Hi Dave,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

King Musical Instruments is one of the most historically important American makers of brass instruments, especially trombones and marching brass. The brand has a long reputation for high-quality, responsive instruments with a strong jazz and band heritage.

The company began as the H. N. White Company in Cleveland, Ohio, founded in 1893 by Henderson White. The “King” name comes from an early collaboration with trombonist Thomas King, who helped test and refine the company’s first successful trombone design. By the early 20th century, King instruments were already known for excellent slide action (especially trombones), strong projection and clarity and innovative brass design compared to competitors.

The King tenor trombone model 2102 (often associated with later **King Musical Instruments / Conn-Selmer production eras) is generally considered a student-to-intermediate level instrument, rather than one of the historically “iconic” King professional models like the 2B or 3B. The 2102 is typically part of King’s modern production line (late 20th century onward), designed for school band programs, advancing students and budget-conscious players. It is not a Cleveland-era vintage professional horn, which is where King’s reputation is strongest.

Typical features of the 2012 include .500"–.508" bore class (medium bore student design, depending on production run), a yellow brass bell, a standard closed-wrap F-attachment (on some variants) or straight tenor versions in the same family and nickel-silver outer slide tubes on some builds for durability. The design emphasized durability over nuance, ease of play and consistent intonation.

Other pre-owned refurbished King tenor 2102 trombones of similar vintage that are currently offered for sale by instrument dealers retail for between $1,200 and $3,000 though ones that come to auction in "as is" condition typically bring between $600 and $900. If you're looking to insure this, I would value it at $2,500 and I'd recommend taking it to a brass instrument dealer in your area to sell so you get a fair price.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia