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Does anyone make these anymore? I've seen plenty of them on Columbia cylinder phonographs over the years but it's always been a big mystery as to who made them and whether they are still made or CAN be made by anyone. They are FAR superior in performance to the heavier reproduction 14" black and brass horns that are incredibly common today. A good number of cylinder Graphophones tend to bog down with the weight of the black and brass and all brass horns but the Aluminum horns perform perfectly.

If anyone has one or two of these (or more) reproduction 14" aluminum Columbia horns to sell or better yet if you know of a source that makes these horns please let me know here or by PM. Happy to pay an honest price for them. I've no interest in paying the lofty prices for originals since the reproduction aluminum horns perform just as well IMHO. And that's what's most important to me. I have a good number of original aluminum horns and so just looking to get a few reproduction aluminum horns for some of my Columbias.

Thanks,
Doug

I haven't seen any new reproductions offered for a while now. I think the first ones to come out were made by Jean-Paul Agnard in the 1970s, when he was based in Morocco. Others made good copies in the 1990s. I think Jerry Madsen may have commissioned a run of them.

A few years back someone was selling repros on eBay but they were cast from solid aluminum, and had no seam on the body. Those look terrific and are far less fragile than originals, but they are also vastly heavier -- on a par with typical brass-belled horns. I haven't seen those offered in a long time so it would appear whoever was making them has ceased business.

If you are looking for aluminum horns specifically because they are lightweight, be aware that those more recent replicas are pretty heavy.

EDIT to add: here's my post from 2018 about the heavier repros: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=35068&p=209477

TinfoilPhono wrote: Fri Oct 20, 2023 2:45 pm I haven't seen any new reproductions offered for a while now. I think the first ones to come out were made by Jean-Paul Agnard in the 1970s, when he was based in Morocco. Others made good copies in the 1990s. I think Jerry Madsen may have commissioned a run of them.

Thank you for your comments, Rene. Yes, I'm mostly interested in getting a few reproduction aluminum Columbia 14" horns for their light weight and they simply look nice on any cylinder phonograph from my perspective versus the common black/brass horns. I also appreciate the longer (or taller) bell section on the 14" aluminum horns versus the squatty brass bell on reproduction 14" brass bell horns.

It's a shame that the makers of the commonly found 14" black/brass reproduction horns and 14" nickel reproduction horns can't (or won't) make 14" aluminum horns as well. I'm sure they'd sell a lot of them.

So my search continues.

Doug

I don't know if he is still in business...it's been more than 20 years since I ordered anything from him. Al's Metal Spinning out in Oregon used to make repro horns. At one time Al supplied the cygnet Bell's, fireside type horns, etc. to Ron Sitko. I don't recall whether he provided witches hats as well.

There is a seller on eBay (sooryakiran_handicrafts) selling 14" brass as well as black and brass horns from India. From communication with him last year, he appears to be making them (or having them made) so perhaps you could contact him regarding having him make aluminum horns.


-Rob

BusyBeeCylinder wrote: Sat Oct 21, 2023 8:52 am I don't know if he is still in business...it's been more than 20 years since I ordered anything from him. Al's Metal Spinning out in Oregon used to make repro horns. At one time Al supplied the cygnet Bell's, fireside type horns, etc. to Ron Sitko. I don't recall whether he provided witches hats as well.

There is a seller on eBay (sooryakiran_handicrafts) selling 14" brass as well as black and brass horns from India. From communication with him last year, he appears to be making them (or having them made) so perhaps you could contact him regarding having him make aluminum horns.


-Rob

Thanks ever so much for your comments, Rob! This is the type of information I had hoped to receive!

Ron (Sitko) was a very good friend of mine. He intentionally kept his parts suppliers private. For the sake of other collectors like me who are interested in getting reproduction aluminum phonograph horns versus the heavier reproduction tin and brass horns it's refreshing to hear of ANY possible sources for reproduction phonograph horns.

It would be GREAT to find a source who can make decent quality aluminum phonographs horns at a reasonable price.

Doug

Al does not work with aluminum. I know because I have asked him.