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Trade Names of
Instrument Manufacturers



Currently, information about historic trade names and model names used by makers and retailers up to 1950 is scattered in a bewildering number of sources and locations. This project is designed to bring together as much of that information as possible. According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, "A trademark includes any word, name, symbol, or device, or any combination used, or intended to be used, in commerce to identify and distinguish the goods of one manufacturer or seller from goods manufactured or sold by others, and to indicate the source of the goods. In short, a trademark is a brand name." www.uspto.gov/main/faq/index.html.

Every effort has been made to remain as true as possible to the information, especially within trade catalogs. However, many catalogs provide information in a form that is unavoidably confusing. Determining trade name verse model name verses description is and will remain a question. Noble & Cooley Co.'s catalog is an example where information in this list could be any of the three possibilities mentioned. All names are in reverse order. Thus, A. Feuillard will be found under Feuillard, A. The web site Trade Names of Wind Instrument Makers (T.N.W.I.M.) relies upon information in The New Langwill Index (NLI). This website provided additional information. Farrar (Lloyd Farrar) was a major contributor to NLI. Because NLI stops at circa 1950, dates in this list that end with 1950 implies that usage continued after that date. All dates in this database are to be considered to be relatively accurate. No names that came into use after 1950 have been actively gathered for this list. When NLI, Farrar, and T.N.W.I.M. contradict, NLI is preferred, followed by Farrar. Information taken from eBay is uncertain. Information obtained from catalogs is preferred above all other sources. Additional information has been provided by private communication and is considered to be accurate.

Throughout this database, alphabetization follows that of NLI. However, in the case where confusion may exist, cross references are provided. S.M.L. is such an example. NLI places this trade name under L. For completeness, S.M.L. is also found under S preceding other citations under that letter. Trade names such as La Monte are alphabetized under La in direct contradiction of French alphabetization. No cross reference to Monte, La is provided in this database. Spaces are considered during alphabetization. Thus, La XXX is filed before LaXXX.

Another colum in this list documents manufacturers and which retail companies sold their instruments. This list is not as complete as the list of trade/model names but is provided to help bring together information that might otherwise be difficult to identify.

The following abbreviations are used here:


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