Timbretone

The Timbretone iHorn is perhaps the rarest iHorn ever made.  During my art career which has now spanned twelve years, I have only seen four of these horns, and this is the only iHorn ever made from a Timbretone.   The horn originally sold for only $20.00, which adjusted for inflation today would be $359.99 at a cumulative rate of inflation of 1699.9%.  Remember, the average hourly wage in 1924 was approximately 12Ë per hour.  Clearly, this does not reflect the value based on rarity, just mere inflationary calculation. 

The Timbretone was made between 1924 and 1926.  It was either oak, maple or like this model – mahogany.  It was made by Timbretone Manufacturing Company, in Hoosick Falls, New York.  Hoosick Falls ultimately became best known for the manufacturing of Teflon. 

In music, Timbre is defined as the perceived sound quality of a musical note, sound or tone.  In simple terms, timbre is what makes a particular musical instrument or human voice have a different sound from another, even when they play or sing the same note.

Timbretone knew they had something special.  Their advertising appeared like a press release stating, “Timbretone Loud Speaker Causes Stir in Radio Field . . . Design, Construction and Tone Qualities Place Timbretone in a Class by Itself.”  And their slogan was hard hitting and to the point “Timbretone – The Loud Speaker that Does What the Others Advertise.” 

They were not wrong.  It truly is in a class by itself.