Presentation Trumpet, "Avoca Hose Co."
date: label: date made
content: ca 1887
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description (Brief)
content: As more American volunteer fire fighting companies began to form during the late 18th century, a need emerged for better organized efforts in combating conflagrations. Engineers and officers would use “speaking trumpets” to amplify their voices over the noise and commotion of a fire scene to direct the company in effectively fighting the blaze. Two trumpet variants are reflected in the collection: plain and functional “working” trumpets that were actively used at fires, and highly decorated “presentation” trumpets. Presentation trumpets were awarded to firefighters in honor of their service, or between fire companies during visits, competitions, and musters.
label: Description (Brief)
content: This brass speaking trumpet was presented to the Avoca Hose Company by John M. Grier in 1887. The brass trumpet has three rounded bands along the shaft. A red braided cord with tassels is tied around the top and bottom of the shaft and strung through two rings attached to the trumpet. A circular plaque attached to the trumpet bears the inscription “Presented to/ Avoca Hose Co. No. 1/ by/ John M. Grier/ May 30th, 1887.” This fire company was likely the one located in Avoca, Pennsylvania rather than Avoca, New York.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
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content: Cultures & Communities
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content: Work
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content: Firefighting Collection
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content: Speaking Trumpets
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0876
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0876
objectType: label: Object Name
content: trumpet, speaking
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 21 in; 53.34 cm