Ed. Kruspe Erfurt Double Horn

This is an original Ed. Kruspe Double French Horn. This horn is the original design that all modern "Kruspe wrap" horns are based on. The engraving reads "Ed. Kruspe, Hoflieferant, Erfurt, DRGM 232038 Made in Germany". The number 232038 is not a serial number, rather it is a patent number for the innovative design of the horn. This horn is probably a very early example of D.R.G.M. 232038 for several reasons. First the engraving on the bell is of an ornate design associated with Kruspe horns in the early 1900s, as compared with the "Kruspe Eagle" that appeared following World War I in 1918. Second, the thumb valve rotor is mounted "upside down" from most more modern Kruspe-wrap horns; that is, the string linkage from the valve lever to the rotor is on the front of the horn instead of on the player's side like the other three valves. This means that the horn was almost certainly made prior to the 1920s, which is when Kruspe began making horns with the now familiar change valve. The horn also has no serial number, which later Kruspe horns did have. The horn was in rough shape to begin with; the bell was straightened and the dents were removed. There was also some work to be done on the kranz, and we had to build a new thumb linkage for the change valve. There was also a replacement main tuning slide which was not very nice, so we built an entirely new tuning slide.