HAWKES & SON piston horn

Click to enlarge

£590.00

 

 

 

HAWKES & SON 'EXCELSIOR SONOROUS'

 

Serial number: 22806 (approx 1906)

 

Weight: 1.73 kg

 

This horn's bell diameter (26.5 cm) is very slightly smaller

 

than the usual 27cm (that of #38048's bell).

 

There is no garland, it being made of very thin brass with a

 

visible 'stitched seam' gusset.

 

Engraving / stamps: 'RMB 220' and the Hawkes 'H' poincon.

 

F and Eb crooks, in good condition, albeit with a few small

 

dings in the F crook and some tiny dings in the Eb crook.

 

Pistons: EXCELLENT COMPRESSION.

 

The 3 pistons' tuning slides and the slides' outer sleeves are longer than those on horn 38048, and are marked with positions for F and Eb crooks.

The slides are too long to permit playing

in tune with an 'A' crook, even when pushed fully in.

 

PHYSICAL CONDITION: Generally very good, with tuning

slides that are so tight that they make quick intonation

adjustments  quite difficult to achieve!

The 'stay' or brace is missing from the main tuning slide,

which has slight solder mark remnants on it, showing where

(historically) its length has evidently been adjusted for pitch.

 

The reason for the long main tuning slide is that,

prior to the B&H merger in 1930,  Hawkes & Son 

invariably built horns to play at the old British 'high pitch'

(although a longer slide was optionally available,

listed in photo #3).

 

This long slide gives 'LP' ( A 440)

 

What looks like a 'patch' in photo #2 is in fact a plate,

which must have been installed originally when the horn

was built, since it is gripped by the turned-over outer bell

rim. 

 

The plate bears a stamp

 

'Excelsior Sonorous Class A

 

 Hawkes & Son, London'.

 

 

PERFORMANCE: VERY GOOD overall, with no 'bad notes'

 

and a well-centred tone.

 

Interestingly, this horn feels that it has been 'blown-in'

 

and used mostly as the 'high horn' of the pair.

 

Included in the sale is an original 'boat shaped' fibre-board

and leatherette case in much-used condition, with two

interior compartments for the crooks as well as a central

space for the horn body.

 

The lid's hinge has been repaired with cloth tape; the two

 

clasps are not currently functional, but the central 'catch'

 

works well, keeping the lid securely closed.

 


 

The photos can be viewed in greater detail

by opening and saving them.

 

 

Halstead Music Ltd acts as an agent only,

accepting no responsibility as a principal.

 

Contact us to buy this item

HAWKES & SON piston horn