I recently had the fortune to win an eBay auction for an older F.A. Reynolds catalog that I’m tentatively dating to c.1949 based on several points of reference:
- It is clearly after 1946, when Scherl & Roth took over operations, but before c.1952 when the business name changed to “Roth-Reynolds”. So between 1946-1952…
- The trumpet and cornet illustrations all feature the flattened bottom valve caps that were introduced in the late 1940s. This design change occurred circa serial number 21000, which is in the same range of the first known Contempora models.
- The “new” Contempora trumpet is featured, but the cornet is not mentioned. In fact, the only other instrument in the catalog to explicitly mention the “Contempora” name is the bass trombone, although the catalog illustration still shows an “F.A. Reynolds” engraving style. All other instruments were simply referred to as “Reynolds” models.
As such, this catalog is probably from the fall of 1949, a few months after the claimed “first use” of the Contempora trademark. The primary instrument lines are Reynolds, Roth and Regent, as illustrated on the cover art at right, though the latter is relegated to the back cover and only the Regent trumpet, cornet, trombone and clarinet are listed from the full line of instruments that was previously documented.
Note also that the Contempora designation was treated as a sub-brand of the Reynolds line, e.g. “Reynolds Contempora”. This is most likely why early Contempora models have “Reynolds” engraved across the bell flare, in addition to the familiar “retro” Contempora script.
Rethinking Emperor model dates
Given this date, perhaps somewhat more interesting to me was the unexpected absence of the Emperor line. According the Reynolds’ trademark application, the first use of the Emperor trademark for commerce was November 1947, while the first use of the Contempora trademark was May 1949. As such, I would have expected to see an Emperor instrument line in this catalog if the assumed 1949 date is correct. But the only model lines listed are Reynolds (including Contempora), Roth and Regent.
On closer examination, it turns out that the Emperor trademark application was submitted a year later than the Contempora application and perhaps it’s more likely that the model line launched in c.1950 instead of the earlier date (which would also explain why no Emperor instruments have turned up with serial numbers lower than a Contempora).
As such, I’m now speculating that the Emperor line may have been introduced when the Regent line was discontinued and the Roth line became the new “student” model line. The Emperor then inherited “advanced” features such as the nickel-silver bell flare that had previously been exclusive Roth features.