W. Stowassers Söhne (W. Stowasser’s Sons) was a world-renowned, historic brass musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1824 by Wenzel STOWASSER (1803-1860) in the Bohemian town of Graslitz (now Kraslice, Czech Republic).

After Wenzel passed away in 1860, his sons, including Josef, Julius, and Richard, assumed control of the company and expanded it under this shared name. The workshop grew rapidly during the 19th century into a highly successful international company. It specialised in premium brass instruments including horns, trumpets, tubas and flugelhorns. Branches were established in many locations including Graz, Verona, Buenos Aries, Barcelona, Catania, Hamburg, Napoli, New York, Riga, Sao Paulo, Sofia and Warsaw.

The quality of the workshop’s instruments was recognised in 1893 when it received the Prussian royal privilege for instrument manufacturing. So, the instruments, like this one, received the highest order of chivalry… the Order of the Black Eagle. The engraving features a crowned eagle holding a laurel wreath in one of its talons.

The business operations came to an end in 1945 with the mass expulsion and expropriation of the German-Bohemian population from Kraslice after World War II.

This instrument is a German/Austrian-style rotary valve trumpet called a “Konzerttrompete”. These instruments were primarily built for elite symphony orchestras, royal court ensembles and military bands. We think it was possibly made around 1890. It features a lovely nickel-silver plated garland, engraved with the company stamp, on the bell.

The instrument is contained in its magnificent, original lined wooden coffin-style case.