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I have absolutely nothing to help you...

But, pretty horn!


The satin finishes are nice when done well and kept clean--this seems like a good example.

I can't view the images here at school... but it sounds like an Imperial Model from the 70's. I will look when I get home, if you do not have an answer before then.

Try this search link:

http://www.besson.com/SerialNumber.asp

Good luck

That's a nice condition euph!

Those are actually New Standard euphoniums (the Besson partner to the Imperial) in the UK, why that name was not used in the export market I don't know.

CB

Like you I can't find help in any of the serial # reference pages.

My personal 1967 B&H Imperial baritone has the # of 348283.

That lets me believe, that your instrument has been made close before this model was discontinued in 1978.

In my fairly large galleries of catalogue scans and brass instruments’ photos you will find quite a bit of information on Hawkes, Besson, Boosey, and Boosey & Hawkes instruments.

The inroad is the index linked to below here. Some browsers will not allow you into the given group, when you click a given link.

The trick is to join via the homepage of the given group. All homepage links are to be found at the top of any index version.

Klaus

I agree with it being mid to late 70's New Standard in silver. I have a three-valve BBb comp with the same basic logo in lacquer.

Highams wrote:That's a nice condition euph!

Those are actually New Standard euphoniums (the Besson partner to the Imperial) in the UK, why that name was not used in the export market I don't know.

CB

Imperial and New Standard were the respective Class A labels from Boosey & Hawkes and Besson. Aside from the engravings they were next to identical. Only the New Standard larger brasses (baritones through basses) had these very characteristic cone shaped finger buttons.

What I wonder about is the absense of the New Standard engraving on your horn. As far as I remember Rick Denney has a euph with the exact same configuration: New Standard finger buttons and no New Standard engraving.

For me that dates your instrument quite exactly to 1978. That year I attended a couple of large displays of British brasses in the area around the Royal Albert Hall.

B&H by then had developped a full line of Sovereign brass band instruments, except that they hadn't gotten the tubas right. They only were labelled Sovereign from around 1983.

B&H/Besson also had problems with finding the right labelling for the former Class A lines. They couldn’t phase out the 11" euphs, as some players refused to buy the 12" Sovereign euphs.

Hence we from 1978 through 1983 see some non-typical engravings on larger brasses from B&H/Besson.

If the valves are reasonably tight, you have got yourself a fine instrument.

Klaus,

from Denmark, where New Standard’s with cone shaped finger buttons were quite common.

Sadly no I'm afraid. Although this looks a fine example, the previous model Imperials where THE ones, in between the Solbron range and yours.

CB