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Besson Flugelhorn - please help identify



 
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Zed
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Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 29
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:17 pm    Post subject: Besson Flugelhorn - please help identify Reply with quote

I inherited a Besson flugelhorn from the school brass band I played in in Sydney in the 80s. I did a search on here and saw that Besson flugels don't have the greatest reputation and that some that were marked as Paris were made in London. Those seem to be the ones with the bad rep. Any information about my model would be appreciated.

I can't post pictures but it is a standard flugel, no triggers. At some point it had some gold type lacquer but the kid who had it before me in the band tried to clean it with Brasso so now it's mostly raw brass.

The markings on the bell are as follows

-some type of cursive writing - possibly Artist
Fabrication Fransaise (I may need to go back and check that spelling)
F. Besson
PARIS
1404


Any information appreciated.

Zed.
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Flugelnut
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 478
Location: The Netherlands

PostPosted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 6:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In the late fifties the French Besson company merged with or was acquired by Couesnon and your flugel is probably a Couesnon in Besson disguise.
I once owned a Besson Artist flugel and it played as well or better than Couesnon Monopoles I tried.
I'm still somewhat sorry I let it go, although my current Kanstul Besson Brevete is at least as good.
My advice would be to hang on to it, it's more of a flugel than most modern ones.
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Shawnino
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Joined: 27 Jun 2020
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

'Fabrication Française' is literally 'French Made'.

(Sorry, that's all I got.)

Got a serial number?
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Zed
Regular Member


Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 29
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 11:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Flugelnut and Shawnino.

Looked and couldn't find a serial number - unless its the number on the bell. There is what looks to be a very small upper case A on the second valve casing. I assume that's for "artist" but It's so small it might be an arrowhead. I can't really tell. On the other side of the valve casing, each casing is marked with a number 1, 2 or 3.

I'm quite happy with how it plays, which is all that really counts.

cheers

Zed
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Liberty Lips
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Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 972

PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Zed wrote:
Thanks Flugelnut and Shawnino.

Looked and couldn't find a serial number - unless its the number on the bell. There is what looks to be a very small upper case A on the second valve casing. I assume that's for "artist" but It's so small it might be an arrowhead. I can't really tell. On the other side of the valve casing, each casing is marked with a number 1, 2 or 3.

I'm quite happy with how it plays, which is all that really counts.

cheers

Zed

Any chance of uploading a few photos?
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Liberty Lips
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Joined: 12 Dec 2003
Posts: 972

PostPosted: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, you’ve already mentioned that you can’t post photos. Still, we can’t really give you any information without them.
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Flugelnut
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 478
Location: The Netherlands

PostPosted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There´s a topic on this forum called "Couesnon flugelhorn" with a lot of contributions, I think it runs for 15 or 20 pages. Among them is a copy of a Couesnon catalog from the fifties I think and I suspect your flugel is pictured in it under the name or model Couesnon 146.
The Besson Artist I once owned was the spitting image of that one.
Good luck and let us know!
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Zed
Regular Member


Joined: 17 Oct 2019
Posts: 29
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Fri Nov 20, 2020 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks very much for all the help. I'll have a look in that brochure.

Zed
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