Paris, France
Coueson et Cie

Brass
ca. 1928
Wind Instruments – Brasswinds – Tubas / Sousaphones / Helicons

Engraved on bell:  ‘Coueson et Cie’ /  Banner reads EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE DE PARIS – 1900 – HORS CONCOURS MEMBRE DU JURY – COUESNON & CIE – FOURNISSEURS DE ARMEE – 94 RUE J’ANGOULE’ME – PARIS – (Logo like a pineapple with number 28 inside) D. ANSINGH & CO – ZWOLLE]  (The number inside of the design is the year of manufacture.)

A small 3-piston valve helicon made by Coueson et Cie. The Couesnon company was started in 1827, by A.G. Guichard just outside Paris. By 1882, Amedee Couesnon, the son-in-law of Gautrot Aine took over the ‘Gautrot, Durant et Cie’ factory.  He called it ‘Couesnon, Gautrot et Cie,’ and in 1888, changed the name to ‘Couesnon et Cie.’  It was a most successful company with a workforce of 200.  By 1911 there were 8 factories with a workforce of 1,000, the largest maker of musical instruments in the world at the time.  Their address changed from rue d’Angoulemene (as seen on this helicon bell) to Lafayette around 1937.   Couesnon has been in business for close to 200 years.

Resource: Horn-u-copia.net