Expert: Kenton Scott - 3/7/2007

Question

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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I just purchased a silver trumpet. It has a floral engraving on the bell with the word ROYAL centered in it. There is a made in Czechoslovakia stamping around the mouthpiece receiver. On each valve body the number 6 is stamped along with the valve number 1,2 and 3. No other stamping is visible. The horn is obviously very old with only minor denting and the  valves are in perfect working order. It plays quite well. Do you have any idea of the age and manufacturer.
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Actually,no.  I've been looking for information on Royals.  The images of them that I have collected are at: http://www.horn-u-copia.net/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1157547643

But, you have given me a bit of information, as I've not had it previously reported that they were Czech made.


   I just found out some more info on Royal trumpets from the Brass Players Museum. The curator? said he knew about these horns. They were made in the very late 1930's 40's and somewhat 50's mostly by small shops in Czech Rep. Serial numbers aren't usable because none of these manufacturers can be identified. The Royal name engraving was used by Montgomery Wards primarily and somewhat by Sears. They ordered these horns to sell in retail outlets domestically. I hope this info helps you.  

Answer
Sears and Wards had instruments that they would put their own company brands on.  And, they would also sell horns with other makers brands.  AND, they would also sell some that had a tradename that would make them appear to be another maker, but in fact was just another variation on stenciling.

I missed one thing in your earlier description of this instrument.  IF it says Made in Czech. . . then it was likely made after 1923.  But if it says just Czech. . . then it was before 1923.  (The law requiring the marking of the country of origin was in 1891.)