. in NYC--they were in business from 1920-50. Got everything freed up after getting it back home--very dirty, and pitch black, but all slides, valves, gooseneck, etc. all now move and horn is in amazingly nice condition--very, very few dents at all--probably sitting in a barn for 75 years...original mouthpiece came with it too. Very small--15" bell. Plays very nice, but valves, which are well used and need a heavier oil, need to be re-corked/new felts and I need to put a cork in the spit valve holder.
Posted it on Horn-U-Copia--for your viewing pleasure---an oddball that I got cheap, and might just hang it on the wall--if I can find a good bracket(s) for it so the cats don't knock it over........mark
