| Strange things were afoot at the Edgeware factory from 1955 through about 1965, and the waters are muuddyy when it comes to trying to find any information about the various incarnations of Besson and Boosey-Hawkes during that time. Some Bessons were restamped and sold as Boosey-Hawkes, some B&H stuff were stamped Besson, very confusing.
I have had several Stratford cornets, and they run the gamut from great to junk, and I'm not just talking about the condition. We all know you can take the finest cornet made, abuse it, don't clean it, and in a few years it has deteriorated to junk. The lower end Stratfords had hexagonal top caps, kind of like Schilke's top caps, and seem to be limited to 1963. I've had 3 cornets and 2 trumpets like this, and they all had leporous lacquer, loose valves, stuffy leadpipes, and poor fit and finish.
Then there was a muuuch better made Stratford from around the late 1950's. The cornet version was an American cornet straight bell design, with the 2nd valve slide pointing towards the bell (or in the CORRECT position), great valve design, with the black plastic circular valve guides and some incredibly fast valves. Looking at the Imps from this timeframe, it looks like perhaps the Stratford was the American bell and the Imp was the shepherd crook bell. The valve cluster looks the same on both, although the Stratfords are all lacquer (or all of mine have been) and the Imps seem to be either silver or gold plate.
I hope this helps somewhat. I have had several English Bessons and Boosey-Hawkes cornets and trumpets, and my large bore Emperor trumpet is the reason I don't need a Strad equivelent. If I can't play it on the Emperor, I can't play it PERIOD. |