C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900 Back to Factory Tours

View of the Tube Forming, Filers and Mounting Department. Sheet Brass-cutting Shears in the foreground. On the left the Altos, Mellophones and Valve Trombones are put togther. In the background, the Slide Trombones, Double Bell Euphoniums and Tubas are constructed under the direction of the most accurate Instrument Maker in the World, aided by musicians who are qualified to test the instruments before they are sent to the finishing room.

C.G. Conn Factory Circa 1900
The Bell Making Department. Here the bells are formed, hammered and spun for instruments of all sizes. The large tubings used to shape the giant Wonder, American Model and Helicon Instruments are also formed in this department.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900
A view of a corner in the Forge room in which the tempature is often 110 degrees. Here the bells of the Wonder Instruments are brazed and filled with lead, preparatory to bending into proper shape for the various instruments.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900
A view of the powerful bending table and 12 foot lever for forming the heavy branches of the larger Instruments, Helicons and Mellophones, to the desired shapes.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900
A corner of the valve making department. A vitally important branch of Perfect Band Instrument Making. The Conn valves are acknowledged to be the lightest ever made and the action is famous the world over for its lightning-like elasticity and reliability.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instruments

This is another section of the Valve Making Department. On the right the Valves are turned in lathes and ground to perfectly fit the casings. The bench on the left is occuped by artisans employed in the various branches of Valve Making.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factories.

On the right is one of the rows of Turret lathes with which the Conn Wonder Factories abound. On the left is a frow or Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone body makers and key fitters. 

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Flute, Clarinet and Saxophone Fitting and Finishing Room, under the directon of expert musicians and mechanics, who have devoted years of effort in making the Conn Wonder Melody Instruments famous for perfect intonation and reliable mechanism.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factories.

On the left are the Die and Tool Makers. On the right the Power Drill and Stamping Presses. In the centre background is seen the Tuning Studio for the Clarinet and Flute Experts, both of whom are visible and evidently engaged in solving a difficult problem in acoustics.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Polishing Room, the first step in the finishing process. Every instrument after it leaves this department is critically examined for flaws or defects in the metal or soldering. None that are in any manner imperfect are passed to the Engraving Room.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Buffing Room, where the large Instruments receive their polish, before admission to the Engraving Room.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Engravers' Department, wherein is employed the most skillful corps of artistics engravers that can be found anywhere. From this department the instruments are sent to the Plating Room.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

A corner in the Gold and Silver Plating Room. Presided over by a past master of the art, whose skill and care enables Mr Conn to fully guarantee the quality of the plating on his Instruments.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Burnishing Room, where the Instruments receive their beautiful polish that makes them resemble rare specimens of the jeweler's art rather than the practical, serviceable and durable Musical Instruments which they are.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Burnishing Room, where the Instruments receive their beautiful polish that makes them resemble rare specimens of the jeweler's art rather than the practical, serviceable and durable Musical Instruments which they are.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Drum Making Department. The large Drum at the base of the pyramid is one made for Liberati's Military Band. It has a  diameter of 50 inches and the shell is 24 inches wide. The largest practical Drum ever made.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Wonder Stringed Instrument Department, where the best new Violins on earth are made and sold for about one-third the price tjat is often asked for inferior Instruments.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Rubbing and Varnishing Room of the Wonder Stringed Instrument Department, where they receive the high polish, hard and durable, which many believe is a lost art. It has been rediscovered and utilized by the foreman of Conn's Wonder Violin Factory. 

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Carpenters' and Machine Room of the Stringed Instrument and Case Departments. Here te tops and bottoms of Stringed Instruments are roughed out and formed and the Frames for Wonder Instrument Cases are prepared.  

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

A View of the Case Finishing Department. A corner devoted to making Conn-queror and Wonder Cornet Cases exclusively.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

Another View of the Case Finishing Room

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

This is where the Wonder Portable Folding Reed Organs are made. It is an important and healthy growing branch of the Conn Wonder Factories.

C.G. Conn Factory circa 1900

Glimpses of C.G. Conn's Musical Instrument Factory

The Photograph Department, in which are prepared the Photographs of the Conn Instruments, that prospective customers may see an actual reproduction of the Instrument they wish to buy, instead of an elaborated and misleading engraving.