So here's a bit of a fun fact... if you trace the lineage of Ludwig drums straight back, you could very easily argue that they're actually rebranded WFL drums, not the other way around.

In the late 1920s the original Ludwig drum company was sold to C.G. Conn, a prominent saxophone manufacturer. In the late 1930s, William F Ludwig decided to start anew and build a factory at 1728 N Damen Ave in Chicago, and since the Ludwig name was being used by Conn, decided to use his initials instead. Conn ran the company eventually known as Leedy & Ludwig into the ground by the 1950s, so WFL bought the name back and transitioned back to his family name.

The badge on this drum actually has that Chicago address on it! That badge appears to be a late 1940s style, which makes this particular drum pretty incredible for being eighty years old.

It's in pretty nice shape. The T-rods do exhibit some wear on the nickel finish, revealing the brass underneath, but we believe these are the original 80-year-old calf heads, and they sound amazing!

And just look at that front head! Hand painted!

Little is to be found about the AH Gale Drum Corps, but they appeared to be more active in the latest years of the 19th and earliest years of the 20th centuries.

Since this was originally made to be hung or placed on a stand, it doesn't have any drumset-type spurs, but there are options today that don't require drilling, so reach out if you have questions!