Expert: Kenton Scott - 5/25/2011

Question
Hello Kenton,

I've just become the owner of a Oliver Ditsen "New Century" Eb helicon.  Nice horn, plays pretty well.  No serial number that i can find.  Are you able to give me a range of dates in which this horn might have been made?  Bell engraving is:

New Century
Oliver Ditsen Co
Boston Mass

Appreciate any info you might have for me.    Sincere thanks.    Rex

Oh! While I'm at it...  Also picked up some years ago a trombone in raw brass.  Bell has simple engraved:  Allen R. Dodworth / New York

Plays like sh*t, pitched eztremely sharp.  Any thoughts?

Answer
Ditson imported his instruments from a variety of makers.  About the only way to estimate age would be by markings on it.  For example, the McKinley Act of 1891 required that instruments be labeled with the country of manufacture.  The law was updated in 1923, requiring that "made in" be a part of the label.  Ditson went out of business in 1931.  Or by details of the instrument itself - for example, if the valve caps need cork on the outside, they are probably from the 1800s.

Regarding the Dodworth; Dodworth and his family were important influences in the 19th Century band movement.  They appear to have been dealers rather than makers.  The reason that the horn is sharp is because it was designed to be played in a 'high pitch' band.  Back when that horn was made, many bands played at high pitch.  Modern low pitch didn't become the standard until a couple of decades into the 20th century.