1950 AirChime Demonstrator MS-1 "196"

According to the AirChime ledger, this should be the first AirChime M horn ever serialized. It follows a bunch of H5's and N's on the list. It features the very rare "reverse" Nathan AirChime bell flare only found on the very first M horns. Instead of a normal manifold tag it sports a Burnett Power Saws small brass tag on the bell, and a stamped serial and model number - MS1- 196 on the base. It even has the original tuning marks on the cap and power chamber. It never received a seal wire from the factory- nor the head or cap have holes for one. The horn features a rather odd air restrictor rod in the base, you can see a photo of it below. I am not sure if the horn has a 3/16 or 5/16 air inlet. It does have a bronze diaphragm and seat, like early AirChime M horns and all Nathan AirChime M horns. It doesn't have a "spanner style" backcap, as that was a Nathan thing.

The seller of this horn bought it from a farm estate sale on central Vancouver Island. The founder of AirChime, Robert Swanson, had a "whistle farm" on Vancouver Island, but I cannot confirm this horn came from that farm.