Stolen: (RECOVERED) rare Zazvonil 4 Valve rotary trombone

[Ozzlefinch]

I am asking for help from the community to keep an eye out for a trombone that was stolen from the US Postal Service sometime around December 9th 2021 in the New Jersey USA area. The trombone was enroute from Sindelfingen, Germany to the Piano Showcase in Chesapeake, VA for restoration.

The horn is easily identifiable as it is unique. It has a 4 rotary valve block, and a silver garland on the bell enscribed with the maker's name and city: "Terizin, P. Zalud, Theresienstadt".

The dollar worth of the horn is insignificant, however, it's importance is not. It was made by Pavel Zalud around 1939 or 1940. The horn, along with all the other instruments from this maker, were confiscated by the Nazis in 1941 and brought to the camp in Theresienstadt. The Zalud family was wiped out during the war and these instruments are all that remains to remember them by. You can read the history of the Zalud instruments here: https://zagorow.wordpress.com/2019/08/0 ... childhood/

If you see this instrument for sale at pawn shops, swap meets, or eCommerce sites, then know that it is stolen and not the property of whoever is selling it. Don't confront the seller, simply report it to your local authorities and they will take care of any recovery. Send me a pm and let me know about it please.

[Mamaposaune]

Can you provide more info on when and how it went missing? Asking because I live in NJ, and can keep a lookout for it on the sale sites.

[Ozzlefinch]

Not much details from the USPS. The trombone departed the USPS facility in Jersey City on December 5 heading to Richmond, VA. On December 9th it was listed as missing. I later found out it was on a trailer that was broken into by thieves.

Wish I knew more. I'm hopeful for it's recovery, but it's not the first time in it's history it's gone missing by thieves....

[CarlVicVogel]

Sorry for your loss. I too live in New Jersey and can keep an eye out for it.

I hope it is found...it would make a great historical story especially since the evil Nazi's were involved in its theft at one point. It would be a story like the "Red Violin", etc.

CarlVicVogel

[Ozzlefinch]

I also hope it's recovered. The plan was to restore it to as-new condition as possible and then use it for performances. The thinking was that given it's history, it should not be silent any longer but be allowed to speak with it's own voice again. Much discussion was made concerning it's cosmetic condition. Usually in these circumstances you want to keep the dings and scratches as they represent the history of the instrument- much like a well worn guitar case. But this history is all to well known, the scars don't need to be worn on the horn itself any longer.

It's a group project and I have already searched out various craftsmen to do the restoration work. Most of the work is being done locally, however the valve block is going to a specialist in New York. Given the reliability of the USPS, I think I will hand deliver the valve block myself and wait for the repairs (should only take one or two days at the most).

I do have another Zazvonil 4-valve horn very similar to the stolen one (the valve keys on this one are ergonomically arranged), but it has no signature or city on the garland. It probably dates to the late 30's and was somewhere outside of the Terezin area when the war broke out and therfore wasn't taken to the Theresienstadt concentration camp. It was also probably made by Pavel Zalud as well, but it has no providence to prove any of that. It's also in for restoration and will also be used in performances. Because of no maker marks, it's not considered a relic, just a regular antique.

TBH, if it was a $10K new valve bone that was stolen I would be mildly upset, but just take the insurance on it. But for a relic with history... I'm actually sick to my stomach thinking as how the actual for-real Nazis safeguarded the horn better than the USPS.

[robcat2075]

I suggest you send a link to this with a summary of the story to Norman Lebrecht at SlippeDisc, the "widely read" classical music news site.

https://slippedisc.com/

https://slippedisc.com/contact/

He does occasionally post notices about high-profile instrument disappearances. This isn't a stolen Stradivarius but the historic backstory and the Theresienstadt angle to the horn may well interest him and his readers.

[Doug Elliott]

I was wondering if there was any particular indication of where the theft from the USPS truck occurred? That might help to narrow down where to look.

[JohnL]

I suspect that it's a situation similar to what's described in this AP article about thefts from rail cars:
https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles- ... 064f9c3002

They probably don't really know where the theft happened - just that when the truck left one terminal, everything was fine, and when it arrived at the next terminal, it had been burgled.

I hate to make this suggestion, but if you can find a way to get word out to the metal recyclers in that region (maybe a trade organization or regulatory agencies), that might be a good idea.

[Ozzlefinch]

I suspect that it's a situation similar to what's described in this AP article about thefts from rail cars:
https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles- ... 064f9c3002

They probably don't really know where the theft happened - just that when the truck left one terminal, everything was fine, and when it arrived at the next terminal, it had been burgled.

I hate to make this suggestion, but if you can find a way to get word out to the metal recyclers in that region (maybe a trade organization or regulatory agencies), that might be a good idea.

Yes, quite right. Cargo theft in the last 18 months has increased 160%. Shippers and the authorities are overwhelmed right now to the point where they can only really look into cases where bodily harm was done during the robbery. Eventually they will get around to investigating and ultimately find who is responsible, but that might take years. The reasons for this increase are both economic and political although this isn't the right forum to discuss that. The USPS is vague on their information and they probably don't know details except that as you say, one day they went to pick up the trailer from the lot and it was burgled. Their attitude is "oh, well, that's just another insurance payout".

I'm not relying on the authorities too much, so I am using my limited networks to see if it turns up somewhere at a swap meet or eCommerce site. With luck, it was recovered and is sitting in a USPS storage facility and they just don't have the manpower to sort it, or maybe somebody bought it from a pawn shop and it's still safe in the hands of somebody that will take care of it. Maybe it will turn up in a few months at the shop with no explanation- that would be the best of all results.

That's a good idea to notify scrap dealers, however, the implication that this instrument was thrown into an oven is too horrible to even think about, given it's history.

[OneTon]

In the past, many of scrap yards were owned by Jews. Some still are. Some pawn shops are as well. Some but not all will take an interest in keeping an eye out for the instrument. It will almost take someone on the ground in NYC or NJ, but notifying the junkyards, pawn shops, and trash haulers is worth it.

It might not hurt to at notify the Jewish Federations in NYC and NJ. Sometimes they will put a be on the look out notice in their email broadcasts.

[robcat2075]

Now on SlippeDisc. Many eyes will see that, maybe it will connect.

https://slippedisc.com/2022/01/a-theres ... n-america/

[Ozzlefinch]

Good news: With little fanfare and no explanation, the trombone arrived at the shop today. It was delivered in an open box, minimal padding, and with the case missing but horn intact. Evidently the thieves weren’t interested in a musical instrument. Where the case ended up is anybody’s guess, but I am very relieved and grateful that the horn itself has survived with the only damage appearing to be the valve section bent but repairable. You can see a slight bow in the valve section in the second photo.

I want to thank everyone in the community for spreading the word and keeping an eye out for the trombone. Thank you! And a begrudging “thank you” to the USPS for actually recovering and delivering the package (although it was their poor security that caused it to be stolen in the first place). At the very end they followed through and completed the delivery job.

This little guy has survived a lot in its lifetime, I suppose a few package thieves are no real challenge .

[hyperbolica]

Yay! Happy ending!

[Doug Elliott]

Fantastic news! Was it actually delivered by USPS?

[Ozzlefinch]

Yes, but not by the usual delivery man as we normally don't get our deliveries until later in the afternoon. I would imagine it was by a USPS manager or special delivery- I wasn't at the shop when it arrived. I take back half of what I said bad about the USPS

The valve section is going to NY for repair and I will hand deliver it this time. It's only a 8 or 9 hour road trip and I have family I can visit in NY while I'm there. I'm not letting it out of my sight again.

[Kingfan]

I'm so happy it was found!