Expert: Kenton Scott - 8/29/2009

Question
QUESTION: Kenton, I own a small silver (plated? - upright bell orientation with three valves) Bb baritone that a friend sold to me some 30 to 35 years ago. It is a very "sweet" sounding horn which I have played on and off when the chance arose over the years. I have always been curious about it as the brand is unfamiliar to me. The only marking on the bell is "Medallion" enhanced with some attractive engraving around the brand name. Other than a notation on a trumpet site that Medallion is a "vintage" company that is no longer in business, I have not been able to track down any information about Medallion. The horn has a serial number 64XXX but no other identifying marks other than the brand and bell engraving. From the sound and responsiveness of the horn, I think it is a fairly good quality instrument. Would you have any insight into the origins or history of the Medallion company, age or history of this type of instrument? The case is in very good condition and strikes me as perhaps being somewhat "newer" than the horn itself, but that is just a guess.

Thanks in advance for any information!

ANSWER: Is it possible that it is actually Mahillon?



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

QUESTION: No - it is very clearly Medallion, in a "handscript" type font. Probably of no help, but I did notice that each valve casing has a number stamped on it that corresponds to the same number stamped on the valve stem. First valve "57", second "56" and third "55" - perhaps a measurement, or facilitate ease of assembly?

Answer
I find no reference for "Medallion".  Therefore, I would have to assume that it is a horn stenciled with that name by a dealer in imports.  Just because a horn is a stencil doesn't mean that it isn't a good horn.

I can explain the valve markings more easily.  There were typically departments within a manufacturing plant.  The department that made the valves would make them in a long string, and number the valves on the string to make sure that the casings and the pistons stayed together.   They were then sent to the assembly department who would select valves off the string and add them to the instrument they were building.  It was basically a technique to keep all the parts together.