H. N. White
Cleveland, Ohio
Master model Trumpet in Bb/A, High & Low Pitch
#26099 from 1918

Length = 19"
Bell = 4.5"
Bore = 0.446" (marked "Small Bore")
Weight = 36.1 oz
Finish: satin silver plated with gold wash bell & burnished engraving

The Master model was the first modern trumpet produced by H. N. White starting in 1915. The Liberty model became the best seller in 1920, yet the Master model still shows up occasionally up until 1929, mainly with a rotary valve for Bb/C. This example was a diamond in the rough as it was very dirty, yet aside from the bent bell, very straight.

March 1916 ad

April 1916 ad

May 1916 ad

January 1919 ad

February 1919 ad

Here it was as I purchased it in 2024. This came with two mouthpieces, the original #11 and a Harry B. Jay model, and both high and low pitch slides.

All apart and ready for restoration. This exploded view shows the unique tuning slide stop collar used to set up the A tuning. This gets mounted to the bottom branch of the tuning slide outer sleeve and can be slid forward to change where the slide stops. The patent for this was granted in September of 1918, and this can be used to date any advertising found.

Cleaned up and ready for assembly. Is this the earliest reversed lead pipe design?

This bell was engraved just before the company was incorporated in late 1918.

The mouthpiece, which I assume is original, has the "Co" added, so was produced later than the bell. I need to know the exact date that they incorporated to narrow down when this was shipped out to the dealer.

The #11 model was described in 1916 as "narrow medium cup, oval rim, and medium bore."

The great mute just needs some new corks.

The serial number fits with a manufacture date of 1918.

The valves are still tight and it plays very well.

The case after cleaning and polishing.

The trumpet set up with high pitch slides as illustrated in the advertising.

The mute with new corks.

In 2024, I decided to make this a bit more playable by adding a first slide saddle. This was time-consuming but much easier than trying to adapt the third slide with the bell brace. This used a small lyre mount, a shaft from a lyre, and a saddle from my parts bin. I found that this needed to be more rigid than the lyre mount allowed so I soldered them together.