Help me identify this old trombone please.
- true2bsu
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:09 am
- Location: Idaho
Help me identify this old trombone please.
I stumbled upon an old trombone today that I couldn't identify. The engraving on the bell says "Abbott N.Y." with some flowers, branches and leaves. The counterweight has a three-leaf clover on one side but no text. The mouthpiece with it is stamped "Herco" in a script font. The two halves press together with a friction fit rather than screw together. It does have a slide lock. I didn't have something to measure, but the bell was on the smaller side, maybe 7 to 7.5" and it's definitely a small bore instrument. The inner slides appears to be brass rather than chrome plated. The transition from the inner to the stockings is fairly square rather than a smooth transition. It's complete except the slide brace connecting the inners has failed and was duct-taped together. It could be turned back into a player, but it would take a good tech and some patience. It would most likely just look good on the wall. The case has an old Olds "Ambassador" tag that looks 1940'ish to me, but I doubt it's an original case.
I've spent a half hour searching through Google and haven't found anything. Do any of you have any ideas? Thanks in advance!
I've spent a half hour searching through Google and haven't found anything. Do any of you have any ideas? Thanks in advance!
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- slideandtraps
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Dec 13, 2023 11:43 pm
- Location: Des Moines, IA
Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
Neat to figure out the history.
Some crumbs here:
Herco mouthpiece: https://www.brasshistory.net/Herco%20History.pdf
Abbott on corn-u-copia lists two importers, Abbott Mfg, Co and Buegeleisen & Jacobson who appeared to merge.
https://www.horn-u-copia.net/Reference/ ... srec=%2019
But their logo styles look different, script in earlier years and printed but either with unusual A or squared O on trumpets to not look like a match:
https://www.horn-u-copia.net/show.php?s ... Abbott+%22
https://www.reddit.com/r/Trombone/comme ... his_brand/
Perhaps the shamrock counterweight will be a clue, unique or a commonly made part of the day suggesting a mashup. The hand print style logo suggests small lot.
Some crumbs here:
Herco mouthpiece: https://www.brasshistory.net/Herco%20History.pdf
Abbott on corn-u-copia lists two importers, Abbott Mfg, Co and Buegeleisen & Jacobson who appeared to merge.
https://www.horn-u-copia.net/Reference/ ... srec=%2019
But their logo styles look different, script in earlier years and printed but either with unusual A or squared O on trumpets to not look like a match:
https://www.horn-u-copia.net/show.php?s ... Abbott+%22
https://www.reddit.com/r/Trombone/comme ... his_brand/
Perhaps the shamrock counterweight will be a clue, unique or a commonly made part of the day suggesting a mashup. The hand print style logo suggests small lot.
- Doug Elliott
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Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
Abbott was an importer in NY about 1920-1940
But to me that looks like it was made in the US, maybe one of the smaller companies in Elkhart.
Look closely around the slide to bell connection to see if there are any other stamps or engraving.
But to me that looks like it was made in the US, maybe one of the smaller companies in Elkhart.
Look closely around the slide to bell connection to see if there are any other stamps or engraving.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."
- JohnL
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Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
Sounds like soldered-on stockings. Not uncommon on pre-WWII instruments. Are the stockings also brass? I've seen a few trombones with brass inners and soldered-on nickel stockings.
- true2bsu
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- Location: Idaho
Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
The stockings also appear to be brass and I think you're right that they are soldered on.
- JohnL
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- true2bsu
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Feb 05, 2024 12:09 am
- Location: Idaho
Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
"Decorator grade" Love it!
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Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
Same horn is on eBay, but with "American Leader" stencil. I would also guess Czech import.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204890809822
https://www.ebay.com/itm/204890809822
Brad Close Brass Instruments - brassmedic.com
- Doug Elliott
- Posts: 3418
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:12 pm
- Location: Maryand
Re: Help me identify this old trombone please.
Horns that were imported around that time usually have BOHEMIA stamped somewhere. Look for it.
"I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two."