Expert: Kenton Scott - 4/5/2010

Question
I am writing to you on behalf of my father.  He was given a trombone from a friend  that pasted away.  It is very old and has a pretty good history.  It was in the 124th  Union band,  the whole band ways killed.  Then it went into WWI, then it went into WWII where it was retired.  The man who retired it gave it to my fathers friend who then gave it to my father just before he pasted away.  It has serial numbers and the state it was made in but nobody can read it because of the slight tarnish that is on it and of course it on the serial numbers.  We do know that it was made by a company that makes or made woodstoves back in the old days.  We know that it is either Penn. or Philly. If you would like to talk to my father his phone number is .  He lives in Lake City, Fl.  He is disabled and you might not be able to understand him but my mom would be there to help you to understand.  I don't think that he wants to sell it but I do know that he wants it appraised.  IF you can help it would be very much appreciated.  

Thank you

Scarlett Pyle  and Gene Pyle

Answer
If by Union band, you mean the Civil War, someone has created some tall tales about this horn.  There were few trombones used in the Civil War, as they were not popular at that time.  Civil War makers didn't use serial numbers.  World War I trombones were not of a style popular during the second World War, so it is unlikely that the same horn would have been used in both wars.  You might want to try some silver polish on the tarnish to see if you can make out what it does say on the instrument.  Some actual history might be discernible from that information.