F.E. Olds Cornets

F.E. Olds & Sons, Los Angeles and Fullerton, California
If you own a cornet or trumpet by Olds, consider entering your data at the OLDS REGISTER website.

1928c F.E. Olds - Hammered Bell 7XX collection Tom Meacham

1929 Olds Cornet with hammered bell (881) In the first year of Olds cornet production, the design ws fairly ordinary, and had no model name. As near as I can tell, this was replaced around 1930 with the design I generally refer to as "The Olds” or “Standard” -- and is the model I play for gigs. Both were available with the optional hand-hammered bell, which later became standard on the Military Model cornet and trumpet. This example had been nicely re-lacquered in the past. Obviously a well-cared for instrument, it still has its original case, key, and mouthpiece.

1929 F.E. Olds "Hammered Bell" Trumpet (60X) This was made during the first year that Olds made trumpets, and must be one of the first made with the distintive hammered finish on the bell. Later, this would become standard on the Olds Military model trumpet and cornet, and an available option on other models as well. I continue to search for a Military model cornet.

1931 F.E. Olds - "The Olds" 4,0XX

1934 F.E. Olds - Super 6,6XX

1934 F.E. Olds - Standard 7,2XX

1936 F.E. Olds - Super Recording 8,2XX

1937 F.E. Olds - Special 8,9XX

1947 F.E. Olds - Super 19,8XX

1949 F.E. Olds - Super Recording 45,8XX
(restoration by Rich Ita's Brass Instrument Workshop)

1951 F.E. Olds - Special Trumpet 62,XXX
(my Father's trumpet, restoration by Rich Ita's Brass Instrument Workshop)

1951 F.E. Olds - Recording 72,8XX
(restoration by Rich Ita's Brass Instrument Workshop)

1953 F.E. Olds - Ambassador 90,7XX
(restoration by Rich Ita's Brass Instrument Workshop)

1956 F.E. Olds - Mendez M-5 Cornet 185,5XX

1961 F.E. Olds - Opera 333,1XX (first version - the Opera was almost entirely nickel-silver, with brass details)

1966 F.E. Olds - Special 561,5XX

1968 F.E. Olds - Opera 630,1XX (second version - the Opera was almost entirely nickel-silver, with brass details)

1978 F.E. Olds - A-6S Ambassador Short Shepherd's Crook A35,1XX Note: this is a factory-built professional cornet, which was originally made for export to Wales. The use of the name Ambassador may seem confusing, but according to the late, famed trumpeter Irving Bush, was selected as being more appropriate for the English market, as in "British Ambassador". The design had nothing to do with the popular student instrument. Note the first and third triggers, as seen on the top-line Mendez!

NEW! The Olds Guarantee covered a lot of things, but lacquer was not one of them! See how Olds explained it on this page from gurarantee booklet from the mid-50s.
"LACQUER IS NOT GUARANTEED"


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	1932 F.E. Olds cornet with optional hammered bell