1930 Olds Large bore Bb trumpet - SOLD

 SOLD

This is a 1930  Olds trumpet made during the first couple of years of Olds trumpet production.  There was only one model at the time and as the catalog that is shown above indicates, this trumpet was available in Medium, Large-Medium, and Large bore.  This is the only Large bore Olds that has been recorded in the Olds Register from this early period and likely large bore models were not common at all at this time.  There is an "L" stamped on the middle valve casing and the bore measures .468, however, the bell engraving includes "LM" so perhaps it is a large bore with a Large-Medium bell.  In these early years Olds often had one marking for the bore and another for the bell.

This trumpet is being sold in un-restored/repaired condition.  We have several horns being sold on a consignment basis to liquidate a collection.  Most have been restored,  but a few such as this one are being sold as-is.

This horn has very likely been re-lacquered in the past.  The engraving shows some degradation either from use/age or during the reacquiring process.   The engraving on the bell is still fully legible but just a little thin.  These early Olds trumpets had script hand engraving on the bell that was not all that deep, so it doesn't take much for it to become a bit hard to read.   

The bell engraving reads:

                                                                                          Made by

                                                                                F.E. Olds and Son

                                                                              Los Angeles, Calif.

                                                                                            LM

Another interesting feature of  this early Olds are that it has solid top caps (no felts) and larger finger buttons than later Olds trumpets.  It also has a different valve guide mechanism.  A year or so after this trumpet was made, Olds changed both the top caps and the valve guides to the style used for the remainder of the Los Angeles (and some of the Fullerton) production.

This trumpet has the signature Mother of Pearl pull knobs on the slides and the trombone waterkey on the tuning slide, but there is no waterkey on the third slide nor is there a push rod or method to extend the third slide.  As noted in the catalog, "This instrument is built with a perfect scale, thus eliminating the necessity of equipping it with the bothersome extra slide for favoring the low C sharpe"

Unlike most later Olds trumpets, it has brass balusters, but does include a significant amount of nickel silver tubing and trim.

This particular instrument has some flaws.  There are a number of small dents on the bell tube.  These should come out without any scars.   The leadpipe has a rather sharp dent in it and also had some signs of red rot.  Likely this leadpipe will need to be replaced if this horn is to be restored.