My acquisition of this Limburgia Masastricht (Holland)  Eb Helicon is a particularly interesting story.  In 1991 I was visiting Chang Mai- the northern mountain city in Thailand. We elected to go out for a dinner in a new Italian restaurant. The walls of the restaurant were  covered with an assembly of derelict brass horns bought as a lot in a Sotheby Auction in Amsterdam and brought out to Thailand.

None of the other horns were particularly interesting - except this helicon, which was wired  and dutifully serving as a lamp over by the Piano.  I had always wanted a helicon tuba- and was dismayed at the woeful treatment of such a noble horn, so after lengthy haggling I bought the horn and carried it back  to Bangkok in the seat next to me in First Class. Oh yes, the wooden swan which was serving as a base came with it, so rather than cut off the brass pedestal entirely,  I left a stub which stuck into the swan, which has supported the horn for the last 15 years. The helicon served well in  Dixieland music played by the Bangkok Brass.

Recently, a good friend of mine,  Evander  Preston, a world renown jewelry designer  and President of our local “Eccentrics Club” saw the horn (and Swan) and had to have it as a centerpiece  in his Pass-a-Grille boutique in St Pete Florida. So reluctantly, this noble horn has again found a new home as a decorative  icon.  The photo shows the proud new owner  Limburger Helicon!!!