Gold plated with inset jewels in the bell lock screws, it also has large jewels on top of the finger buttons,
which are engraved as leaves in relief on the sides. It has a specially made fifth valve lock as part of the
valve cap, which will hold the valve in the down position in order to utilize the trombone bell full time.
It also has a slotting mechanism to lock the large bell into place
You will note the tuning loop in the leadpipe, also in the Conn Double Bell Baritone below, which often identifies
a horn as a baritone rather than a euphonium. In addition, this horn has an "S", or small bore. The top bell
collar is above the topmost main tubing curves, unlike the later Wonderphones. The trombone bell is in a lower
position. The Low Pitch tuning slides, which are used in the pictures above, actually lower the horn to A=435, which
was an earlier standard Low Pitch. I had to remake the High Pitch tuning slides in order to perform with this horn
in both High and Modern Pitch. Regardless, this horn is a ball to play!
This horn was specially made by Conn in 1907 (according to the serial number) as a presentation horn for Simone
Mantia while he was soloist with Arthur Pryor's band. Mantia was a long-time Conn endorser. The details
of its construction are inconsistent with any earlier or later euphoniums.
Pryorphone?
The Pryorphone as advertised by a Holton Instrument catalog of the 1920's shows both a Single and
Double Bell Pryorphone, the only real change from the euphoniums in the same catalog being a removable forward facing
bell.
