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Old silver trumpet from the early 1900s



 
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jand
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Joined: 19 Apr 2021
Posts: 1
Location: Cork

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 12:40 pm    Post subject: Old silver trumpet from the early 1900s Reply with quote

Hi All,

I have an old silver trumpet from the early 1900s from Kitchen & Co. in the UK. Given to me by my uncle years ago. I know the shop closed down before 1920s. I am considering selling it and wonder what it might be worth? Any expert out there?
Thanks
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Crazy Finn
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Joined: 27 Dec 2001
Posts: 8331
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2021 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know anything about your instrument, specifically. However, I have a little knowledge about vintage trumpets and value. A few points:

- Antiques Roadshow gives people the idea that old stuff is valuable. It's not always the case. Like anything, there has to be demand for it and sellers willing to pay something.

- Most vintage trumpets have value that is mostly based on how the trumpet plays. Some people "collect" trumpets like other memorabilia, but most people who have older instrument have them to play. Thus, the value is derived from it's value as a musical instrument. Some instruments from the 1920's are modern enough to be playable in many contemporary situations - like some older Conns and the King Liberty.

- The French Besson trumpet was the first "modern" trumpet and was developed in the early 1900's through World War I. These are rare, mostly collectors, but influenced almost every modern trumpet we see today.

- Most other trumpets made during this period are not as modern and tend to suffer as instruments. Cornets of this era were considered to be more refined and better solo and musical instruments with a more pleasant tone. They might have some value to purely historical collectors, but that market is pretty small.

- It depends on the condition of the instrument. Is it in good condition? Does it play? Does it have all the parts? Does it have a complete set of accessories (slides, case, mouthpiece, etc).

- Frankly, generally these instruments are worth between essentially nothing to about $25-50. If it's interesting historically and is in good shape and has all of the trimmings (so to speak), then it might be a bit more, somewhere between $75-150 or maybe, maybe $200 is someone is really interested in it (and it's basically in excellent shape).

- The reality, the cost of any repair or restoration of this isn't able to get recouped in an increase in value. If you pour $200-300 in restoring an older instrument, that doesn't make it worth $200-300 more, usually. The exceptions to this are fairly sought after and well known (which your instrument isn't).

So, temper your expectations.

A friend of mine in college ran across an ancient Martin cornet. It's from around 1916 or maybe 1912. He gave it to me for free. It needs work to be playable. Now, after 20 plus years, it's worth exactly as much as I paid for it back then.

Edit:

I hope someone chimes in with some info on your specific instrument.
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Mike Prestage
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Joined: 09 Oct 2012
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Location: Hereford, UK

PostPosted: Wed Apr 21, 2021 11:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

+1 to Finn's post but I'd be a little more optimistic about its appeal to collectors. Old-school British brass makers like Kitchen didn't turn out trumpets in large numbers and any they did make could be archaic enough to be interesting - not just grotty near-modern instruments. This is assuming it definitely is a trumpet, not a cornet, and that it's a valved instrument. Kitchen may have made valveless cavalry trumpets for the army; they certainly made infantry bugles.

Mike
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