Characters on tam-tam (gong)

[mikemorr 10]

Hello,

Can anyone help me look up these two characters? They are on a tam-tam (gong).

Thanks!

[HashiriKata 15]

I believe they are these characters 泰 來

(But as usual, I may be wrong )

[skylee 1,909]

Perhaps they are part of the idiom 否極泰來？

[mikemorr 10]

Thanks to both of you for your help!

An Internet search for 泰來鑼 (Tailai Gong) does turn up several references to musical instruments. It appears that 泰來鑼 may refer to this particular style of gong.

I had previously suspected that the characters might refer to the place where the instrument was made. Looking up 泰來, I found Tailai County, Qiqihar City in Heilongjiang Province. Perhaps this style of instrument is made there (or was originally made there)?