Hi all,
This drum is on the cover of my book: VINTAGE SNARE DRUMS THE CUROTTO COLLECTION and can be found on pages 30-31. I never did an article on this drum so here goes. I got this drum on a recommendation by my good friend and noted drum historian, collector and engraver extraordinaire John Aldridge. This is another example of a one-off special order from the C. G. Conn Musical Instrument Company.
1920s C. G. CONN 5 x 14 8 LUG ENGRAVED/GOLD PLATED “DOUBLE DRAGON” ALL-METAL DRUM
I brought the drum to a vintage horn dealer in the area. The owner instantly recognized the engraving pattern and was able to give me some valuable information about the C. G. Conn engraver.
From my book:
“This drum has been nicknamed “The Dragon Drum” and was probably an un-catalogued one-off special order. From the 1920s C. G. Conn catalog ‘E’: ‘... we are prepared to finish any of the instruments or accessories listed in this catalog in any plating or with any decorations as may be desired... and special styles of engraving.’ This drum is gold plated and the twin-dragon engraving pattern is from The Gryphon Series by C. G. Conn’s famous master-engraver Julius Stenberg. Mr. Stenberg was known for his use of mythological creatures in his style of engraving. Notice the human-like smile on the faces of the twin dragons.”
Added information:
Over the years the original clear coat deteriorated on the shell and hardware so I cleaned and polished everything. A special thanks goes to my friend, fellow collector and drum historian Harry Cangany who many years ago supplied me with the correct 4 pt. strainer.
A special note to all of the restorers out there:
If you ever run into a situation where you have to seek outside help with a broken part be sure to thank and cherish that person(s). Thanks goes out to my good friend Al Schneider (aka The Drum Doctor, est. 1964). There was a frozen screw in one of the tube lugs and after an hour of tweaking Al was able to “easy out” the errant part therefore saving the tube lug from having to be re-drilled etc. I have a few guys that I can turn to when I’ve reached the limit of my ability...these guys are worth their weight in gold!
Enjoy!
Mike Curotto