alderan33
09-07-2011, 10:26 PM
Ok. I have been traveling a bit to a new spot and wow! I unearthed a Cavalry Bugle near an old Fort in Wyoming. The Maker's Mark says: J. Howard Foote New York and Chicago. I haven't been able to find a serial # as I only have a partial piece of the instrument but I found a little on the man, who turns out, is more of an instrument dealer than a maker:
John Howard Foote (1833-1896) was born on 11 November 1833 at Canton, CT. As a boy, he was trained as a clock maker in Bristol, CT and later worked as a journeyman in the machine works of Woodruff and Beach in Hartford, CT. In 1852, Foote moved to NYC. In December of 1853, he was hired by the musical instrument importers of Rohe & Leavitt, and continued to work for them until 1863 when the partners retired and Foot bought out their interests. Except for a short-lived partnership with John F. Stratton in late 1865, Foote managed his large and successful importing business by himself until his death on 17 May 1896.
Foote is probably best remembered as the founding patron of the musical instrument collection of the Smithsonian Institution. In an 1882 letter to the Smithsonian Institution, Foote wrote “most of my goods, though not of my manufacture, are made to order by different makers from drawings, descriptions and in some cases models furnished by me.” In 1868, Foote established a branch store in Chicago. His firm served as the sole American agent for several French instrument manufacturers, including Antoine Courtois Mille. The company ceased operations in 1894.
Thanks for looking and HH
John Howard Foote (1833-1896) was born on 11 November 1833 at Canton, CT. As a boy, he was trained as a clock maker in Bristol, CT and later worked as a journeyman in the machine works of Woodruff and Beach in Hartford, CT. In 1852, Foote moved to NYC. In December of 1853, he was hired by the musical instrument importers of Rohe & Leavitt, and continued to work for them until 1863 when the partners retired and Foot bought out their interests. Except for a short-lived partnership with John F. Stratton in late 1865, Foote managed his large and successful importing business by himself until his death on 17 May 1896.
Foote is probably best remembered as the founding patron of the musical instrument collection of the Smithsonian Institution. In an 1882 letter to the Smithsonian Institution, Foote wrote “most of my goods, though not of my manufacture, are made to order by different makers from drawings, descriptions and in some cases models furnished by me.” In 1868, Foote established a branch store in Chicago. His firm served as the sole American agent for several French instrument manufacturers, including Antoine Courtois Mille. The company ceased operations in 1894.
Thanks for looking and HH