As more American volunteer fire fighting companies began to form during the late 18th century, a need emerged for better organized efforts in combating conflagrations. Engineers and officers would use “speaking trumpets” to amplify their voices over the noise and commotion of a fire scene to direct the company in effectively fighting the blaze. Two trumpet variants are reflected in the collection: plain and functional “working” trumpets that were actively used at fires, and highly decorated “presentation” trumpets. Presentation trumpets were awarded to firefighters in honor of their service, or between fire companies during visits, competitions, and musters.
This nickel-plated brass speaking trumpet is unadorned and was in use during the second half of the 19th century. Two rings are attached to the trumpet’s shaft, and a leather strap is buckled through the rings to form a handle. The trumpet has no inscriptions and shows wear in a variety of places.
This trumpet was made by Franz Hörth in Saarbrücken, Germany in 1913. It is an E-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three mechanical rotary valves. This trumpet is engraved:
Franz Hörth Saarbrucken. Jager Regt. z. Pferde No. 8 1913
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
Franz Hörth (also spelled Hoerth) (1862-1932) founded his musical instrument firm in what was known as St. Johann in 1898. This small fishing village merged with two other villages to form Saarbrücken around 1909. Hörth’s son-in-law Richard Wolff became manager of the company around 1921, then known as “Franz Hoerth, metal and wood instrument maker, musical instruments and talking machines."
This trumpet was made by an unknown maker in Germany around 1910-1913. It is an E-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three rotary valves.
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
This trumpet was made by Franz Hörth in Saarbrücken, Germany in 1913. It is an E-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three mechanical rotary valves. This trumpet is engraved:
Franz Hörth Saarbrucken. Jager Regt. z. Pferde No.8 1913
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
Franz Hörth (also spelled Hoerth) (1862-1932) founded his musical instrument firm in what was known as St. Johann in 1898. This small fishing village merged with two other villages to form Saarbrücken around 1909. Hörth’s son-in-law Richard Wolff became manager of the company around 1921, then known as “Franz Hoerth, metal and wood instrument maker, musical instruments and talking machines."
This trumpet was made by Franz Hörth in Saarbrücken, Germany in 1913. It is an E-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three mechanical rotary valves. This trumpet is engraved:
Franz Hörth Saarbrucken. Jager Regt. z. Pferde No.8 1913
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
Franz Hörth (also spelled Hoerth) (1862-1932) founded his musical instrument firm in what was known as St. Johann in 1898. This small fishing village merged with two other villages to form Saarbrücken around 1909. Hörth’s son-in-law Richard Wolff became manager of the company around 1921, then known as “Franz Hoerth, metal and wood instrument maker, musical instruments and talking machines."
This trumpet was made by Franz Hörth in Saarbrücken, Germany in 1913. It is an E-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three mechanical rotary valves. This trumpet is engraved:
Franz Hörth Saarbrucken. Jager Regt. z. Pferde No.8 1913
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
Franz Hörth (also spelled Hoerth) (1862-1932) founded his musical instrument firm in what was known as St. Johann in 1898. This small fishing village merged with two other villages to form Saarbrücken around 1909. Hörth’s son-in-law Richard Wolff became manager of the company around 1921, then known as “Franz Hoerth, metal and wood instrument maker, musical instruments and talking machines."
This trumpet was made by Franz Hörth in Saarbrücken, Germany in 1913. It is a B-flat trumpet made of brass with nickel silver trim and has three mechanical rotary valves. This trumpet is engraved:
Franz Horth Saarbrucken. Jager Regt. z. Pferde No.8 1913
According to the accession paperwork, this trumpet was one of 12 instruments captured from the Jäger-Regiment zu Pferde Nr. 8 (Eighth Jaeger German Mounted Band) during WWI.
Franz Hörth (also spelled Hoerth) (1862-1932) founded his musical instrument firm in what was known as St. Johann in 1898. This small fishing village merged with two other villages to form Saarbrücken around 1909. Hörth’s son-in-law Richard Wolff became manager of the company around 1921, then known as “Franz Hoerth, metal and wood instrument maker, musical instruments and talking machines."
