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A friend of mine is contemplating purchasing this horn. The serial number dates it to between 1950-1955, and it appears to have never had lacquer (or it was removed very well). I do not have pictures, so I know no one can give me an estimate on how much it is worth, but my question is this: how rare is it?

It is VERY small, with the bell about the same diameter as his alto t-bone.

FWIW, the slide moves ok, and there is a brace that was silver-soldered back on. Its a decent job, but I could tell it was done, so it probably could have been done better. There are no dents. I could not even find little pings anywhere.

Thanks

P.S. For those of you that get offended by trombone posts, look away! I am just curious whether anyone on here has any knowledge to share with me. PMs are fine if no one wants to openly discuss it.

Wasn't the Mercury line the 3rd line of Bach's after the Stradivarius and Mercedes lines?

Does rarity count among student level instruments?

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

bloke wrote:- red brass or perhaps (??) "low" brass bells

These instruments were very well-made, had good intonation, and were extremely mellow in their sound quality. Even with something like a 7C mouthpiece, they had a cornet-like sound.

The hint that red brass might be a lower grade of brass caused an immediate surprise with me, but then I remembered seeing (mainly US?) catalogues presenting series of student instruments with red brass bells. Back then I wondered about this supposedly costlier feature applied with supposedly cheaper instruments.

I never used trumpets, but always cornets, as beginners’ instruments for the small-brass players. I preferred the better flexibility and the shorter reach for these youngsters. Fortunately that also was the general teaching approach here. I haven't ever used Mercury trumpets, but I guess that my American teaching colleagues will have appreciated the mellower sound and the good intonation. One factor not mentioned much is the wear on the ears of people teaching beginners. Some appear to develop an amazing tolerance, or their sense of intonation maybe never was that great. I took the road of a slower development of technical facility to establish good sound and good intonation, which are two sides of the same coin. The usage of the 3rd slide throw ring was taught to beginners right from the start.

I once was persuaded to take a private student as part of his drug rehabilitation programme. He was 19 or something like that, and he definitely had musical talent. He opened the first lesson by declaring, that I shouldn't teach him good sound, as he only wanted to be taught technique. I replied that in my opinion technique was about moving good sound around in a musical fashion. He bought that and stayed with me until I moved out of the country for a period.

And my question was: Is there a cheaper/lower grade of brass with a reddish tint to it?

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre