Title: Keyed Bugle

Maker: Graves & Co.

Model: N/A

Date: c. 1840

Geography: Winchester, New Hampshire, United States

Material: Copper and Brass

Serial Number: N/A

Accession Number: GL-123_A11-01

Provenance: Founding Greenleaf Donation from Conn Museum, 1969

Description

Key: B-flat (to be confirmed)

Pitch: High (possibly)

Finish: Copper body; Brass bell garland and keys

Lacquer: Yes

Engraving: Bell garland engraved with “Graves & Co. / Winchester, N.H.” (in cursive). No decorative engraving.

Mouthpiece: No

Accessories: No

Case: No

Notes:

Nine keys
Graves & Co. was one of the earliest brass makers in the United States. The company was lead by Samuel Graves, Jr. (1794-1878). Samuel began making musical instruments on his father’s farm in West Fairlee, Vermont with two of his younger brothers around 1824. The Graves brothers moved to Winchester, New Hampshire around 1830 and their business continued to grow. Charles Alexander became partner with Samuel around 1831 and the company operated as Graves & Alexander for a short time. The name switched to Graves & Co. as partnership changed throughout the years. The company’s main products were woodwinds, until the late 1830s when they started producing brass instruments. Graves & Co. was likely introduced to brass instrument manufacturing by James Keat, who was son of London instrument maker Samuel Keat. From 1837-1842, James ran his own company in the same building that Graves & Co. occupied. The keyed bugle (like this one found in The Greenleaf Collection), was one of Graves & Co.’s most popular brass instruments. The Graves & Co. operations in Winchester ended around 1850, but they opened a shop in Boston, Massachusetts in 1851. They continued producing keyed bugles and improved their valve brass instrument production. However, the business wasn't as successful as it had been in Winchester. The company eventually dissolved in the early 1860s, although members of the Graves family continued in the musical instrument industry. (Source: Graves & Company: Musical Instrument Makers, by Robert E. Eliason)