This guide documents the history of Distin instruments from 1850 through 1909, spanning operations in London, New York, Philadelphia, and Williamsport. The company's evolution included significant transitions in ownership, location, and manufacturing approaches.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1850 | Early stencil instruments (made by Sax and other French makers) |
| 1858 | London manufacturing begins ("Henry Distin, Maker") |
| 1868 | Boosey and Son purchases London operation ("Distin & Co.") |
| 1874 | End of Boosey's use of Distin name in London |
| 1878 | Henry Distin establishes New York operation |
| 1882 | Moves to Philadelphia |
| 1890 | Operations move to Williamsport, PA |
| 1909 | Company purchased by Keefer family |
| Period | Years | Characteristics | Numbering System |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Era | 1850-1874 |
|
Multiple series for different instruments |
| New York Period | 1878-1882 |
|
Sequential from 200s |
| Philadelphia Era | 1883-1890 |
|
Continued from NY system |
| Williamsport Period | 1890-1909 |
|
Sequential system with some overlap from Philadelphia |
| Location | Years | Management | Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1850-1874 | Henry Distin, then Boosey & Son | Full range of brass instruments |
| New York | 1878-1882 | Henry Distin | American market instruments |
| Philadelphia | 1883-1890 | Henry Distin | Expanded American line |
| Williamsport | 1890-1909 | Brua C. Keefer Jr. | Full instrument range |
| Year | Serial Number | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 391 | London | Early London production |
| 1856 | 2371 | London | Pre-manufacturing period |
| 1857 | 3509 | London | Near start of own manufacturing |
| 1867 | 6280 | London | Pre-Boosey acquisition |
| 1868 | 10428 (*10215) | London | 10052 cornets, 20100 other brass |
| 1869 | 20722 (*10688) | London | Dual numbering system |
| 1870 | 21287 (*22054) | London | 10814 cornets, 21855 other brass |
| 1872 | 25021 | London | 11536 cornets, 24160 other brass |
| 1874 | 29394 (*29733) | London | 12611 cornets, 26571 other brass |
| 1879 | 233 | New York | Start of US operations |
| 1880 | 256 (*261) | New York | Early American production |
| 1881 | 551 (*251) | New York | Growing US market |
| 1882 | 774 | New York | Final New York year |
| 1883 | 1329 | Philadelphia | Start of Philadelphia operations |
| 1889 | 5085 (*5964) | Philadelphia | Peak Philadelphia period |
| 1890 | 6164 | Williamsport | Start of Williamsport operations |
| 1892 | 8207 (*8578) | Williamsport | Under Keefer management |
| 1893 | 9119 (*9021) | Williamsport | Continued growth |
| 1894 | 11089 | Williamsport | Steady production |
| 1896 | 14242 (*15048) | Williamsport | Peak production era |
| 1897 | 15233 (*17496) | Williamsport | High production continues |
| 1898 | 15568 | Williamsport | Production slowdown |
| 1899 | 15828 | Williamsport | Limited growth |
| 1900 | 16586 | Williamsport | Turn of century |
| 1901 | 16888 | Williamsport | Steady production |
| 1902 | 17557 | Williamsport | Continued operations |
| 1903 | 17948 | Williamsport | Pre-estimate period |
| 1904 | 18632 | Williamsport | Estimated numbers begin |
| 1905 | 19316 | Williamsport | Calculated estimate |
| 1906 | 20000 | Williamsport | Milestone number |
| 1907 | 20684 | Williamsport | Calculated estimate |
| 1908 | 21368 | Williamsport | Calculated estimate |
| 1909 | 22054 | Williamsport | Final year of production |
If you have additional information or notice any discrepancies, please contact us.