Olds Mendez Cornet “prototype” Serial number 180414

We were recently contacted by Sam Kortnicki about a Mendez cornet in his possession. According to Sam, this cornet is the prototype for the Mendez model cornet. The following information has been provided by Sam.

“I received this Mendez Cornet many years ago from Michael Pozgay. Michael studied with Edward Lewellyn.

Michael worked for Chicago Musical Company for 20 years. In the 1950’s, Michael worked for Olds. He toured with Rafael Mendez to promote Olds Trumpets. He gave Mendez the cornet in 1955. Mendez played the cornet in a few clinics. Mendez gave the Cornet  to back Michael a few years later. The serial number on this cornet is 180414.”

The first Mendez models did not have “Trumpet” or “Cornet” engraved on the bell, but Sam took a photo of a cornet mouthpiece in the receiver to confirm that this is a cornet.

Rafael Mendez began his association with Olds in the late 1940’s, The first Mendez trumpets were produced in 1952. In various histories and stories about Olds, there were supposedly 1,000 Mendez trumpets produced in the initial batch. Entries in the Olds Register back this up and it is estimated that these first Mendez trumpets were serial numbers 86000 to 86999. Currently there are 48 trumpets recorded with the first being 86004 and the last being 86999. The next Mendez trumpet recorded is serial number 127351, which would have been made more than two years after the initial batch.

The first catalog to introduce the Mendez trumpet indicates that the “companion cornet will soon be available” however prior to this new discovery of serial number 180414, the first Mendez cornet recorded in the Olds Register is serial number 185550 in 1956.