My parents went to a thrift store a coupla days ago and picked up this baby:

It sure isn't a baritone horn, not a euphonium, and it ain't no marching-style instrument (wait, yes it is. [facepalm]). From what I've been able to pick up, it seems to be a two-valved baritone bugle, with a standard key valve (lowers pitch a whole-step) and a rotary valve (lowers pitch a half-step).
I am a native trombonist, so this thing hasn't been hard to pick up over the last coupla days (it sounds amazing, and it's REALLY GOOD for playing jazz music), and it's a really simple and easy-to-learn instrument that my parents got for a STEAL price (by steal, we're talking less than $50. Heck, less than $30. Bump dat, they got this thing for $12.).
 
Where can I find some more information on this cool instrument? If anyone can tell me anything, I'd love to know more!

I don't see the baby.

Now you see it, baby.

Actually, I don't. :s

EDIT - Ah, there it is. :)

And exactly what sort of vacuum cleaner is this?

I was going to ask if you did something to upset your folks.

Lol!!!! +1 to that, rsp
They just HAD to punish me...

That is definitely a drum corp / marching band horn ... probably worth about 10 or 15 bucks tops.

I played a regular old school trumpet in school but was in a parade marching band (drum corp) and played a smaller version of that instrument also in silver with the "key" valve as you call it horizontal to the ground and a rotary valve.

That would have been the early to mid 70's when I was in the drum and bugle corp (it was actually a "Jr." drum and bugle corp because I wasn't old enough to march with the high schoolers) but, in any event it wasn't really my thing and I didn't follow it at all later in life (folks get obsessed about drum corp).
 
I looked on line at some images of modern drum corps and the horn lines were all playing horns valved like you would expect them to be in a stage / concert / jazz band ... 3 vertical valves.

Here is a random horn line photo I found on line probably from the late 60's or early 70's.  I know the resolution ain't exactly HD but look closely.  You don't see the valves on the horns beacuse they run the length of the horn like the one in your photo.  Also, if you look very closely at the large horn I think you can see the rotary valve.

rsp@odyssey.net


I was going to ask if you did something to upset your folks.

I was going to ask if your neighbours did something to upset your folks....