K Zildjian Istanbul Constantinople Type 2

From Cymbal
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Company: K Zildjian & Cie
Country: Istanbul, Turkey (which was called Constantinople back then)
Production Years: 1925? to 1935?
Trademark location: towards the outer edge
Other Markings: Company name written under bell K Zildjian & Cie, sometimes Constantinople
Diameters: observed 12" to 17", offered in 10 1/2 to 19 1/2" in the Ludwig 1922 catalog (in half inch increments)
Sound File Examples: coming

The Type 2 is the third form of the K Zildjian trademark stamps from Turkey. The words

K.Zildjian & Cie
Constantinople

Still appear below the Arabic, but now TRADEMARK is added as well.

  • Example 1

  • Example 2

  • Example 3

  • Example 4

  • Example 5

Here is a 16" example weighing 1510g. The rivet went right through the trademark stamp.

  • bottom

  • stamp

  • top


Here is a 12" example weighing 955g. It has a price $12.00 written under the bell along with the remnants of the signature (company name).

  • bottom

  • stamp

  • top

  • ink

In looking for an estimate of age we can use that price and compare it to old drum catalogs. Prices were $15 in a 1941 Gretsch catalog, $8 in the 1933 Leedy catalog, $12.50 in Leedy 1943 catalog. So this fits later 1930s but with a wide range of years possible. The second source of estimating age is the presence of the words TRADE MARK on cymbals. The trademark (including on just the word Zildjian) was in two forms.

  • complex trademark art

  • Zildjian paper tag on bottom

  • Zildjian paper tag detail

  • 1941 Gretsch catalog page

Zildjian trademark (word in quotes)

These trademarks were taken out in the USA by Gretsch (the USA importer and distributor) and in the style of the day they added the words TRADE MARK which remained in fashion until World War 2 (end of the 30s). According to Pinksterboer, The Cymbal Book, 1992:151 Aram Zildjian signed up Gretsch as sole USA distributor in 1926, and with that Gretsch owned the K Zildjian, A Zildjian & Cie, and Zildjian trademarks. Trademarks seem to have gained importance when Gretsch saw the branch of the family in the USA (Avedis Zildjian Co) starting up successful cymbal operations in 1929. Until there was a rival Zildjian producing cymbals the need for a USA trademark didn't have the same importance. By the 1941 Gretsch catalog they are saying "Today as for the last 300 years, the only genuine Ziljdian cymbal".

The trademark was issued on Oct 2, 1928 registration number 0247623. It also appeared as a paper tag which is sometimes still found on cymbals from this period. The graphic device says K Zildjian & Co Constantinople R.D.G.G. In the Gretsch catalog of 1941 the same graphic has been drawn by a commercial artist on the cymbal image on Page 40.

Return to the K Zildjian Istanbul Eras Portal
 Return to the K Zildjian Istanbul Timeline Portal
 Return to the K Zildjian Istanbul Portal

Retrieved from "http://www.cymbal.wiki/wiki/index.php?title=K_Zildjian_Istanbul_Constantinople_Type_2&oldid=21665"