Helicon with Unknown Brand

[Bob Bigalard]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191532138352?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT" target="_blank

Seems like a good deal, but there is no manufacturer mentioned and I cannot see anything in the pictures. If it's a Cerveny then I'll go for it, but it could be a Chinese off-brand and I would hate to return it to Europe (Shipping is $140) Please help me. Thanks

[Donn]

I doubt it's Cerveny, it's a different style, but it's long enough ago that I think it may not matter much who made it, for practical purposes.

[toobagrowl]

Definitely NOT Chinese This helicon looks quite old......the overall look/taper, braces, ferrules, bell garland and especially the rotor stop arms look maybe from the 1920s-30s? Maybe a B&F.

[imperialbari]

The seller is a workshop in Poland, which sells a lot of renovated low brasses via eBay.

Why would this not be a Cerveny?

To me this looks like a modified design for an F helicon, where the main tuning slide area has been lengthened and bent to follow the outer perimeter.

Klaus

[PaulTkachenko]

Seller is legit - it's not Chinese.

[Donn]

Why would this not be a Cerveny?

To me this looks like a modified design for an F helicon, where the main tuning slide area has been lengthened and bent to follow the outer perimeter.

No telling what all Cerveny & allies have done over the many years, you would know much more about it than I. My point was really that, relative to the Cerveny helicons we know from the last half century, this is different. So if you're determined for some reason to get a Cerveny helicon, as the OP seemed to be saying, this might not really match what you had in mind.

I think I've heard some mention of Eb Cerveny helicons like that, made by extending an F. Their more recent Eb helicon, or at least the one I had in a Lignatone stencil, is more like their BBb - it's a full circle wrap, anyway.

The engraving on the clockspring housing is cool -

[imperialbari]

This is a design along the Schediwa Herculesophone. Everything but the large back bow is in front of the player.

I cannot guarantee it is a Cerveny, but especially the big ferrule makes me think so.

My biggest worry about this one (aside from only 3 valves) would be the metal being very worn. There is at least one patch, and some easily accessed dents have not been taken out, likely because of the risk of tearing the brass.

Klaus