WWII plastic bugle
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This is a fairly rare Army bugle (field trumpet) that was manufactured by the Frank Aman Corporation from a plastic material called tenite, produced by the Eastman Corporation of Tennessee. Tenite was used as a brass saving measure in the later part of the war. It’s missing the plastic mouthpiece, but I have an old metal bugle mouthpiece that fits it. Old tenite has an unpleasant odor, so I won’t be playing this one much…lol
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How does it play? Do you think that a good car wax or perhaps ceramic coating would seal the smell?
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Shofar"If it was just up to me, I'd only have trumpet players on my show." - Jackie Gleason
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@J-Jericho said in WWII plastic bugle:
How does it play? Do you think that a good car wax or perhaps ceramic coating would seal the smell?
It’s a little dull sounding, but plays ok. I probably won’t play it again due to the unstable material it’s made of. I’ve read that the chemicals in them break down over the years and they can deform and/or disintegrate. This one seems to be in fine condition, so I probably won’t do anything but dust it. It’s on a shelf in the spare bedroom, and you don’t catch the smell unless you get really close to it.
“In order to prevent decay and prolong the life of Tenite materials, the US National Park Service recommends these items be stored with a "stable temperature below 68°F; stable RH between 30%-40%. Well ventilate, segregate; use gas adsorbents if stored in closed container.”
We keep the house a little warmer than that, around 73 or 74 during the day, but that will have to do…lol
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I have seen one of those.
