Anonymous
Single E♭



Label :

none
Model:
single 
Serial Number:
none
Date of Manufacture:
ca. 1900 - 1914
Key(s):
E♭
Valves:
3 rotary, tapered (21.6 x 22.6 mm.), marked 180
Bore:
1.19 cm.
Bell Flare:
single seam, no garland
ca. 7.2 cm.
Bell Diameter:
31.5 cm.
Base Metal:
brass
Finish:
raw brass
.
(click on photos for larger view)


The unsigned single horn in E♭ shown above has been tentatively identified as coming from the workshop of Ferdinand Julius Hermann Altrichter in Frankfurt an der Oder, ca. 1900 - 1914 (see below). The overall wrap of the horn, especially the shape of the valve slides, is very similar to an Altrichter horn in the Musikinstrumenten-Museum der Karl-Mark-Universität, Leipzig (nr. 3597).
Many of the secondary details shown at the right are also similar to the Leipzig horn, especially in the valve set. The round finger pallets and spring casings (top photo) are the same as seen on the Lepzig horn, although the valve linkages and screw tops are different. The valve caps (second and third photos) are distinctively Altrichter. The braces (fourth photo) are also identical to the Leipzig horn however the knob on the leadpipe is different, as are the pinky hook and heart-shaped bell brace plate (below).  The Leipzig horn also has a garland on the bell but this horn does not.



Altrichter horn, Leipzig, 3597


Ferdinand Julius Hermann Altrichter (1842 - 1915) was born in Frankfurt an den Oder on December 1, 1842. He received trading rights and established his workshop in his home city in 1868. In 1873 he is documented as a "Harminika-Fabrikant" (mouth organ manufacturer). About 1883 he was appointed as court maker to Prince Friedrich Carl of Prussia, and ca. 1885 published and advertisement claiming to be "Hoflieferant, grösste Instrumentenfabrik Deutschlands" (Court supplier, the greatest musical instrument factory in Germany) and established a branch workshop in Berlin. Julius Altrichter died in Frankfurt an der Oder on March 15, 1915, after which  his son Erich continued the business until about 1935.



















 
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Christian Dobberstein and Marco Rippert for noting the similarity of this horn to those of Julius Altrichter.


Notes



 
References
Heyde, Herbert. Das Ventilblasinstrument, Seine Entwicklun im deutschsprachigen Raum von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart. Wiesbaden: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1987. ISBN 3765102253

Heyde, Herbert. Hörner und Zinken, Musikinstrumenten-Museum Leipzig Katalog Band 5. Leipzig: VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik, 1982.,

Waterhouse, William, The New Langwill Index of Wind Instrument Makers and Inventors, pub.Tony Bingham, London 1993


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