Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/27/2008

Question
Hello, my family has an old trombone that my in laws found in paris.  It
seems smaller than normal, but probably still a tenor.  Bore is about .5" and
the bell is only 6.75" but the slide is about 31".

It has no laquer left, but on the bell it has ENGRAVED:

Top Emblem: Medaille |of | 1st classe |Exposition | Universelle | 1855 (end
of Emblem) Medialle | Londres 1862 | Exposition Universelle | Paris 1867 |
Medaille Honneur | En Argent | Antoine Courtois& Mille | MilleSr | Facteur
Du Conservatoire National | 88 rue Des Marais St Martin | Paris | 1lr Prix |
Grande Madaille Dor | Exposition De Moscou 1872 | Medaille Dor Paris
1878|S. Arthur Chappell|sole agent| 52 bond street London

It has an original mouth piece but no case.  Thanks.

Answer
It is a Courtois trombone sold by a dealer Chappell.  It obviously isn't any older than 1878.  Courtois had dealers around the world that sold his instruments.  

In the U.S., Howard Foote was a dealer.  At one time I had a Courtois trombone of about the same vintage sold by Foote.

It had similar markings:  Medialle | Londres 1862 | Exposition Universelle | Paris 1867 | Medaille Honneur | En Argent | Antoine Courtois& Mille | MisseSr | Facteur Du Conservatoire National | 88 rue Des Marais St Martin | Paris | 1lr Prix | Grande Madaille Dor | Exposition De Moscou 1872 | Medaille Dor Paris 1878 & 1889 | J. Howard Foote | Sole U.S. Agent | New York and Chicago

.465 in bore

7 in bell.

Interestingly, it marked medals in 1878 and 1889, where yours has only 1978.  So, I think it is reasonable to expected that yours dates to between 1878 and 1889.  

At that age, it would have never had lacquer on it.  It would have probably been raw brass or german silver.