Trumpet, B flat
Date1972 ca.
Place MadeEastlake, Ohio, United States, North America
ModelKing Super-20, 1049 Dual Bore, Harry James model
Serial No.480371
SignedEngraved on bell: KING Engraved alongside bell throat: Harry James
MarkingsStamped on second valve casing: 480371 / D B
Stamped on spring stem of second valve: 483411
Stamped on spring stems, respectively: 1, 2, 3
Stamped on first and third valve casing: 1, 3
Engraved (amateurishly) on main tuning slide: 37 i
DescriptionBrass with gold-plating on top of silver-plating, nickel-silver slides, mother-of-pearl finger buttons, single loop, main tuning slide at first bow, three balanced-action Périnet valves (1, ½, 1½), top-sprung, spring outside hollow stem, alignment by guide pin on spring anchor plate, single water keys at main tuning slide and third valve slide, windway 3-2-1.
Trumpeter Harry James (1916-1983) started playing a King/H. N. White "Super 20 Silver Sonic" trumpet in early 1951, encouraged by his good relationship with Edna White and the H. N. White Company. To accommodate his long arms, a special model with balanced action was developed in which the valve section was further away from the beginning of the receiver and nearer the bell end (here 170 mm instead of normally about 140 mm distance from beginning of leadpipe to beginning of first valve). Although the engraving on the bell suggests that Harry James actually owned this trumpet, it is more likely that it was manufatured according to this design, and the name engraved to indicate that it is the same model as the instrument played by Harry James.
DimensionsHeight: 486 mm
Tube length: 1279 mm
Bore diameter (initial, minimum, tuning slide, valve slides): 11 mm, 8.8 mm, 11.6 mm (0.457 inches), 11.8 mm (0.465 inches)
Bell diameter: 126 mm (5 inches)
ProvenancePurchased from Steve Dillon, Woodbridge, New Jersey, 1994.
Credit LineJoe R. and Joella F. Utley Collection, 1999
Object number07100
On View
Not on view
