Getzen B-Flat Slide Trumpet: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This trumpet was made by Getzen Company, Inc. in Elkhorn, Wisconsin in 1963. It is a B-flat slide trumpet made of brass and nickel plate. This instrument is really a soprano trombone but sold as a slide trumpet by the manufacturer. It is engraved:

A 1959 Getzen advertisement for this instrument, with the endorsement of American jazz trumpeter Bobby Hackett indicates, “Cornet players…trumpet players…trombone players…beginners too - for those new effects that are impossible with any other instrument, get this sensational musical instrument, same true tone as ANY trumpet, with full range and accurate A-440 pitch. Ruggedly built of brass, polished and lacquered, Getzen-guaranteed…Easy to play-learn quickly with furnished instruction book.

Same slide principle as standard trombone, with slide positions plainly marked on outside slide. Lightning action, tunable, any mouthpiece fits. At music dealers, or write us.”

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1963
• maker: Getzen Company, Inc.
• Object Name: trumpet
• Physical Description: brass (overall material)
• Physical Description: nickel silver (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 18 1/4 in x 4 3/4 in x 6 1/2 in; 46.355 cm x 12.065 cm x 16.51 cm
• Measurements: trumpet: 4 9/16 in x 6 1/8 in x 18 3/8 in; 11.58875 cm x 15.5575 cm x 46.6725 cm
• Measurements: mouthpiece: 3 1/2 in x 1 1/16 in; 8.89 cm x 2.69875 cm
• place made: United States: Wisconsin, Elkhorn
• ID Number: MI.66.152
• catalog number: 66.152
• accession number: 263102
• Credit Line: Gift of Getzen Co., Inc.
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.