Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/26/2011

Question
QUESTION: I have a Conn trombone that has been engraved with “Carl Fischers New York American Model” serial number ? 27197.  It is also engraved with “Presented to the Engineers Department “U.S.S. Leviathan” by the Consolidated Iron Works”.  Would you be able to give me any history concerning this trombone.  Thank you.

ANSWER: I very much doubt that Conn had anything to do with this trombone.  Carl Fischer was an imported of musical instruments, and this is likely of that origin.  The Fisher serial numbers don't have any meaning as far as dating is concerned.  

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QUESTION: The trombone does have a typical Conn emblem metal piece like I have seen on other trombones. A picture I have seen of the Leviathan did show some men with "trumpets" and was wondering if it was typical on Naval ships? Could this be from the 1917-1938 era? Is there any way to tell what time period Fischer made this model?

Answer
I think you are talking about a counter-weight.  For a while, they were sold as an after market item, but in any case. most are held on by a couple of screws and can be easily moved from one horn to another.  

Naval ships from the Civil War period forward did frequently have bands on them.  Even today, larger ships such as carriers have bands.  

And, yes your trombone could easily be from the 1917-1938 period.  About the only way to estimate age would be the features on the trombone itself.  I suspect that the slide section and the bell section are simply held together by friction and there is no locking mechanism on the two parts, or if there is one, it is a thumb screw.  Also I would suspect that there is no mechanism to lock the slide from extending.  There are a couple more features, but they would be more difficult to describe.