Alto Trombone in Trade Catalogs, 1901-1940: 26 Examples from 9 Countries

1901—Chicago, Illinois: Lyon & Healy, a prominent American manufacturer and distributor of musical instruments, includes numerous alto trombones, all specifically labeled as E-flat instruments, in their New and Enlarged Catalogue of Band Instruments. Shown below are 4 of the altos listed in the catalogue: a slide alto and three valve altos (public domain) (Lyon & Healy 1901, pp. 45, 15, 28, 40).

lyon healy 1901 p45
lyon healy 1901 p 15
lyon healy 1901 p28
lyon healy 1901 p40

1902—England: The catalog for Metzler & Co offers valve alto trombone in E-flat and F, as well as slide alto trombone in E-flat (see below images; public domain).

1904—Philadelphia, PA: The catalog for J. W. Pepper offers several models of valve alto trombone, all pitched in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1905—Paris, France: A “sudrophone trombone” in both E-flat (alto) and B-flat (tenor) is advertised in the catalog of F. Sudre (see below image; public domain).

1905/1910—The Netherlands: The catalog for M. J. H. Kessels offers slide and valve alto trombones in F and E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1906—Paris, France: The catalog for Couesnon & Cie offers valve alto trombone in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

c. 1907—Williamsport, Pennsylvania: Henry Distin’s instrument catalog offers an alto valve trombone, specified as an E-flat instrument (see below image; public domain). 

1908—Chicago, Illinois: The popular and widely-circulated Sears & Roebuck catalogue continues to include alto trombones among its offerings (see also 1897 and 1900, above). Like the alto trombones in previous catalogues, the instruments are all in the key of E-flat. Unlike previous offerings, which included slide alto trombones, only valve instruments are represented (see below 3 images; public domain) (Sears 1908, 249-251).

sears-1908-dupont
sears-1908-pearl
sears-1908-marceau

1908—St. Petersburg, Russia: The Zimmermann catalog offers alto trombone in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

*1911—Brussels, Belgium: The Mahillon catalog offers a single alto trombone, a valve instrument pitched in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1912—Markneukirchen, Germany: The Edmund Paulus catalog offers slide and valve alto trombones, both in E-flat or F (see below images; public domain).

1912—France: The Couesnon catalog offers a valve alto trombone, specified in 2 different places as an E-flat instrument (see below images; public domain).

1912—France: A price list for Thibouville, a French instrument manufacturer and distributor, lists alto trombone as an E-flat instrument, not B-flat or C (see image below; public domain).

Thibouville Price List, 1912

1912—Bohemia: The catalog for Anton Hüller offers valve trombone in F and E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1912—England: The Alfred Hays catalog offers slide and valve alto trombones in E-flat 1914—Kraslice, Bohemia: The A.K. Hüttl catalog offers slide and valve alto trombones in E-flat (see below image;  public domain).

1914—Kraslice, Bohemia: The A.K. Hüttl catalog offers slide and valve alto trombones in E-flat (see below image;  public domain).

1914—Germany: The catalog for J. Heinr. Zimmermann offers slide alto trombone and 2 different types of valve alto trombones, all pitched in E-flat. They also sell various sets of trombones: combinations of Diskant, Alt, Tenor, and Bass (along with a few additions of Flügelhörnern); all the combinations include alto trombone (see below images; public domain).

1914—Germany: The catalog for Gebr. Alexander offers slide and valve alto trombones in E-flat (see below images; public domain).

1915—Tilburg, Netherlands: M.J.H. Kessels, one of the largest instrument manufacturers in Europe, offers alto trombones in E-flat and F (see below image from 1915 catalog; public domain).

1922—Tilburg, Netherlands: M.J.H. Kessels, one of the largest instrument manufacturers in Europe, offers alto trombones in E-flat and F, slide and valve (see below image from 1922 catalog; public domain).

1925—Germany: The catalog for C. A. Wunderlich includes valve and slide alto trombones, pitched in E-flat and F (see below images; public domain).

1925—Germany: The catalog for Schuster & Co. includes valve and slide alto trombones, pitched in E-flat and F (see below images; public domain).

1926—Paris, France: Courtois pictures, in its catalog, 4 different trombones: trombone alto in e-flat, trombone tenor “Modele Conservatoire,” trombone tenor and bass “Modele Conservatoire,” and trombone contrabass (see below image; public domain).

1928—Quarna Sotto, Italy: The catalog for Rampone & Cazzati offers a valve alto trombone, labeled “Tromboncino ” and pitched in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1935-37—Germany: The catalog for Gebr. Alexander offers slide and valve alto trombones in E-flat (see below image; public domain).

1938—Germany: Wunderlich’s catalog includes 3 alto trombones, all listed as either F or E-flat instruments (see below 2 images; public domain).