Expert: Kenton Scott - 12/6/2006

Question
I've just purchased a Weymann mellophone (as in piston valves, shaped like a French Horn) on EBay and am interested in knowing more about the company that originally made the instrument, the Weymann Keystone State Company.

I'm hoping you can recommend a resource.  Web searches haven't turned up much on-line, apart from the fact that they're apparently better known for making banjoes.

If you know of a good place to look for a replacement case, that would be great, too!

Answer
I saw that mello on eBay.  Congratulations.

Henry Weymann was in business in Philadelphia from 1864 to 1942. Starting in 1870, he advertised as a seller of musical instruments. In 1885, he started advertising as H. A. Weymann & Son. He incorported in  1920.  In 1930, he moved from 156 N. 2nd St, to 10th & Filbert.  He used the name Keystone as a line of string and brass instruments in his later years of business.

The supply catalogs don't carry cases for mellophones anymore.  I tried a couple of options here.  French horn cases don't fit well.  The only thing that I have that works reasonably well is a soft triple trumpet case.