leia885

Dear all,

Hallo~ I bought this cornet 10 yrs ago at the antique shop, but I'm hoping to know more about this cornet backgroud that I'm using( for example: year of manufactured)~ The bell area have engraved words "Boosey & Hawks <LAFLEUR> 14724" and oso engraved "Manufactured in Gemany 48861" at above the bell area. Although I found it at the antique shop, but still is 1st cornet in my life, is so meaningful to me. Hopully, anyone who know can tell me a little more. Cross my heart to thank you to you all. May the FORCE b the U ALWAYS!!!

ChopsGone

The only LaFleur cornet they picture is an echo model, and the history section is a lot skimpier than usual, but it would probably still be worth the time to do a little looking at Horn-u-copia - Index

__________________
Vintage Olds and Reynolds, yes sir, yes sir, one gazoo full.

Calicchios, Besson, Kanstul Bessons, Selmers, etc.

F.E. forgive me, even a Bach Strad (but I like the others much better)

MFfan

Lafleur's turn up once in awhile. It would appear they are likely student line horns imported from the continent for Boosey and Hawkes to retail. I have seen references to Germany (yours) and Czechoslovakia as the sources for various types of instruments as found on HUC. I don't know of any serial list for Lafleur instruments.

__________________
Dave Rafferty
Lemar Trumpet (peashooter-Conn?)
Lyrical Trumpet (Tokan)

Besson 609 Trumpet
1955-60 Besson 8-10 Trumpet
1948 Besson cornet
1946 King Master Cornet
www.kalamazooconcertband.org

leia885

May I ask 1 more question: On my cornet engraved 2 number, so which 1 I should refer as serial number? Thank you all again for the guidance! May the FORCE be with U ALWAYS!!!

ChopsGone

The serial number is the one on the bell. The valve blocks were built separately, and had their own serial numbers, but the one for the horn itself is the one on the bell. The best source for this information I've found was on the Horniman Museum's site, but the link to the document in question no longer works. You might try browsing at:
Horniman Museum
and there's a chance the information might have been captured on hornucopia.net.

__________________
Vintage Olds and Reynolds, yes sir, yes sir, one gazoo full.

Calicchios, Besson, Kanstul Bessons, Selmers, etc.

F.E. forgive me, even a Bach Strad (but I like the others much better)

leia885

Thanks to you all to provide me the information. Now I know my cornet was between 1936~37( older than me!!!). After all, this cornet only 1 3rd slide was unable to pull out(because the bell seem dropped b4 & it became lower), others was just fine, from the tone till the outlooks. But I wonder whether I can find instrument mechanics to fix it? I'm afraid will be too expensive~

ChopsGone

So far, it sounds like you only have typical older instrument problems - a stuck slide and a drooping bell. Ask your local instrument repair tech about it. They shouldn't be very expensive to fix, although the drooping bell will probably require resoldering.

__________________
Vintage Olds and Reynolds, yes sir, yes sir, one gazoo full.

Calicchios, Besson, Kanstul Bessons, Selmers, etc.

F.E. forgive me, even a Bach Strad (but I like the others much better)

leia885

By the way, my teacher keep on advised me to buy a brand new instrument, he said not encouraged we use old instrument which more than 15 yrs. Basically, everything new is the best. & I curious again, is it true?

ChopsGone

It depends. Your teacher's advice is correct, as far as it goes, which isn't far. But brass instruments, with care, can last more than a human's lifetime and still play well. If you know older instruments, and can evaluate their condition, you can find some older horns that will play as well as most new ones, some even better than all but the very finest new ones. If you don't, it's safer to buy new. Even then, you need to know what you're buying. Simply being new doesn't mean a horn is worth having. There's probably more pure junk on the new trumpet market right now than there ever has been. If you don't know instruments very well, find someone who does to help you shop, or find a very reputable dealer like Dillon's to advise you.

__________________
Vintage Olds and Reynolds, yes sir, yes sir, one gazoo full.

Calicchios, Besson, Kanstul Bessons, Selmers, etc.

F.E. forgive me, even a Bach Strad (but I like the others much better)

leia885

Thank you very much Mr ChopsGone for Ur valueble opinion. Now I feel more confident that this cornet in my hand. After all this is my 1st instrument, it with a special meaning to me. But definately my next new will be trumpet lah~ May the FORCE be with U ALWAYS!!!