Interesting trombone gravestone in Cumberland, RI (Edwin Paine, d. 1855)

[arpthark]

A friend found this on a gravestone in Cumberland, RI. The Paine family made brass instruments in Woonsocket and were an early pioneer of the rotary valve. The instrument above seems to be a four-rotary valved trombone. Pretty random and cool find!

[Kbiggs]

Cool indeed!

[brassmedic]

Very cool. I've seen Thomas Paine instruments with that type of valve wrap, but never a trombone. The Paine rotary valves had a straight passage through the middle and passages on both sides, the idea being to shorten the throw. Minick designed a valve with a straight passage through the middle, but this was more than 100 years earlier.

[brassmedic]

painevalve.jpg

[AndrewMeronek]

Considering 170 years, that's headstone is in pretty decent shape.

Neat!

[harrisonreed]

So if T. D. Paine invented that rotor, who was Edwin F.? That's clearly the same rotor on his grave. Maybe a brother?

[arpthark]

So if T. D. Paine invented that rotor, who was Edwin F.? That's clearly the same rotor on his grave. Maybe a brother?

Yes, Edwin was one of (at least three) Paine brothers, along with Thomas D. and Emery A. Paine.

[JohnL]

Considering 170 years, that's headstone is in pretty decent shape.

Quality stone, deep engraving. Maybe some good fortune in being oriented such that it's not facing into the prevailing wind direction, so the rain tends not to hit the engraving. The oldest markers in the cemetery near my house date from the late 1860's and most of them are still in good shape (sadly, some newer ones made from less durable materials with shallow engraving are worn smooth).

Back on topic: Have to wonder why their valve never caught on. Maybe they didn't make it large enough, so the valve was too restrictive when engaged? Maybe it was too expensive to manufacture using the tools available at the time?

[brassmedic]

Considering 170 years, that's headstone is in pretty decent shape.

Quality stone, deep engraving. Maybe some good fortune in being oriented such that it's not facing into the prevailing wind direction, so the rain tends not to hit the engraving. The oldest markers in the cemetery near my house date from the late 1860's and most of them are still in good shape (sadly, some newer ones made from less durable materials with shallow engraving are worn smooth).

Back on topic: Have to wonder why their valve never caught on. Maybe they didn't make it large enough, so the valve was too restrictive when engaged? Maybe it was too expensive to manufacture using the tools available at the time?

Lots of sharp bends. Maybe played stuffy?

[brassmedic]

Considering 170 years, that's headstone is in pretty decent shape.

Quality stone, deep engraving. Maybe some good fortune in being oriented such that it's not facing into the prevailing wind direction, so the rain tends not to hit the engraving. The oldest markers in the cemetery near my house date from the late 1860's and most of them are still in good shape (sadly, some newer ones made from less durable materials with shallow engraving are worn smooth).

Back on topic: Have to wonder why their valve never caught on. Maybe they didn't make it large enough, so the valve was too restrictive when engaged? Maybe it was too expensive to manufacture using the tools available at the time?

Lots of sharp bends. Maybe played stuffy?

[calcbone]

Quality stone, deep engraving. Maybe some good fortune in being oriented such that it's not facing into the prevailing wind direction, so the rain tends not to hit the engraving. The oldest markers in the cemetery near my house date from the late 1860's and most of them are still in good shape (sadly, some newer ones made from less durable materials with shallow engraving are worn smooth).

Back on topic: Have to wonder why their valve never caught on. Maybe they didn't make it large enough, so the valve was too restrictive when engaged? Maybe it was too expensive to manufacture using the tools available at the time?

Lots of sharp bends. Maybe played stuffy?

Wonder why he didn’t just orient the wrap on the other side of the valve? According to that image, it would seem like that would eliminate a lot of the sharp angles…