Expert: Kenton Scott - 8/19/2007

Question
I have acquired a french horn and would like to know more about it. It engraved W.StowasseraSynowie, Warszawa Graslic.
The Body is brass, with an engraved German silver edging on the bell. The Bell is made in two pieces with 2 exposed seams used two create the shape. There may be a serial number of 025 on the lip of the bell and additional engraving on the brass portion of the bell, but it is difficult to read. The 3 finger positions are all 32.
Any information on age, valuation would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer
Stowasser is a confusing lineage:

There was Bruder, Adolf (1874-1916) Graslitz, Anton (1897-1820) Graslitz, Franz 1895-1925 Graslitz, Ignaz 1838-1914 Wein, Johann 1770-1944 Ofen, Josef 1903-1945 Graslitz, Wenzel 1860-1945 Graslitz, Stowasswers Sohne, Wenzel 1860-1945 Graslitz.  Those that were still around in 1945 were expropriated.

It does seem like there were a bunch of related Stowassers with workshops in Graslitz.  So, it is my assumption that after they were nationalized, the parent company probably owned all the names of the earlier companies.  So, they can use the names as fits with their marketing scheme.  

Graslitz was in Austria up until about WWII. It was then transfered to Czechoslovakia, and presently is in the Czech Republic.

Stowasser Sons advertised in U.S. trade publications in the mid 1890s. So there was clearly someone in the U.S. who was their agent.

It sounds like yours may be an older one.  It likely that the numbers you see on it are just manufacturing markings to keep parts straight.