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S-Z

Slater

(New York 1865-p1920)

Moses Slater (b England Nov 1826; d New York 8 [11] Nov 1899) emigrated to America in 1841. He began his business in 1865 and established a partnership with Stephen T. Gordon (b Exeter NH 22 Sept 1825; d Parkside NY c18 Dec 1890) between 1867 and 1868. Between 1878 and c1882, Henry Distin worked for the company, supervising the manufacture of instruments (Robert E. Eliason, "Slater, M(oses)," in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments). By 1885, the company manufactured rotary valve, piston valve, and light piston valve instruments for the American band market. Slater’s partners changed during his career, as shown below in the company’s name changes:

1867-1868 Gordon & Slater (with S. T. Gordon)

1871-1874 Slater & MARTIN

1875-1888 Moses Slater

1889-p1920

References for the entry were The New Langwill Index (Waterhouse 1993); Robert E. Eliason, "Slater, M(oses)," in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments; and Antique Brass Wind Instruments (Adams 1998).

Cornets listed in a company catalogue of 1874: (Adams 1998, 131-134)

2)    Top action rotary valve Bb (Eb) cornet in brass

3)    Top action rotary valve Bb (Eb) cornet in German silver

4)    Top (or side) action rotary valve "short Orchestra model" Bb cornet with A and G crooks in brass or German silver

5)    Bell-forward top action rotary valve Bb cornet "long Orchestra model" with crooks for A and G (no metal or price listed)

The first three models can be sold bell-up, bell-forward, or over-the-shoulder. Generally, prices range from $20.00 for no. 1) in brass to $50.00 for no. 5).

(New York 1859-1912)

As a young man, John Franklin Stratton (b West Swanzey NH 14 Sept 1832; d Brooklyn NY 23 Oct 1912) performed on the trombone, keyed bugle, clarinet, and violin (Hazen and Hazen 1987, 135). He was a bandleader in Worcester, Massachusetts and later moved to Hartford, Connecticut becoming the bandleader of the Hartford Cornet Band (Robert E. Eliason, "Stratton, John F(ranklin)," in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments). He even received training as a machinist and opened a music store in Hartford. He first opened up his New York shop in 1859 as a music retailer, brass instrument maker, and importer of musical instruments, while directing Stratton’s Palace Garden Orchestra. In 1864, he teamed up with John Howard Foote (b Canton, CT 11 Nov 1833; d New York 17 May 1896) and was known as "Stratton & Foote." The company bought Joseph Anton Rohé’s instrument importing business in 1864. Foote’s experience as an importer of music and instruments was helpful to Stratton, since the company was involved in both the manufacture and importation of brass instruments. During the Civil War, Stratton provided more than 60,000 field trumpets and bugles for the government. He employed nearly 200 workers making upwards of 100 instruments a day (Hazen and Hazen 1987, 135).
In 1866, he established a brass instrument factory in Markneukirchen, Germany and in 1868 transferred it to Leipzig (Waterhouse 1993, 389). In 1870, he created a string instrument factory in Gohlis and employed 300 workers. He traveled between Saxony and New York until 1883 when he sold both of his factories. In 1889, he formed a partnership with his son, Frank, and the company was then known as "Stratton & Son." This partnership lasted six years until 1895 when "Stratton & Son" was still making some brass instruments. John Stratton continued business in New York until 1912 (Robert E. Eliason ,"Stratton, John F(ranklin)," in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments). "Stratton & Son" imported many brasses made by COURTOIS and M. Goulet. The company patented a practice mute in 1865 (US #51363) and was represented at the Centennial Exposition of Philadelphia in 1876 (Waterhouse 1993, 389).

References for the entry were The New Langwill Index (Waterhouse 1993); Robert E. Eliason ,"Stratton, John F(ranklin)," in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments, The Music Men: An Illustrated History of Brass Bands in America, 1800-1920 (Hazen and Hazen 1987); and Antique Brass Wind Instruments (Adams 1998).

Cornets listed in company catalogue of c1893-1895: (Adams 1998, 135-142)

All of the cornets were offered with Périnet valves with the exception of 7) below, which have the appearance of Berliner Pumpen (short round valves with two tubes connected to each valve.) All rotary valve cornets (not listed here) were discontinued for a discount price.

2)    Bb cornet with water key and A shank; in brass; nickel plated [brass]; TSP; TSP with finely or fancy engraved bell; TSP with gold plating and finely engraved bell or with gold plating and fancy engraved bell. All selections made by M. Goulet. Prices range from $7.95 to $33.00.

