Ralphe- Kenny cornet

jkramb19 · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Mar 2002 Posts: 365

Has anyone evr heard of a Ralphe -Kenny cornet made in Minneapolis? I just met a lady who's husband passed away and she is selling his trumpets. He was the brass repairn man at IU for quite a while, so the horns are in good shape. One of the horns is a Ralphe-Kenny Cornet from sometime way back in the 1910's or so. the serial number 1,52X. The horn has very nice silver plating, but i have never heard of Ralphe-Kenny. Does anyone have any info on this horn?

DickB · Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 12:24 pm Post subject:

You might check to see if that is the name of a music store that was in Minneapolis in the early 1900s. Many such old horns with obscure names were stenciled (branded) by major manufacturers for local stores and teachers.
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1921 Conn 80A Victor, Silver w/gold wash bell. (My "Bix Special")
1929 Blessing Super Artist branded as American Selmer Signet.
1960 Conn Late 18A Coprion

Gilligan · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 7:55 pm Post subject:

Can you post a picture? Those of us more fimiliar with the older instruments can often recognize a maker by the bracing, caps, and small details in the horn. Most stencils or only shipped with a serial number, but this serial number is from the maker so it can sometimes give clues to age and possible model.
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Gill

Ortrouvere · Regular Member Joined: 10 Aug 2018 Posts: 12

I have a Ralph Kenny trumpet. I was my mothers horn, and I used it as a marching band instrument in High School. I did some research on Ralph E. Kenny and found he was a musician/music dealer in the Midwest in the late 1800s through the early 1900s. The last of his instruments were made between 1900 - 1913. These horns are identifiable by the name Ralph Kenny on the bell.