Posted by Rob P-M on October 30, 2003 at 18:30:06:
In Reply to: Helicon History? posted by TC on October 28, 2003 at 19:18:01:
Conn catalogs carried helicons through the 1920s.
The sales material on helicons stated some thousands had been furnished to the military during the war (WWI).
From pictures i've seen, helicons were more common than sousaphones before 1920, and it wasn't until sometime between 1920 and 1930 that the modern, bell front sousaphone almost completely replaced the raincatcher sousaphone (which never seems to have been that popular).