Besson Euphonium Experts....help!

Dean · Post by **Dean** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 9:08 am

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.

Carroll · Post by **Carroll** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 10:26 am

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

Highams · Post by **Highams** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 2:25 am

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

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 10:30 am

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 instrumentsâ€™ 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

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:23 pm

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.

imperialbari · Post by **imperialbari** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 6:44 pm

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 couldnâ€™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 Standardâ€™s with cone shaped finger buttons were quite common.

Highams · Post by **Highams** » Wed Nov 02, 2005 3:11 pm

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