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It might be hard to tell from the picture, but here is a horn a local antique dealer has. At first glance it might be a early horn, but I'm a little skeptical. Does any one know what this may be.

Thanks
Dustin

Hi Dustin-- It's hard to tell but it looks like it flares on the small end (looking at reflection in the glass)--- sort of a cup shaped "mouthpiece". If that's the case, then it is likely a megaphone of some sort. Before amplified sound a megaphone was needed for speeches, sporting events, fire chiefs used them to give orders at fires, etc. Or perhaps it's a prototype of those annoying plastic horn noise makers at football games!

Brad

Here's a link to a horn with what looks to be a similar mouthpiece-- Yes? No? If you google "speaking horn" there are many similar ones pictured.

http://www.girlonawhaleship.org/artifac ... g_horn.jpg

Brad

Likely an early kazoo or similar noisemaker.

George P.

Or perhaps a peddler's horn...

Yes, I did not notice the flared little end. Thought there may have been something laying on it on that end. I have not seen it in person and the dealer said it was a "rare tin horn" and wanted a good chunk of change.

Pretty sure Frank has it, the comedy element of L&H notwithstanding. My dad (born in 1911) picked up one very much like the one in the original post at some yard sale back in the '60s. He thought it was the greatest thing because it reminded him of the horns the fish and vegetable peddlers used to announce their arrival with when coming into his neighborhood when he was a kid in Manchester, Connecticut. He called it his fish horn.

early fireman's speaking horn

see google search/pictures


https://www.google.com/search?q=early+f ... 8-Ch2Cjwm2


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-BRASS-F ... 2356f239b3

I would agree it's most likely a speaking trumpet: the small end definitely looks like a mouthpiece.

Interesting flare on it, though: looks almost "exponential"...

Bill