Horn Bands?

[RoaringBull]

This might be a silly question, but hey I don't know so I will ask.

Is there a reason for the bands on banded horns other than aesthetics? 

[Mark Elliott]

I don't believe so.

Mark E.

[g.pennell]

I don't know the reason, but I do have a request...how about a tutorial on banded horns?   

Greg

[Tim Crosby]

My thoughts are that the early banded horns, with a single band in about the center, had the band to protect against ware. Over time the bands were turned/carved with decoration and more bands were added as decoration. If you look at the Funk horn pics you see a very plain band. Some Pa. horns have a single band, most I have seen have been decorative turneing, at the base as do many Southern horns.
 Who really knows whether they were decoration or function?

 Tim C.   

[Ole Doc]

 banding was also used to repair horns.
Seen them pitched n banded
seen copper n brass and rawhide used to make repairs as well on originals.
 Had a good friend , now deceased had done alot of repair work using pine tar/pitch
as the base compound for glues n putties.
worked too
also helped draw boils n infection.
Now back to the band...