geckoed

Hi, I am new to the forum! Has anyone heard of this horn, and if so any specific info on the manufacturer, period these were made, etc?

MFfan

G'day, as your fellow Aussie members say. Welcome to the forum. I don't find any mention of a Franklin Imperial USA on Horn-u-copia, the best site for that sort of info and haven't heard of it myself. There were so many stencils made for certain retailers by manufacturers over many years, it seems impossible to track and categorize them all. Could you post some photos for us to get some design clues? Need to transfer from an off-site storage area, like photobucket or Flickr, etc. Maybe you know some background on the horn's former life?

geckoed

Thanks MFfAN,

Here are some pics of the trumpet I purchased recently from eBay in USA:

http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...8059192_tp.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...8059187_tp.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...8059177_tp.jpg
http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/h...8059163_tp.jpg

MFfan

Thanks for the photos. Looks in great shape. Very conventional trumpet design to me, fairly modern because of the 3rd slide adjustable ring. I have posted on Horn-u-copia "I have this horn" thread to see if any one there might have a definite idea. Maybe someone can pick up on design clues here. I can't find the listing of that horn on Ebay completed listings.

geckoed

Thanks for your help in this, I really appreciate it! I bought it to play Last Post for our local Rememberance Day ceremony in November - last played 11 years ago (also played for 10 years) but started practising again last month.

Yep, the trumpet looks and sounds great, slides and valves are intact although a bit stiff before I gave them a good greasing and bathed and cleaned the trumpet.

The person that sold it on eBay USA normally sells kids clothes and bought the trumpet at an auction, so no clue as to the origin or any other details!

MFfan

Glad to try to help. It is quite often the case, I have found, sellers of instruments are not in the business, just get all sorts of stuff at estates, etc. and put them out there to sell, like anything else. Normally, they appreciate a "heads up" on relevant details about their listing. I have done that many times on Ebay and Shopgoodwill.com, also. Now, if you had a Martin Imperial, info is much more readily available. You will see on my list a Remington Deluxe trumpet which I bought on Ebay for $7.50 and am puttering about doing some restoration. After I stripped many years of crud and the lacquer, I found it had a rose brass bell. No info is available on it, but a friend of mine things it has York instrument clues and may be stencil made by them, as they did for many manufacturers.

Maybe we will find answers.....someday