Aleahdavis

Hello!
First of all... I should confess that I am adicted to EBAY... I have bought alot of junk off of EBAY that I shouldn't have including a "Mark II" that I hoped to e a YAMAHA but which seems to have turned out to be a first Act, and which I will probably send downrange when my husband leaves for the sandbox, so he can find someone to enjoy it more than I will.... trumpets are my current obsession.

However, unlike the violins I used to collect and refinsh, I actually can play the trumpet (8 years through grade school and highschool of lessons... have now picked it up again since I suddenly find myself the chapel music director on our base)

I just recieved one in today that far exceded my expectations, especially since my ending bid was something like 66.60... low price and an ominous number... ha ha! Anyway, it turns out that it is a fabulous old trumpet that plays beautifully and is a whole lot better than I ever expected. It definately will be one that I end up playing. Anyway, it is calle an Orpheum Surpreme. It looks to have been made eback in the 1920's- 1930's no later. Its a really cool horn in every way, and even my husband who hates my EBAY adddiction, loved this horn and is kind of obsessing over it's origians. However, I can find NOTHING about the brand on line. Any ideas?
Thanks
T. Davis

misty.sj

MFfan

Thanks for the link, Misty. Looks like a good instrument pedigree. Not to be confused with" Orpheus" trumpets which turn up occaisionally on ebay. I think those are German, but can't recall. Horn-u-copia doesn't have anything on them other than the name in the trade name listings. I just found a thread on TH that they were cheap student horns made in Czechoslavakia and used to be popular as student instruments.

Aleahdavis

I will post some pics soon of the horn, but without doubt it is the one in the link that Misty sent. It has the same unusual bracing. It sounds great too! I am really thrilled with it. I could hardly put it down last night!
T. Davis

Aleahdavis

VINTAGE ORPHEUM SUPREME TRUMPET EARLY 20TH C WITH CASE - (eBay.ca item 170189152097 end time 02-Feb-08 18:25:54 EST)

Here's the link to the auction. Great deal Huh?

tatakata

Glad you are enjoying the horn!

MFfan

You have good one there! I don't see how I missed that one! Glad you are happy with it. Decent horns that age are hard to come by for a reasonable sum. I was just pointing out that there are numerous instances of horns with "similar" names that are quite different in actuality. Particularily the cheap Chinese or Indian "Selma", "Shill", etc. prevelant these days.

misty.sj

Very pretty finish! Is it raw brass? copper? It's hard to tell from the pictures.

MFfan

I like the finish also. Looks like maybe 80 yrs of brass mellowing, but I could be wrong. I looked, in person, at an old Besson stratford trumpet and the finish was similar in appearance and definitely was just normal aging. Good question!

Aleahdavis

Yah! I just love the finish! It is the actual finish and in the case with the trumpet was a bottle of Laquer preserver. Apparently it had been used regularily on the trumpet and it had the same orange tinge that the trumpet has. It probably didn't start out that way, but due like an damar, linseed oil varnish on a canvas oil painting, it is prone to changing to a darker color with time giving it that great looking finish. I thought maybe it was just the lighting in the ebay pics, but it is actually that exact color! cool huh?