Serial numbers get resued. The fact that somebody found a number in an archive doesn't mean much to me. I've handled lots of English bessons, this doesn't look like any of them. They went through lots of different productions. I would guess this is one of the ones made in India inbetween London and before kanstul. Serial number marked on valves is 74834. There are two different lengths in the piece that attach for the mouth piece to fit onto. Each has it's own place in the case. The CASE is incredibly unique and it is leather but old and has metal foot studs on the bottom.
Paul AyickVintage Brass
Trumpets, Cornets, Brass, Misc Other Winds...
I buy, sell, and trade vintage trumpets, cornets, and other brass and wind instruments as they become available. Some of my satisfied customers include players from the Chicago Symphony and Boston Pops orchestras. More and more, players seem to be discovering the joy of playing and owning some of these wonderful vintage instruments. The workmanship, detailing, and tone can be astounding.
MY COLLECTION
I currently am offering some really nice horns check them out in this section as well as mouthpieces , other instruments and musical items!!! If something on my site you see interests you e-mail me at: bulos@earthlink.net
I will sell just about any of the instruments for the right price.
(if you see a mouthpiece on the list that interests you e-mail me for images and price)
Once you go to any particular directory it is a simple matter to view all the images therein as thumbnail sized images.. To accomplish this merely click on thefileman.htm file and wait for the thumbnails to load.
(bulos@earthlink.net)
I strive for accuracy in the descriptions of each horn I sell, and all horns are shipped securely packaged, fully insured and sent promptly. If you are someone who just discovered 'Uncle Harry's' old horn in the attic, well then, you are just the kind of person I would like to hear from! I work entirely from my home in South Florida where I also work as a trumpet player. I enjoy hearing from anyone with a question, comment, or just to say hello, I always have time to 'talk trumpet', however I am not a free appraisal service so please don't e-mail me asking what your horn is worth; I can provide this service however.
Here are some shots of some of the horns in my collection. To see all the photos and all the horns pick the appropriate horn from the 'my collection' area above. Lots of horns to see!
A Few Of The Horns In My Collection
Bach NY #1387 14 1929
An all original 1929 NY Bach. It had some small tears in the leadpipe but rather than replace it I opted to keep it all original by adding 2 small patches to it. This horn plays great.
Besson Brevete Circa 1908
English Besson Trumpet Serial Numbers Lookup
W.C.Handy and his Conn 2B!
French Besson Trumpet Serial Numbers
Conn 2B Gold Plated Bb Trumpet
Another late 20's gold plated 2B Conn This one plays a bit darker and more open than the one above but I like them both, these 2B's are one of the best designs Coinn ever produced in my opinion. Check out the great engravings.
Rare French Besson 'Fabrication' Bb Trumpet Circa 1935
This French Besson trumpet was made sometime in the mid 30's probably and rather then me bore you with opinion I will post what I learned from noted authority Niles Eldredge: 'Two concerns were importing Besson trumpets to NY in the 1930s---- both without the Besson name, as it was ilegal to import Bessons from France then (because the English branch kept anglophone export rights when they bought out the French family in 1895-1896).Both said only 'Fabrication Francaise Perfectionée'; Later, there was the diamond Meha stamp added. One was the Leisch boys (Oscar, predominantly)--- who brought in what would have been a normal 'Grands Prix' trumpet (i.e. with the medals), --set up with third slide tuning--with the throw ring below and the stop rod on top; this is the ax that Bach copied (but with the ring on top--the stop rod on the bottom) (Besson thought you shouldn't have your left hand in contact with the bell--so they set it up lower).The other was Joseph Rapuano--who brought in a model we have never seen for sale in Europe--but which is a throw back to their earliest days (I have a 1888 'Rapuano): long third valve slide, no tuning; first valve tuning (again underneath--). '...........Thanks to Niles.. This one is a Rapuano that I was able to restore recently. .445 bore but surprisingly free and powerful.
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English Besson Trumpet Serial Numbers Pdf
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I am trying to decide how, or even if, to refinish this horn ; it looks kind of nice like this what do you think?
Rare French Besson 'Brevete' Bb Trumpet Circa 1935
Besson Cornet Serial Numbers
The standard by which all other trumpets are judged is the orignal French Besson trumpet. Bach, Benge, Schilke, Olds, Conn, King, etc; they all studied and tried to copy the designs of these great old horns. Besson had a few different models; the 'Fabrication' , the 'Meha' (named after one of the Besson family daughters) , and the 'Brevete', (which actually just means patented), like the one pictured here from my collection is a .464' bore. Information on these old pre-Boosey & Hawkes (pre- WW II) Bessons is hard to come by, but, noted vintage brass expert and master technician Robb Stewart told me this; 'The large bore (.468') MEHA didn't appear until after WWII. The Rapuana versions are usually medium bore, but this one (a pre- WWII Meha he has) is ML (.460'). I don't believe that there was a .464' bore.' Anything Robb tells me I take as fact, he is the man, along with Niles Elderedge who has compiled the best Besson dating chart I know of. The Benge MLP, long a favorite of lead players, is a direct copy of these old Besson 'Brevettes.' A truly sensational trumpet to play.
Very Rare Conn'Rosebrook' Bb Trumpet Circa 1923
English Besson Trumpet Serial Numbers Doreen
This is the only Conn trumpet from this time period that I have ever seen with the forward facing 2nd valve crook and hanging 3rd valve slide ring. Both of these features are specific to the old French Bessons; perhaps Conn was copying them? I have never seen this horn listed in any of the old Conn catalogs either. If anyone has any information I'd love to hear about it. This is a .458 bore finished in satin and burnished gold.
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