3)    Bb cornet with double water key and A shank; in brass; nickel plated [brass?]; TSP frosted or burnished; TSP with engraved bell or with fancy engravings throughout; TSP with gold plating and finely engraved bell or with gold plating and fancy engravings throughout. All selections made by COURTOIS. Prices range from $20.00 to $46.00.

4)    Eb cornet with water key; in brass; nickel plated [brass?]; TSP; TSP with finely engraved bell or with fancy engravings throughout; TSP with gold plating and finely engraved bell or with gold plating and fancy engravings throughout. All selections made by Stratton. Prices range from $10.00 to $34.00.

5)    C cornet with water key and Bb shank; in brass; nickel plated [brass?]; TSP; TSP with finely engraved bell or with fancy engravings throughout; TSP with gold plating and finely engraved bell or with gold plating and fancy engravings throughout. All selections made by Stratton. Prices range from $12.00 to $38.00.

6)    Bb (or Eb) cornet; in brass; nickel plated [brass?]; silver plated [brass]. All selections made by M. Goulet. Average prices range from $7.38 to $15.45.

7)    Berliner Pumpen bell-forward Bb (or Eb) cornet in brass; nickel plated [brass], and TSP. All selections made by Stratton. Average prices range from $5.50 to $21.50.

Elbridge G. Wright

(Roxbury, MA c1839-1841; Boston 1841-1871;Lowell, MA 1858-1859)

The earliest extant instrument by Elbridge G. Wright (b Ashby, MA 15 [1] Mar 1811; d Boston 15 Mar 1871) is a brass ophicleide in C with nine keys built in 1839. The physical characteristic that catches the eye are the perfectly round and flat tone-hole covers made for leather pads (Eliason 1981, 23). His most popular instruments in the beginning were his Eb copper keyed bugles made with brass trim. In 1841, he and PAINE separately entered keyed trumpets in the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association Exhibition, but they were entered too late to be evaluated. As the company grew in the 1840’s, the instruments became the envy of many keyed brass players. David C. Hall and the famous Edward "Ned" Kendall of the Boston Brass Band (between the years of 1835 and 1842) endorsed their instruments. In 1847, Wright again entered another instrument too late in the same Exhibition, this time a keyed silver bugle with gold keys.

Between the years of 1860 and 1861, Wright was also active as a bandmaster, since Wright & McDonald’s Quadrille Band and Wright & Newcombe’s Quadrille Band was located at 27 Portland Street, and Wright’s Quadrille Band was located at 14 Portland Street (Ayars 1969, 270).

In addition to keyed instruments, Wright also produced Vienna valved trumpets, trumpets which were both valved and keyed (only one extant today), rotary valved bugles, and rotary valved cornets (with bell up). Known as Wright, Esbach & Hartman from 1864 to 1866, the company devoted much of its efforts in producing valved brass instruments. The company entered a full set of valved brasses in the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association Exhibition of 1865 and won a First Silver Medal for their "superior tone and workmanship" (Eliason 1981, 33). Louis F. Hartman and Henry Esbach were employed by Wright at the time of the exhibition.

Patrick S. Gilmore’s name is associated with Wright’s name in an advertisement of 1867, in which "Wright, Gilmore & Co." manufactured musical instruments with a "celebrated improved pattern" (Wright, Gilmore & Co. [1867]). It is interesting to note that in 1870, Wright & Co. advertise that they won a First Prize Silver Medal in the "late Fair of the Massachusetts Charitable Association for a full set of Brass Instruments" and advertise their "New Improved Rotary and Piston Cornets" (Boston Directory 1870).

In 1870, Wright left the company to work for "Hall, Quinby, Wright & Co." until his death in 1871.

One of the most famous instruments that Wright built was a solid gold keyed bugle given to D. C. HALL by members of the Lowell Brass Band on 15 April 1850. Incredibly ornate and engraved, this instrument appears in the Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, Michigan. A gold plated duplicate also is in the same collection. See BOSTON MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MANUFACTORY above for information about the merger of Wright and GRAVES.

Although not a cornet, mention needs to be made about an ornately engraved Wright instrument appearing in The Shrine to Music Museum collection. It is a coin silver twelve keyed bugle, built in 1852, and its engraving in an ornately engraved enclosure reads: (Larson 1991, 9)

                Presented to

            IRA W. WALES

                 BY THE

        Citizens of Abbington

        MASS. Jan. 1.^st 1853

E G WRIGHT MAKER BOSTON [in scroll]

Main references for the above were Early American Brass Makers (Eliason 1981) and The New Langwill Index (Waterhouse 1993). Other references are listed above.

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