C. G. Conn Ltd
Elkhart, Indiana
18B Trumpet in C/Bb/A
#212161 c.1924

Model: 18B
Key: C/Bb/A
Length: 18.25 "
Bell: 4.625"
Bore: #1 / 0.438" [0.405" to 0.437" through the tuning slide]
Finish: #00; burnished gold plate & highly engraved
Cost: $175 in 1924 [$3,219 in 2024]

Soon after finding a Conn New Era trumpet with an engraving of Nipper the RCA dog, I picked up an 18B with a heron by the same artist Julius Stenberg. The heron was done five years earlier and has a lighter touch to the engraving, yet the styles are the same. This matched pair had to be displayed together for the first time.

For those of you who know that this model did not come with a pinky hook in 1924, I was forced to add one since a previous owner had installed a non-matching silver one that wasn't a Conn, and I didn't want a solder mark to show. I had a plain brass one so carefully switched them.

Here is a catalog image from 1924.

This came with the original case, mountpiece, music lyre, cleaning rod, Bb and C slide sets, cornet adapter, and Brilliante mute. The only missing piece was the screwdriver.

This image shows the pinky hook it came with.

A close-up of the Brilliante mute with cap.

All apart and ready for cleaning. Everything was in excellent original condition with just a few dings in the bell from poor shipping.

When there is no plating wear from the hand, you know this was not used much.

Here are the 1924 18B and 1929 56B together.

1926 catalog image of the 18B.