Work Trumpet
date: label: date made
content: unknown
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 and nickel work trumpet was used during the 19th century. The body of the trumpet is brass with two flat nickel bands wrapped around the upper and lower sections of the shaft. Two decorative eagle heads have rings in their beaks allowing for a cord to be attached to the trumpet.
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
label: See more items in
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: 2005.0233.0877
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0877
objectType: label: Object Name
content: trumpet, speaking
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: brass (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: nickel (part: bands material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 18 1/2 in x 7 in; 46.99 cm x 17.78 cm