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Flugelhorn Lamp?

Started by FABphones, September 26, 2022, 09:44:43 AM

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FABphones

I don't think too many Trumpeteers will complain if I make a lamp out of this. 🎵

I think we can safely say it is no longer playable and beyond reasonable repair.

Purchased today for a few Euros, it wasn't out on display so I likely saved it from the behind counter trashcan.

Let's face it, who else would have bought it. I do like a challenge.
 :)
A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

TelePlay

Looks like a pile of scrap metal.

But, since you have all the parts, you could restore it to a working trumpet, or not . . .   😉

RDPipes

#2
Quote from: FABphones on September 26, 2022, 09:44:43 AMI think we can safely say it is no longer playable and beyond reasonable repair...

I've seen these in much worse shape restored beautifully but, its yours to do with what you please CJ.

tubaman

It's a Flugel Horn and as you say is in a rather poor state.
Should make a nice lamp as I doubt it'd be worth a lot as an instrument even if you could repair it.

FABphones

Thanks for the input guys.

Quote from: tubaman on September 26, 2022, 02:38:00 PMIt's a Flugel Horn...

Thanks for that. I was struggling to find a match online and that helped me move forward researching info.

This instrument is stamped by it's manufacturer (Pelisson Frères & Cie), made in France between 1875 and 1905 so has a bit of age to it and judging from condition quite a bit of history. Purchased as part of a house clearance, unfortunately the story and reason why this instrument is in such poor condition is lost.

Moving forward, it's days of being a musical instrument are realistically behind it. The attached photos show just some of the damage.

I can't imagine the reason it was so forcefully snapped in two. It is bent out of shape and has more dents than I have counted. I do have tap hammers to work on some of the dents but accessing many of them will be difficult.

A bit more research to be done, meantime, additional photos below.
 :)

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

RDPipes

Ah! The ends aint so bad they could have maybe been trimmed and spliced but, the end at the valves I didn't see.
That certainly would be a hard one to repair. That's a real shame, looks like someone swung it at something and
made contact.

TelePlay

Quote from: FABphones on September 26, 2022, 05:57:57 PMI can't imagine the reason it was so forcefully snapped in two. It is bent out of shape and has more dents than I have counted.

Well, here's one scenario. It met a bomb or shell up close in one of the two world wars its life spanned and was kept as a sentimental keepsake by the family whose relative played it before dying in the war that destroyed it.

Then, could be anything else.

FABphones

#7
Quote from: TelePlay on September 26, 2022, 06:46:43 PM...was kept as a sentimental keepsake...

Not an unlikely scenario given it's locale, and the type and spread of damage would fit in with that theory. What we do know for sure is that it was badly damaged and yet retained. Wherever it was stored it was indoors and protected from the thick dust and grime which can accumulate on the surface. This is at the very least 117 years old. No verdigris. My guess is it was wrapped in fabric and all but forgotten in a drawer or cupboard.

I'll pop back and have a chat with the store owner, see if he can remember any detail about finding it. Right now all I know is house clearance and that the seller does perform a lot of house clearances at the request of family members of the deceased.

Meantime I still have a bit of a learning curve to repair the break. I won't be over restoring this but would like to get those two pieces reattached.

Info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flugelhorn

And here is Clark Terry playing his Flugelhorn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6a7QI7ETUI

:)

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

TelePlay

Given the locales and time period, I think I would exhaust all historical searches before doing anything physically with the horn. It might be a historical relic worth more as and shown in a nice display case with an attribution plaque.

The damage looks catastrophic, not just broken.

FABphones

#9
Quote...I'll pop back and have a chat with the store owner...

I have spoken with the store owner about this instrument....

...it was part of a house clearance dating back a year or so. Due to it's condition it never got put out for sale. It had just resurfaced and been put to one side in the (as I call it) 'misc junk' section, not even out for sale when I found the horn and picked it up.

It came from the house clearance of a deceased French gentleman. The family needed their Grandpa's house clearing for selling. It was found hanging up above the fireplace (this would account for why it was kept dusted and clean).

I knew the mouthpiece was missing so I searched the same area in the store where I found the horn. The store owner saw me, asked me what I was looking for, and before I even got a chance to fully explain, rummaged on his counter and handed it to me.

No makers mark on the mouthpiece but my prior search for a replacement led me to the price for a no particular branded version. €100.

My latest investigations may date this Flugelhorn c. 1885, and I know more than I will ever need to know about Filsson Frères & Cie. Right down to an incident in their factory at the turn of the previous century.

Regarding prior ownership of this Flugelhorn, I have as much history as I can get from the store owner. For reasons I won't go into here we cannot trace the previous owners family for any further information.

We did discuss why a broken instrument was kept on prominent display. The store owner agreed it may well have been damaged during a war and kept as a souvenir. We will never know for sure.

But, the story is not over yet, I have one more route to follow.

*Last two images show a 'then and now' comparison of the factory building. Interesting to see what has gone/remains and how much has built up around (and against) it.

A collector of  'Monochrome Phones with Sepia Tones'   ...and a Duck!
***********
Vintage Phones - 10% man made, 90% Tribble
*************

tubaman

Nice research and really cool that the factory building still exists. Looks like it's shops now: