Fiske/Conn Alto Horn Mystery
At first look this is a Fiske alto horn from about 1870 that was modified
with the installation of a Conn alto valve section from about 1880. I've seen
similar conglomerations before and it is normally easy to see the footprints
left where braces and other parts were mounted in its previous incarnation.
In this case there are no traces of such clues. I've looked very closely with
good light and magnification. The nickel plating appears to be a very cheap
refinish, giving opportunity to hide the evidence by sanding and polishing
heavily on the footprints before plating, but there is almost always the traces
just barely detectable. I'm not saying that it is impossible to remove all such
traces, but it would take more determined work with a file, followed by
sanding and polishing and still likely leave evidence of this work. That
could be the case here, but I've come up with a more interesting theory.
Brass instrument fanatics know that there is a connection between Isaac
Fiske and C.G. Conn. In 1887, Conn purchased Fiske's factory in
Worcester, Massachusetts and moved a large part of his production there.
There is tantalizing evidence that Conn may have done business with Fiske
before this transaction. I've come across several unsigned rubber rim cornet
mouthpieces with Conn's first patent date stamped on them. Fiske was
never known to stamp his name on his mouthpieces. These were in the
cases of otherwise very original kits of Fiske material. It seems likely that
either Conn was providing mouthpieces to Fiske or Fiske was making them
under license. These mouthpieces look enough different than Conn's own
production that I suspect the latter to be the case. I first wondered if maybe
Conn supplied Fiske with a valve section for instruments such as this. I
doubt that this is the case for several reasons. This alto has two patent
dates stamped on it and Fiske was better than most at only stamping patents
on instruments that actually contained that protected improvement. While
the first patent covers a manufacturing technique that could have been used
here, the second patent was one of his ideas for his piston actuated rotary
valves. The valve section was obviously made by Conn although has no
serial number as seen on all Conn instruments that I know of. This valve
design was patented by Conn in 1879 and can be seen and more thoroughly
described on this tuba .
So here's my theory: After Conn had started manufacturing in the old Fiske
shop in 1887, there were surplus parts and sub-assemblies around from both
Conn and Fiske instruments. This would be expected from any mass
production. Conn stopped making the 1879 patent valves by about 1885
and they didn't continue making any of Fiske's designs that we know of.
They may have assembled such instruments for a lower priced market or
perhaps employees were given permission to assemble instruments for their
own use out of the obsolete parts that they might otherwise discard. I favor
the latter theory. This was likely a very good instrument to play, the parts
being of high quality and appropriate to the whole. It isn't playable as it sits,
but I hope to restore it to playability eventually. It is 26 1/4" long, the bell
rim diameter is 7 3/16" and the bore measures .461".
with the installation of a Conn alto valve section from about 1880. I've seen
similar conglomerations before and it is normally easy to see the footprints
left where braces and other parts were mounted in its previous incarnation.
In this case there are no traces of such clues. I've looked very closely with
good light and magnification. The nickel plating appears to be a very cheap
refinish, giving opportunity to hide the evidence by sanding and polishing
heavily on the footprints before plating, but there is almost always the traces
just barely detectable. I'm not saying that it is impossible to remove all such
traces, but it would take more determined work with a file, followed by
sanding and polishing and still likely leave evidence of this work. That
could be the case here, but I've come up with a more interesting theory.
Brass instrument fanatics know that there is a connection between Isaac
Fiske and C.G. Conn. In 1887, Conn purchased Fiske's factory in
Worcester, Massachusetts and moved a large part of his production there.
There is tantalizing evidence that Conn may have done business with Fiske
before this transaction. I've come across several unsigned rubber rim cornet
mouthpieces with Conn's first patent date stamped on them. Fiske was
never known to stamp his name on his mouthpieces. These were in the
cases of otherwise very original kits of Fiske material. It seems likely that
either Conn was providing mouthpieces to Fiske or Fiske was making them
under license. These mouthpieces look enough different than Conn's own
production that I suspect the latter to be the case. I first wondered if maybe
Conn supplied Fiske with a valve section for instruments such as this. I
doubt that this is the case for several reasons. This alto has two patent
dates stamped on it and Fiske was better than most at only stamping patents
on instruments that actually contained that protected improvement. While
the first patent covers a manufacturing technique that could have been used
here, the second patent was one of his ideas for his piston actuated rotary
valves. The valve section was obviously made by Conn although has no
serial number as seen on all Conn instruments that I know of. This valve
design was patented by Conn in 1879 and can be seen and more thoroughly
described on this tuba .
So here's my theory: After Conn had started manufacturing in the old Fiske
shop in 1887, there were surplus parts and sub-assemblies around from both
Conn and Fiske instruments. This would be expected from any mass
production. Conn stopped making the 1879 patent valves by about 1885
and they didn't continue making any of Fiske's designs that we know of.
They may have assembled such instruments for a lower priced market or
perhaps employees were given permission to assemble instruments for their
own use out of the obsolete parts that they might otherwise discard. I favor
the latter theory. This was likely a very good instrument to play, the parts
being of high quality and appropriate to the whole. It isn't playable as it sits,
but I hope to restore it to playability eventually. It is 26 1/4" long, the bell
rim diameter is 7 3/16" and the bore measures .461".
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