This round metal fire badge is decorated with a spread-winged eagle at the top, and a small plaque with two trumpets at the bottom inscribed with the number “202.” The rim of the badge is inscribed “L.I. CITY F.D./EXEMPT.” The badge’s center is decorated with a speaking trumpet, hook, ladder, lantern, and axe arrayed in a circle behind a fire helmet. The Long Island City Fire Department became a paid department in 1891, and was consolidated into the Fire Department of the City of New York in 1898. This badge would have belonged to an exempt fireman (someone who had served more than five years and was exempt from jury duty or militia service) prior to 1891.
Metal firefighter’s badges were a part of the firefighter’s uniform since volunteer companies began to proliferate in the early 19th century. As volunteer companies gave way to municipal fire departments during the mid–19th century, these badges became mandated by uniform codes. Badges served as official identification at fire scenes, as access to derelict buildings by unscrupulous citizens could result in looting. Fire badges came in a variety of shapes, most notably circular, shield–shaped, or the Maltese cross. While shield–shaped badges were often worn on the chest, circular and cross-shaped badges can be seen on jacket lapels or soft caps. Badges usually detailed the company’s name, number and department, and were often decorated with various symbols of the profession such as hose carriages, hand–pumped engines, hoses, trumpets, helmets, hooks, and ladders. For paid municipal companies, many badges also featured the badge number of the wearer.
Metal firefighter’s badges were a part of the firefighter’s uniform since volunteer companies began to proliferate in the early 19th century. As volunteer companies gave way to municipal fire departments during the mid-19th century, these badges became mandated by uniform codes. These badges often served as official identification for firefighters at fire scenes, as access to derelict buildings by unscrupulous citizens could result in looting. Fire badges came in a variety of shapes, most notably circular, shield-shaped, or the Maltese cross. While shield-shaped badges were often worn on the chest, circular and Maltese cross badges are seen on jacket lapels or soft caps. Badges usually detailed the company’s city, company name, and/or company number, decorated with various symbols of the profession such as hose reels, hand-pumped engines, hoses, trumpets, helmets, hooks, and ladders. For paid municipal companies many badges also featured the badge number of the wearer.
Metal firefighter’s badges were a part of the firefighter’s uniform since volunteer companies began to proliferate in the early 19th century. As volunteer companies gave way to municipal fire departments during the mid-19th century, these badges became mandated by uniform codes. These badges often served as official identification for firefighters at fire scenes, as access to derelict buildings by unscrupulous citizens could result in looting. Fire badges came in a variety of shapes, most notably circular, shield-shaped, or the Maltese cross. While shield-shaped badges were often worn on the chest, circular and Maltese cross badges are seen on jacket lapels or soft caps. Badges usually detailed the company’s city, company name, and/or company number, decorated with various symbols of the profession such as hose reels, hand-pumped engines, hoses, trumpets, helmets, hooks, and ladders. For paid municipal companies many badges also featured the badge number of the wearer.
Obverse Image: Denomination at center, name of issuing authority above, portrait of Chiang Kai-shek to the right, swords and trumpets to the left, crossed Flag of the Kuomintang and Flag of the Republic of China
Obverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
Reverse Image: 12 Columns of text, denomination in the corners.
Obverse Image: Denomination at center, name of issuing authority above, portrait of Chiang Kai-shek to the right, swords and trumpets to the left, crossed Flag of the Kuomintang and Flag of the Republic of China
Obverse Text: [NEEDS TRANSLATION]
Reverse Image: 12 Columns of text, denomination in the corners.
Spiral-lobed, globular teapot with bands of spiraled drops for the cylindrical neck and circular, flared foot. Flat-top, hinged lid is topped by a cast vertical melon shape. Cusped, C-curve handle is pinned into thin insulators and trumpet-shaped oval sockets. Body perforated at plain, shallow S-curve spout. Underside of flat bottom is struck incuse with concentric circular mark of "KANN BROS SILVER CO / BALTO. / QUADRUPLE / PLATE" next to "6 / 1133". Same numbers are scratched inside lid; inside upper half of hinge is stamped "IV".
Maker is Kann Bros. Silver Co. of Baltimore, MD; 1899-1913.
