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Thread: Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

  1. #1

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    I have a compensating Besson, curved bell (removable), baritone/euphonium that I'm trying to determine the year it was manufactured. Its serial number is 222xxx. It says "Made in England" on the bell and above its serial number, "Besson Brevete" is found on the 2nd valve's backside, Mouthpiece is Besson 10. I'm guessing its from the 1950's.

    Any opinions on the quality of this horn? ... or if it's worth reconditioning? ... or its approximate value afterwards (though I don't plan on selling it).

    Thanks!

    jm

  2. Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    The 222xxx serial number is 1957. I am assuming it is a predecessor to a New Standard with bell front. Is this a 3 valve or a 4 valve? I think that these were imported into the US market to compete with trhe bell-front American baritones. The bell-front horns were commonly used for marching and in large concert bands in the "pre-electronic" era since they projected a but better than the bell up horns.

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. #3

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    3 valve.
    Any guess if it's worth reconditioning? Would you happen to know anything about the "Besson Brevete" marking?

  4. #4

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    Sometimes 'Brevetee' it's an early Besson monogram that has stayed with the name for quite a few years.

    CB

  5. Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    I read somewhere (probabaly on Horn-U-copia.net) that brevetee meant the same as our "patented". Many of the 3 valve curved bells are 3 valve compensating horns. You may want to check it out. You would have extra tubes on the 1st and 2nd valves.


  6. #6

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    Yes, this is a three-valve compensating with the extra tubes on the 1st and 2nd valve (equaling the length of the third valve if I remember correctly).

    Any idea of its worth and if it would be worth reconditioning?

  7. #7

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    Ready-to-play Besson 4-valve compensating euphs in the 1960-1980 vintage are selling regularly on Ebay for $1,100 - $1,800 (Quinntheeskimo). Using that benchmark, a 3-valve compensating Brevette is worth $500-600 maximum IMHO, assuming that you only need minimal reconditioning costing less than $200.
    Bruce H Ward
    Houston TX

    Besson BE2056-2 4-Valve Compensating Baritone
    1946 Conn 30-I Wonderphone 5-Valve Double-bell

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Vancouver, BC
    Posts
    18

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    I live in Vancouver and have a Besson bell-forward 4-valve compensating Euphonium serial number 145115. The Brevete engraving is on the second valve.

    I am also trying to determine the age and approx. value. The horn is in great shape and plays well. The mouthpiece is a Denis Wick 4AM. (Euro shank?)

    I have looked all over the web and have not been able to find an example of this horn. Is it rare?

    Tom Angelus


  9. Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    I live in Central Pennsylvania and am also trying to approx. the age of my baritone/euphonium. It has stamped on the 2nd valve Besson Brevete with a serial number 206082 on the body of the horn and the number 6082 on the removable bell. Also the valves are number 1st 109, 2nd 110, and the 3rd 111. It too has a small "U" shaped tube on the backside of both valve 1 and 2. A local musician estimates the age around the 1930's. It also is stamped on the bell "England-Paris-New York" and stamped below that it says "Made In England" Can anyone help me??

    Also is European Bore and English Bore for the mouthpieces the same thing.



    Thank you


  10. #10

    Besson Euphonium-Help needed identifying year

    Volume 21 of the B&H factory ledgers housed at the Horniman Museum, Forest Hills, London, date serial numbers between 199502-218878 as being completed between 9 Feb 1955 - 28 Feb 1956.

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