Expert: Kenton Scott - 6/6/2006

Question
Its Elkhart not elkhorn ....and Elkhart was bought out long before 1946 ...  
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Followup To

Question -
I have come across an old trombone  on it its engraved Elkhart band instr co. Elkhart ind usa

Its pretty fancy engraving with an elk inside of a heart with (maybe ) ribbons flowing down from it ... on the bell , up on the horn itself there is a solid circle of brass with Elkhart inside of a heart ....

I have a serial number on it  that is not in a straight line but kind of staggerd numbers 20095 those numbers are not in a rainbow like line either they are for a lack of a better term staggard ...

example ...

2 slighly lower 0 then higher than the first number 0 then the 9 5 are about even with the zero before them ....

it looks kinda strange in color too ...its not yellow brass but im not sold on the idea that its rose brass either ...almost as though its a blend of the two , a slight rose cast to yellow brass if you know what I mean ...


am interested in finding out when this trombone was made and the aproximate value of it ..

thanks for whatever help you can provide



Answer -
I'm not certain I have good informatin on Elkhorn instruments, but it is my understanding that they were a Getzen student model line.  Getzen started making trombones in 1946, and I believe they started their student lines in the 1950's.

Sorry I can't be more help.

Answer
Sorry Paul,

I misread the name. I've been struggling with a rather severe headache and apparently didn't look close enough.  

OK, there was a similarly named company Elkhart Musical Instrument Co. between 1912-7 that merged with Martin.

Then there was the Elkhart Band Instrument Co. between 1924=8 that merged with Buescher.  

After merger, Buescher used Elkhart as a trade name.

In looking at pictoral examples I have, it does appear that the logo on your is consistent with other horns of the 2xxxx range but later numbers have a different logo.

But, there is no serial number list that I have ever found for Elkhart that would actually help in dating it.

As to the color, could it either be a copper alloy or a tint that has been added to either the surface of the metal or to the lacquer?