Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/3/2008

Question
I acquired an old cornet from a friend that picked it up at a garage sale.  The cornet has "Louis B Malecki Chicago 9682" engraved on the bell.  The only thing I have been able to find on the internet was at horn-u-copia.net (ID 3198) along with a photo looking just like mine.  Another Google reference came up with: Paradox, Malecki, Louis B. cornet, ca.1900, Kenton [not listed in NLI]. Professional, York, York, cornet, professional? Horn-u-copia.net ...
Do you know of any other sources of information on this cornet?  Others made by Malecki?  What is Paradox/Kenton?

Answer
Paradox was apparently his model name.  Both of those references were based on the same horn. NLI is a venerable text on information on instrument makers - The New Langwill Index, which has most makers and dealers listed, but Malecki is not in the list.  I think the most promising way to find out more, would be to search through business histories of Chicago around 1900.