Expert: Kenton Scott - 6/11/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a very old holton with a serial # of 35646. Is there anything you can tell me about the horn other than it was made in 1916?

ANSWER: If you are asking whether there is any more information attached to the serial number other than a manufacture date, then the answer is no.  Any other information would be have to be based on the instrument itself, period catalogs, web sites such as www.horn-u-copia.net, etc.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I forgot to mention that on the middle valve casing, It has 3 markings.  The top marking is a 1; underneath the 1 is "Frank Holton Chicago" and underneath that is the serial #.  I am unsure what the 1 stands for.

Answer
In 1898, Frank Holton opened his third-floor two-room Chicago shop and created his first trombone - a Special.

By 1900, the Frank Holton Company was producing several models of trombones, cornets, trumpets and euphoniums, as well as percussion instruments. The company continued to expand.

In 1917 Holton started to transition his company from Chicago to Elkhorn, Wisconsin.

As far as the #1 is concerned, I suspect that it may indicate a bore size.