Horn with a story...

[Curt A]

25+ years ago, I found this horn in an antique shop. I was interested, but had never seen a witches hat horn with flowers painted on the outside. Thinking it was a homemade flowered horn, I decided to pass. I did some research and found that, yes, they did make witches hat horns with flowers on the outside. I hurried back to the shop and found that it had been sold several hours previously...

Several years passed and I was at the home of a local collector and discovered that he had purchased this horn. I tried several times to buy it from him, with no luck... I gave up on the idea of owning it and lost track of the collector. Fast forward 20 years and I was contacted by the collector's daughter who informed me that her dad had passed and wondered if I was interested in buying any of his stuff. I asked about the horn and she said she hadn't seen it anywhere and thought he might have sold it. Another missed chance.

A collector friend who had heard about the estate sale of the previous collector, said he was going over to look at some items and asked if there was anything I wanted. I said the only thing I was interested in was the horn with flowers on the outside, if it was still there somewhere. He looked for it with no luck, but said he was going back to look again. He called me and said he found it and bought it, but was now attached to it himself, and didn't want to sell it. Six months went by and I had to go to his house for something and saw the horn getting ready to be loaded up to take to the Orlando Show. I asked if he would sell it now and he said he finally decided to let it go...
I finally got it after 25 years of trying to negotiate a price...

Now the question: who made this horn? There is no name on it anywhere, no patent dates or other identification. The only somewhat remarkable feature is the small brass triangular backing plate for the horn hanger... Any ideas?

[phonogfp]

These horns have been pictured and described in detail in Antique Phonograph Gadgets, Gizmos, and Gimmicks, and especially in Antique Phonograph Accessories & Contraptions.

I'm surprised the brass hanger is not stamped "Standard Metal Mfg. Co., Newark, N.J." Every other example of these horns I've seen has the stamping. At any rate, that's the manufacturer.

George P.

[Curt A]

Thanks, George... I should have looked in the book.

Curt

[Mormon S]

You've been after this horn much longer than I've been alive . I could see this going fantastically with a 2 clip and a Howthrne & Sheble crane, or even the Rapke crane which displays the horns perfectly. Would love to have one, but they are impossible to find.

Martin

[JerryVan]

Your story brings up an all too familiar scenario. A friend, acquaintance, etc., has something that you have expressed an interest in buying from them, should they decide to sell. They seem to note your interest. Then, after some time passes, the item goes up for sale, or just plain gets sold, without a hint of it to you. It's happened to me many times. Maybe it says something about me, , but it's also happened to friends of mine. Maybe it's just best to chalk it up to forgetfulness and move on...

BTW Curt, I'm NOT suggesting anything negative about your collector friend, or for that matter, about my friends who have done the same. Just a quirk of human nature that I haven't figured out I guess.

Anyway, very happy that your pursuit of that very cool horn ended well for you. The hunt should make it all the more special and fun.

By the way, if you should ever want to sell it...

[Curt A]

Jerry,
You are right... I don't think badly about my friend, since I actually got it... It has happened to me on other occasions, also, and I can't figure it out. Maybe they think that it somehow limits their asking price...

[Ripduf1]

Here is an image of the diamond shaped hanger plate with the label. They made a variety of flower types. Here is one with a nice red flower, Red Poppy I think. John

[phonogfp]

I like the red poppies, John!

Here are a couple more Standard Metal Mfg. Co. black & brass horns with floral decoration on their bodies. I was wrong about never having seen one of these without the company identification on the hanger - - the short, squat one pictured here has a plain hanger! (It's mounted on the brass bell. Click image twice to enlarge.)

George P.

[gramophone-georg]

Your story brings up an all too familiar scenario. A friend, acquaintance, etc., has something that you have expressed an interest in buying from them, should they decide to sell. They seem to note your interest. Then, after some time passes, the item goes up for sale, or just plain gets sold, without a hint of it to you. It's happened to me many times. Maybe it says something about me, , but it's also happened to friends of mine. Maybe it's just best to chalk it up to forgetfulness and move on...

BTW Curt, I'm NOT suggesting anything negative about your collector friend, or for that matter, about my friends who have done the same. Just a quirk of human nature that I haven't figured out I guess.

Anyway, very happy that your pursuit of that very cool horn ended well for you. The hunt should make it all the more special and fun.

By the way, if you should ever want to sell it...

It's happened to me many times as well, not just in phonos but other areas. I think what it is is that the friend feels guilty about their asking price, feeling somehow obligated that they "should" discount to a friend, but they want the max they can get.

[drh]

I like the red poppies, John!

Here are a couple more Standard Metal Mfg. Co. black & brass horns with floral decoration on their bodies. I was wrong about never having seen one of these without the company identification on the hanger - - the short, squat one pictured here has a plain hanger! (It's mounted on the brass bell. Click image twice to enlarge.)

George P.

Standard Horns.JPG

I feel like one of those cartoon guys who miss the subject of a picture for ogling the included comely female instead; I guess there are some horns in your photo somewhere, but my eyes are drawn and riveted to the (A? B?) 250 or Amberola I and even more the (A? B?) 150--unlike mine, with all six original storage albums in good shape, not three that have seen better days, yet!--in the background. Nice, nice, nice!