Expert: Kenton Scott - 4/29/2007

Question
I was given a silver Lyon Healy American Professional cornet by an elderly lady who played it in high school...I think she graduated in 1924.  She had it turned into a lamp, and there are three holes drilled in the bell to secure it to a stand (yeah, I know!). It appears to be solid silver, but there are three small(1/8") places on the lower valve tubes where plating appears to have been rubbed off showing some brass color, but nowhere else is there any brass color, including in the drilled holes. Is the rest of the instrument solid silver? On the middle valve is stamped "2182"...is that the serial # or a model #?  Does it have much value?
Thanks for your time and input!
Jim M.  

Answer
I'm relatively certain that it is all silverplated brass. The 2182 would be the serial number.  Unfortunately, there are no records that remain from Lyon and Healy that would tell us what the date would be. Although, it may not deserve to be a lamp, it probably doesn't have a lot of value.  Lyon and Healy was primarily a dealer selling imported instruments.  Although, they did manufacture a few and also stenciled some domestically made instruments.