Antique Musical Instruments/Elkhart trumpet by bueucher

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Expert: - 4/5/2008


Question
Is there a way to determine the age of a trumpet by serial numbers? I have looked and have not found any models exactly like this one. On the second valve it has two sets of numbers, #84387, #37b
  any help you can give will br appreciated.
                Tom Derdeyn

Answer
Unfortunately, Buescher did not use the same serial number sequence for the Elkhart instruments as they did for the Buescher products.  For a Buescher model, that serial would date to 1921, but the Indiana Company was not started until 1924, and wasn't merged with Buescher until 1928.  So, all I can tell you is that it is no older than 1928.  

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Kenton Scott

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Please note: My area is BRASS instruments, not other wind, string or percussion instruments. I will provide information on antique, obscure and out of production BRASS instruments. 1) Please don't ask for evaluations, I'll not provide them on this site. 2) I am often asked very similar questions, so I'd invite you to first check on Horn-u-Copia.net. Much of the information I have garnered about this topic, I have posted on this WEB site.

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I perform in several historical bands, have informally researched the area, repair brass instruments, and operate a Forum dedicated to the topic at http://horn-u-copia.net

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B.S. Ed, M.S.

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