Expert: Kenton Scott - 1/29/2007

Question
I have a Lyon Healy instrument that I estimate to be from 1900 - 1920(?) It is silver with ornate filagree engraving and the words American Professional Chicago. The mouthpiece is also engraved with the words Conn model 18. No dents, some minor wear of silver, slide works easily,approximately 22 1/2 inches in length. C.B.S purchased Lyon Healy in 1979 and no one there can give me any information. I would appreciate any information you can give me about this family instrument. Thank you, Don

Answer
Hi,

If just the slide is 22 inches, I suspect you may have an alto trombone. If the whole instrument is 22 inches then it is probably a soprano trombone.  Technically a slide trumpet is different instrument where that slide is just on the mouthpiece side.  But, if it is a mini trombone, then it is probably a soprano trombone.

Lyon and Healy was at one time the  biggest supplier of musical instruments, but company fires lost most of the records.  They made a few of their instruments but most of them were imported.  

American Professional was one of the tradenames they used for their imported instruments.  

You can read more about our attempts to sort out Lyon and Healy history at:  http://www.horn-u-copia.net/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1108298356