The Conn-Dupont operation lasted until 1879 when Conn regained full control of his company. They subsequently formed the Conn-Dupont company, and started production of the Conn Four-In-One cornet, playable in four different keys. In 1876, convinced that he needed specialist help, Conn persuaded a skilled French instrument maker, Eugene Dupont, to leave his employ at the Distin company in England and bring with him a small team of craftsmen. Having developed a process to vulcanize rubber to metal, Conn soon started manufacturing his mouthpieces, at first in humble premises over a drugstore in Elkhart, Indiana. The story goes that Conn devised his original mouthpiece after suffering a split lip in a bar brawl and, wanting to continue to play cornet in a local band, came up with a rubber rimmed mouthpiece ('a cushion for the lips,' Conn called it) that enabled him to play comfortably. As a 21 year old Civil War veteran, Conn invented a brass mouthpiece in 1874 for which patents were soon granted.

Feel free to contact me if you need assistance.Charles Gerard Conn was born in upstate New York in 1844. In that case you can usually date the instrument by comparing engravings, features or lacquer of the instrument. Probably a part has been exchanged, it has been a custom build or prototype, or it has been simply forgotten to engrave it. Still, every now and then I come across trombones that have not been engraved. Type in “(manufacturer) trombone serial number list” and you will usually find what you’re looking for.įor your convenience I compiled a little list for the bigger vintage brands: After finding out the serial number the next step is to google. Usually that number can be found on the handbrace of the bellsection, the braces of the slide or the slide itself.Ĭonn trombones usually are only engraved on the outer slide. In most cases there is a serial number engraved in the trombone. The easiest and usually most precise way is to look for the serial number. I am regularly being asked how to find out when a trombone was made.

Conn trumpet serial number list