Is this Soprano Bugle?

Hello everyone.I have some music instrument ,made by Whaley,Royce &co,Toronto,can.I can see on valve scribbled ,probable initials'' RF1894''and number ''988''.Is This possibale?What is your opinion?Thank you.

 

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/whaley-royce-co-ltd-emc

RF 1894 was probably the owner's initials & the year.

 

We have same opinion. What means numbers'' 988'....Thank you.

 

model number .???

 

Maybe, how many made -serial number?

 

I was looking to find similar,couldn't.

 

Guessing here: Imperial would be the model and 988 the serial number.

 

Technically speaking, it would be a single valve trumpet as bugles don't have valves, but most people seem to use the term bugle to include those with one valve. Have also seen them called competition bugles.

As far as it being a soprano, I don't know - apparently there is a way to tell by bell size and which type of mouth-piece fits (bugle or trumpet), but beyond my knowledge for sure.

 

Number could be 886.

Is that a locking valve?

From Wikipedia:
The soprano bugle was the first instrument in the drum corps bugle family. A direct descendant of the M1892 US Army field trumpet which was adopted within the Army and later on by the pioneer drum and bugle corps in the early 20th century, this instrument has undergone every design change since the start of the activity. In early corps, the soprano was pitched either in G or F (F being attained by a long tuning slide) to allow a split ensemble to play simple melodies across the group. The first design change was to add an additional loop of tubing to lower the soprano to the key of D via a locking piston valve tucked horizontally under the handhold.

The next design change mentioned is from the 1930s.

Also this from Wikipedia:
Soprano bugles typically have a bore size of .468"-.470" and come in standard and "power bore" configurations. The "power bore" configurations typically feature heavier bracing, a heavier wall leadpipe, and a slightly larger bell.

 

Here's a YouTube clip showing a single valve bugle in action:


That valve doesn't seem to be locking to me.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr..._TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=one+piston+bugle

 

@moreotherstuff your eBay link only goes to the eBay Motors home page.

 

Thank you very much to everyone ,a lot information and very nice sound.

 

Thank you!!!