Restoration Details
Charles Stromberg started his professional career as a cabinetmaker in Boston, Massachusetts just before the turn of the 20th century. In the 1890’s, he was employed by Thompson and Odell, crafting snare drums until 1905, when the company went bankrupt. At that point, Stromberg began his own company producing a variety of instruments as the badge states: “drums, harps, and musical instruments”. His instruments are a fine testament to his skilled cabinetmaker’s hands, combining exceptional wood selection and the best joinery of the early Boston manufacturers. This Invincible Orchestra model is no exception, featuring a veneered single ply shell with three-ply reinforcing rings, separate tension lugs and an elegant throw off, and an original set of Geo. Stone snare chords.
Like so many restorations that come through our shop, this snare arrived with a poorly applied coat of black lacquer over the original finish, although the structure itself was in excellent condition with no modifications. All hardware was removed, cleaned and hand polished. The black lacquer was removed. Thee original finish, still existing below, was also removed due to scratches created during the previous refinishing. A few small delaminations were fixed, and a one part varnish was chosen to refinish the shell as chemical analysis of the original finish suggested a varnish was the original material used. The drum was then reassembled with the vintage calf heads that came with the snare, still in very nice condition.