Introducing . . . the Wonderphone Helicon!

[Dave Detwiler]

As I have been digging into the history of the Sousaphone, I came across this page from the September 1910 edition of C. G. Conn's Truth magazine (image courtesy of Mark Overton at http://www.saxophone.org, who has done a great service by posting online many old instrument manufacturer's catalogs and magazines):

1910 (Sept) C. G. Conn's Truth (vol. 9, no. 7).jpg

I had read in a couple of places that Conn supposedly developed the bell-front Sousaphone in 1908, but this is the first promotional picture I have found of it - and it's not called a Sousaphone at all, but a Wonderphone Helicon. In fact, that name continued to distinguish it from a Sousaphone, the upright bell horn in the lower right, until 1918, when the bell-front version began to be called the Sousaphone Grand.

Let me know if you have evidence of the Wonderhpone Helicon being available prior to 1910.

[pjv]

Thanks for posting this. Something I didn't know; it looks like Conn was sporting a different type of neck back then. Notice how sharp the 90 degree angle is on the neck. And it also has a wing-nut at the top!

Good luck with your research.

-Patrick

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Great info & site-thanks!
Mark

[Alex C]

Great post Dave. Thanks for the link, too.

[Dave Detwiler]

With a bit more searching, I was able to answer my own question. Here's a page from the July 11, 1908 edition of The Music Trade Review, which shows the very same photo of the Wonderphone Helicon:

1908 Music Trade Review (July 11 - vol. 47, no. 2).jpg

Earlier that year, in the February 1 edition of that periodical, we find the first announcement for Conn's new line of Wonderphone band instruments. And so we can confirm that this adjustment to the Sousaphone, where the bell was angled forward, was made in 1908 by Conn.

[pjv]

Nice work!
You couldn't possibly post a defined copy of this, could you? I'd really love to read it.

Thanks, Pat

[iiipopes]

Yes!!! Thanks!

[Dave Detwiler]

This journal (The Music Trade Review) is actually available online. Here's the link for this page http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1908-4 ... 7-2-37.pdf

You should be able to read this version a bit better, although the type is still small.

[David Richoux]

This journal (The Music Trade Review) is actually available online. Here's the link for this page http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1908-4 ... 7-2-37.pdf

You should be able to read this version a bit better, although the type is still small.

The "Shaggy Dog" Trombone joke on the next page may be worth a read! http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1908-4 ... 7-2-38.pdf