"The Buescher" BBb Rain Catcher Pricing?

[Oceantuba]

Hi folks.

This raincatcher belonged to our Dad but has been in my sister's possession for some years now. She intends to list it for sale soon but is not a member here so I'm posting on her behalf. Horn is located in BC Canada.

These quick pics obviously don't show all the needed details, but assuming the horn doesn't have any major dents and that it's basically playable......

What's the typical listing price range for a horn like this? Does "True Tone" indicate its a standard pitch horn? Not likely I imagine. Also, I found the "The Buescher" company name interesting. I'd always known that company simply as "Buescher".

AFAIK, this was a high pitch horn but the main slide was lengthened, or, the non stock lead pipe may be long enough to bring horn to standard pitch. It hasn't been played in years but was used on pro clown or rube gigs; at one point, it was painted like a tulip! (Hence the custom curly lead pipe.) Of note, my Dad was hired to play this horn on the movie "We're No Angels". Maybe the horn got its' "15 minutes of fame"? Some slides move, valves go up and down, but beyond that, I don't know how well it plays or if there's any major dents on the underside of body branches or other side of bell.

At the very least it might be fun for some folks to view the pics. I"m pretty sure it's not a common horn.

Thanks,

Neil.

[Tubajug]

I'll start the bidding at $1.00!

Nice lookin' horn!

[bisontuba]

Hi-
Serial # is c. 1915. Info courtesy of Horn-U -Copia:
Buescher (b.1861-d.1937) had worked for Conn-Dupont started his own independent company in as the Buescher Manufacturing Co. in 1894.
1894 - After working for Conn-Dupont, Buescher left to start his own independent company in as the Buescher Manufacturing Co.
1904 - Buescher changed the name to Buescher Band Instrument Co.
1916 - Buescher sold the company, though he remained as manager and engineer to a group of businessmen including Andrew Beardsley. Buescher remained as president until 1919, when he became vice president (manager and engineer) and Beardsley became president.
1924 - The Elkhart Band Instrument Company was started by Buescher President Andrew Beardsley.
1928 - Beardsley died and the Buescher Co. merged with the Elkhart Band Instrument Co. Some sources say 1926.
1929 - Buescher resigned.
1932 - ART Musical Instruments was founded in 1932 by F. A. Buescher, with Harry Pedler becoming vice-president of the ART company in 1934.
1937 - Buescher died
1937 - After Buescher died in 1937, the Art Musical Company became Harry Pedler & Sons.

Silver looks nice. Looks like a BBb. How are the Pistons--compression? $1000+ horn...
Good luck.
Mark

[roweenie]

I have a Buescher "True Tone" bass saxophone from 1924 (12×,××× serial number) that specifically says "Low Pitch" under the logo.

Your horn's serial number would place it at being manufactured around 1915. This was, as far as I know, a transitional period between "high pitch" and "low pitch" (York tubas of this vintage were built with the "doughnut" pitch changing loop patent of 1910) so my guess would be if it doesn't specifically say "Low Pitch", it's probably built in "high pitch".

Since Buescher is traditionally known for their saxophones, you might actually get more info asking this specific question on a sax based forum.

[Oceantuba]

Hi all. Thanks. Yes for sure. As noted, it's a BBb.

Don't know about piston compression. I'll ask my sis for valve piston pics.
Bell diameter info would also be useful I imagine.

Good tip on the saxophone front. I'd always known that Buescher was well reputed
for their saxophones.

[bisontuba]

Courtesy of the Sax Museum, c. 1918...FYI...Mark

[Alex C]

The horn is worth $200 and I'll be glad to send you the money right away if you will pay for shipping.

[bisontuba]

The horn is worth $200 and I'll be glad to send you the money right away if you will pay for shipping.

[Donn]

Looks like the detachable part of the leadpipe is a custom adaptation? The whole leadpipe is different from the one in the catalogue picture, so that's not much of a guide as to how they looked from the factory, but it just looks odd.

[Oceantuba]

At one point, the horn was painted up like a tulip for clown band gigs. The curly leadpipe was custom made for that. Not sure if original parts were incorporated into that curly pipe.

I may have a chance to play it. We'll see.

[Art Hovey]

That leadpipe was probably fabricated to bring it down to modern pitch.

[Oceantuba]

That leadpipe was probably fabricated to bring it down to modern pitch.

I agree. This is what I'd speculated on earlier.

"kill two birds" as it were.

The horn lives 2.5 hour drive away from me but one of these days
I'll try it out. I guess I was even snootier bass trombonist when I was younger.
Never did ask Dad if I could try out this rain catcher.
Kidding.

Neil.

[badenia]

Hi-
Serial # is c. 1915. Info courtesy of Horn-U -Copia:
Buescher (b.1861-d.1937) had worked for Conn-Dupont started his own independent company in as the Buescher Manufacturing Co. in 1894.
1894 - After working for Conn-Dupont, Buescher left to start his own independent company in as the Buescher Manufacturing Co.
1904 - Buescher changed the name to Buescher Band Instrument Co.
1916 - Buescher sold the company, though he remained as manager and engineer to a group of businessmen including Andrew Beardsley. Buescher remained as president until 1919, when he became vice president (manager and engineer) and Beardsley became president.
1924 - The Elkhart Band Instrument Company was started by Buescher President Andrew Beardsley.
1928 - Beardsley died and the Buescher Co. merged with the Elkhart Band Instrument Co. Some sources say 1926.
1929 - Buescher resigned.
1932 - ART Musical Instruments was founded in 1932 by F. A. Buescher, with Harry Pedler becoming vice-president of the ART company in 1934.
1937 - Buescher died
1937 - After Buescher died in 1937, the Art Musical Company became Harry Pedler & Sons.

Silver looks nice. Looks like a BBb. How are the Pistons--compression? $1000+ horn...
Good luck.
Mark

There are some problems with this history timeline based on recent findings in trade journals, Indiana state registrations and the serial numbers of instruments:

1) The 1916 Buescher sale included CD Greenleaf, they lead a consortium in the purchase.
2) The Elkhart Band Instrument Company (Elkhart BIC) was first reported in the trades in 1918 as part of the founding of the national Music istrument manufacturers association
3) Elkhart BIC was incorporated in September 1919 by AH Beardsley & CD Greenleaf. The registration number implies 1917 activity.
4) Elkhart started producing instruments in the fall of 1922 for the Christmas season and the 1923 model year. It only produced saxes. They were located on Plum street.
5) Elkhart BIC was always considered a subsidiary of Buescher Band Instruments.
6) In 1928 Elkhart BIC moved from Plum Street to Jackson, the Buescher Block.
7) In 1928 Elkhart added brass and other band instruments.
AH Beardsley died in 1936.