Chet Baker trumpet for sale

[jimspeedjae]

Not for me as I'm not especially a Chet fan (sacrilege, I know). But it might cause someone out there to salivate:

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/clare-auction/catalogue-id-srcla10033/lot-e78d7c9b-77ec-4757-94c6-aae400a4b8fe

Sale is on 9th Nov 2019

This is what the auction listing says:
"A very rare CHET BAKER trumpet used by the 'Prince of Cool' on many European tours. , provenanced by his concert promotor."

Oddly, not the trumpet he is holding in the photo.

What trumpet is this? A Selmer?

[OldSchoolEuph]

Looks like a Selmer (but built to imitate a Courtois?) The pinkie hook, spit key and bell braces are very Selmer, but by the time Selmer went to simplified balusters, I thought they dropped the ornate ferrules. The throw ring appears to be added, and the braces on the tuning slide have escutcheons that don't match any Selmer period I know of - nor does a wide double brace.
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com

2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20

[Mike Prestage]

To me, this looks suspiciously like a species of Indian trumpet that's pretty common this side of the pond. A quick Google search hasn't turned up any examples that are identical but here's an example that shows what I mean:

link
Anyone else seeing it?

Mike

[Mike Prestage]

Here's another with clearer pictures:

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vtg-1930s-bessons-co-london-brass-1881617201

Mike

[OldSchoolEuph]

[Mike Prestage]

I'm not sure the Indian trumpets are necessarily a copy of anything in particular. They have a Selmer style finger hook but they also frequently have a bell stamping that says both Boosey and 'Bessons'! (It's exactly the same stamp as on the notorious Indian pocket cornets.)

Despite the Selmer design, that finger hook is the most suggestive feature in the auction photo to me. The crude 'square cut' appearance and the overall thickness are so typical of the Indian trumpets. The unusually long ferrules on the tuning slide are also a distinctive feature, and while the non-mobile third slide maybe isn't that significant on its own, it's interesting in combination with the other elements.

Mike

[krax]

Can't help thinking that that is a Boosey & Hawkes valve block from the late 40's, early 50's, I have one of those at home now (from before they switched to the valve block where the second slide pointed towards the bell) and even though the photo is from a bad angle... Cant' say for sure, but they look very similar. B&H did use that Couesnon/Selmer finger hook now and then at that time and the leadpipe-bell braces do look like their version of the Selmer brace too. Problem is, I've never seen a trumpet where they mixed all these things with those two leadpipe/tuning slide braces, but who knows, maybe they did and if so, well that might explain the design of the Indian knock offs too.

[OldSchoolEuph]

I don't think I have ever seen a Boosey & Hawkes with those ornate ferrules. The rest, I do see some similarities, yes.

I wonder if it might have been built by Courtois as a contract supplier to someone (They built for others, using a lot of unique elements to fit that customer's identity).
_________________
Ron Berndt
www.trumpet-history.com

2017 Austin Winds Stage 466
1962 Mt. Vernon Bach 43
1954 Holton 49 Stratodyne
1927 Conn 22B
1957 Holton 27 cornet
1985 Yamaha YEP-621
1975 Yamaha YEP-321 Custom
1965 Besson Baritone
1975 Olds Recording R-20

[Mike Prestage]

I wondered about B&H too - this generation of Imperial has some similarities but also some pretty substantial differences: https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/22235949-boosey-hawkes-imperial-bb-trumpet-bare-brass-beautiful-horn-flying-stave

I certainly can't state categorically that this isn't an obscure Courtois or B&H product. I also appreciate that the trumpet in the photo was supposedly played by Chet 'on many European tours' so surely ought to be a decent instrument. However, taking the photo at face value, I think a more straightforward interpretation is that it's an Indian trumpet with different bell-to-leadpipe braces and valve buttons than most of that factory's production. (Plus maybe a different water key mount although I can't really see that distinction when looking at the photo.) It's also interesting that the braces are rather oddly proportioned.

Mike

[atrumpeter]

[Robert P]

It's not the one he "permanently borrowed" from a music shop is it?
_________________
Getzen Eterna Severinsen
King Silver Flair
Besson 1000
Bundy
Chinese C

Getzen Eterna Bb/A piccolo
Chinese Rotary Bb/A piccolo

Chinese Flugel

[josephdb]

The trumpet that Chet Baker is playing in the picture on the previous Youtube Video is An early to mid 60's Buescher aristocrat they called it the big button trumpet because the finger button were so large. That is the same trumpet found on the bed in the Netherlands when he died.

[GordonH]

[Mike Prestage]

[theslawdawg]

Interesting to see what the final auction price will be....
_________________
My go-to Trumpet and Flugel: Thane.
Greg Black MPs

[plankowner110]

+1

[Leeway]

The whole thing smells like 'Conn Artist" to me!

[Marc_S]

[Mike Prestage]

This has now appeared on Ebay so the close up photos are viewable online. I think they can speak for themselves!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Chet-Baker-jazz-trumpet-that-he-used-on-many-European-tours-in-the-1980s/223743919005?hash=item34182d439d%3Ag%3Ah1AAAOSw3vpdyEbX&LH_ItemCondition=10%7C7000%7C3000

Mike

[krax]

Indeed they do.