Instrument appears to be hand made, the slide is copper with what may be tin as the shoes at the bottom. The Fkey is opperated with a finger rather than a thumb as on modern models. The laquer was a later addition. There is one part of the tuning slide (which is on the slide itself) that is missing. Themarkings read:
F.A. Heckel
K L Hof = Instrumentenmacher
Dresden
The symbol that appears above F.A. Heckel is not a makers mark for this company and does not appear on any other Heckel Trombones (bass or otherwise)that I have been able to find. "K. Hof" is not a name but stands for "Königlich Hof" denoting Royal Court attribution. This would date the instrument as post 1889.
