Horn-u-Copia's Display of Makers

Joseph Lathrop Allen had a career manufacturing instruments throughout the northeastern United States during much of the 19th century.

He is best known for his invention, the patented the Allen-type rotary valve, which are used on Top Action Rotary Valve instruments. Allen valves went from the circular bore of the horn to an oval shape inside the valve; thus reducing the diameter of the valve significantly, and therefore making the valve both lighter and faster, requiring less distance and force to actuate it. They are often known as pinched rotors.

1815 Allen born on September 24th in Brimfield, Mass.

1838-41 Allen in Sturbridge, MA making keyed bugles

1842 listed as instrument maker in Boston, no address; he is said to have made his first Vienna valve instrument here

1843 16 Court Sq. in Boston; a Vienna valve trumpet is marked with this address

1844-51 in Norwich, CT; develops his trademark valve with string linkage;

1845 builds five valve OTS cornet in A for Harvey Dodworth. The 4th and 5th valves lowered the instrument to F or Eb. He was joined by maker Louis F. Hartmann; shop at 2 Chapman’s Block in Franklin Square. He was making valved post horns, valved trumpets, trombones, ophicleides, and bugles.

1847 mortgages his tools for $150 to George Reed of Boston probably due to financial problems

1852 Allen & Richardson is located at 19 Harvard Place

1853-56 Allen now alone at 17 Harvard Place

1857 at 18 Harvard Place, the former location for Graves & Co.

1858 listed as Allen Manufacturing Co. which includes Allen, L.F. Hartman, Henry Esbach, Erhart Huttl, Anton Huttl, F. Huttl, August Doelling & Joseph Koestler

1861 at 334 Washington St. and starts Allen & Hall with David Hall

1862 at 224 Broome St., NY, the post office has him on a list of unclaimed letters in February

1862 partnership as Allen & Fischer (Elrod)

1863 at 250 Canal St.

1864 at 62 Centre St.

1865-68 listed as J. L. Allen & Co., 211 Grand St.

1869 at 6 Astor Place

186? Makes solid silver E flat cornet at 111 E. 18th St.

1870-71 no occupation listed, living at 511 3rd St.

1872 listed under alarms, 204 E. 29th St.

1873-79 not listed in NYC

1875 in Boston directory at 157 Devonshire St. this year only

1880-81 Superintendent at 114 E. 14th St., ad in Jan, 1881 paper shows him in a machine shop on the 3rd floor

1886 listed as a machinist at 114 E. 14th St.

1891 listed as an inspector at 25 Anne St.

1896-97 Allen is making stereopticons, 217 Centre St.; an article about him in 1896 says that he had been suffering from chronic Bronchial Asthma for many years and had finally been cured, he had been in Boston 20 years ago (1876) but moved to NY looking for better weather.

1903 J. Lathrop Allen, Jr. receives a diploma from the Long Island College Hospital

1906 Allen is still living in NYC and is said to have been the first US maker of band instruments

1906 Allen dies on his birthday, September 24th, at age 91.

Timeline constructed by Jon Patton

Makers known to use Allen pinch rotor valves include:

• J L Allen
• Allen & Richardson
• Allen Mfg. Co.
• Allen & Hall
• Hall & Quinby
• David C Hall
• B F Richardson
• Allen & Fischer

Lewis Raymond (d.1846 Norwich, Connecticut)A published genealogy said he manufactured musical instruments in Norwich.His estate inventory includes a detailed inventory of the contents of a musical instrument manufacturing shop. The estate records indicate that he was in business with Joseph Lathrop Allen, in the firm, Raymond and Allen.