Conn 2B New World Symphony
Date: 1928. Instrument owned by Steve Hanson. (This picture is twice as large as displayed here).
Notice that this instrument has a feature that is rather unusual for Conn trumpets: a first slide saddle. This is the only Conn trumpet I know of with that feature. Some 2B's, as was common in the 1920's, don't have a right hand pinky hook. The finish on this instrument is what Conn at the time would have called a "Finish #00": "Quadruple gold plate, completely hand burnished, bell richly engraved, finger tips pearl inlaid". At the time the 2B was Conn's top model trumpet. It had a #1½ bore (0.458") and top spring valves. The 2B New World Symphony was produced between 1926 and 1932.
I understand from Brad Goode's website that when the sound of the "French" style of trumpet fell out of favor, Conn responded by making the 2B. Apparently it was originally designed for members of the Philadelphia Orchestra as an 0.458" bore version of the 22B New York Symphony but with the difference that the radius of the tuning slide was wider. The effect of this design change gave the player a more open, round sound, and allowed for a more open feeling to the scale. (Source: The Lost Art of Trumpet Design.
What Conn said in 1927:
"New World Symphony 2-B Trumpet Destined to Become Most Popular Trumpet in the World".
Flexibility of scale never before attained in any other trumpet, a superb "trumpet tone" without one blatant
crack or trace of "squeel" from low F to the top of the scale, rich and solid in fortissimo and zephyr-like in
pianissimo, faultless intonation throughout the complete range! "Most perfect trumpet the world has ever seen"
is the way some of the most celebrated symphony and concert artists have charaterized our new 2-B trumpet.
What Conn said in 1931:
This is a medium bore trumpet with a bell made of one-piece French brass, giving this instrument unusual
resonance and responsiveness. When first introduced, this trumpet was adopted by the complete trumpet
section of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, and each year since then has consistently increased in
popularity among symphony orchestras, concert bands and soloists. Artists make particular mention of
its unusual flexibility of scale and its superb trumpet tone. Has finger hook and special screw mechanism
for setting valve slides when changing from Bb to A. Built in Bb and A.
The instrument is 19½" long, weighs 2¼ lbs and has a 4 5/8" bell.