Nickel Silver Bell Flare

"Silver Flare bells on Reynolds Emperor models produce a sparkling tone resulting from the balanced and perfectly matched vibrating qualities of brass and nickel-silver. This scientifically developed bell adds an edge to the tone of the instrument for better response and facile playing qualities. Produces a surging power with minimum effort and adds that certain distinctiveness in beauty with the ring of silver." (1953 catalog)

A two-piece brass and nickel-silver bell was available on deluxe models of Emperor and Roth trumpets, cornets and trombones. The Roth models were known as "Tone Tempered" models. The two-metal bells were introduced circa 1947 when the Emperor model line was added to the Reynolds catalog.

It's not known if Reynolds founder Foster A. Reynolds was involved in the research and design of the new bell, though it hardly seems coincidental that F.E. Olds introduced the Olds Studio model line with their own "Brilliant Bell" nickel silver flares immediately after Foster Reynolds sold his company to Roth and joined Olds in California (~1947).

The Roth models dropped the "Tone Tempered" bell flare around 1952, but the nickel-silver bell flare remained a design element of the Emperor model line into the early 1970s. The name "Silver Flare" only appears in a 1953 catalog; later catalogs refer to a "Nickel Silver bell" option. It's possible that Reynolds had to change its nomenclature due to trademark conflicts with a competitor, or simply moved away from the feature name. H.N. White/King marketed a unrelated "Silver Flair" model in the mid-1960s.

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