Besson Cornet-50 Medal of Honour

PNut · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 5:40 am Post subject: Besson Cornet-50 Medal of Honour

Came across one of these in my area. Worth much?

Bell is stamped:

50 Medals of Honour
FB
Besson
London - Paris - New York
Made in England

https://photos.app.goo.gl/gkGNqtpi8CVTjasb7
_________________
Gotta Love Music

royjohn · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 7:19 am Post subject:

I can make a stab at this...I can tell you what it ISN'T. It isn't a Besson International, Besson 2-20, Besson 10-10 or Besson Imperial or Sovereign. Those are the premium models I can think of offhand. Since it isn't branded as one of those, I am assuming it is an entry level model Besson. Based on the picture of the bell, the lacquer is off this horn and it isn't in the greatest of shape. You don't show the rest of the horn, so I can't see whether it has triggers on 1st and 3rd valve slides, which would indicate it is a premium horn. I assume it doesn't have these.

Besson made nice, sturdy cornets, so this is probably a nice, playable example of a '50's to '70's (???) cornet...but there isn't a lot of demand for these. Most kids want a trumpet.

I ran across this similar horn on ebay for $200 BIN, so I would assume yours is worth a little less than that at a going rate:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/184617660022?hash=item2afc11ee76:g:pgMAAOSwjqFf~QZ8

Maybe one of the Besson experts on here can add more. Hope this helps!
_________________
royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

PNut · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 7:50 am Post subject:

Yes it only has a trigger on the third valve slide.
_________________
Gotta Love Music

PNut · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 8:07 am Post subject:

The bottom of the 2nd valve casing is stamped Besson Brevete.

I believe its mid-50's.
_________________
Gotta Love Music

Mike Prestage · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 11:26 am Post subject:

Royjohn, tbh I think that seller will be waiting a very long time to sell it $200. I've found 'sold items' searches are the way to go if using Ebay to estimate something's market value - or potentially 'completed items' as price info for items that failed to sell can also be interesting.

PNut, those scratches in the bell suggest a very hard life to me - judging from that photo alone, I'd treat it as near-worthless.

(All this is from a UK perspective but while there's more demand here than in the US or Canada for cheap cornets for beginners, we're also really well-supplied with old British-made stuff so I'm not sure there'll be much difference in prices.)

It probably doesn't make much difference either way to the value but, out of curiosity, does it have a long bell or a shepherd's crook?

Mike

royjohn · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 12:27 pm Post subject:

So the Brevete, AFAIK, is a standard rather than an entry level horn, but I'd still put the value around the same range...maybe someone else will disagree...
_________________
royjohn
Trumpets: 1928 Holton Llewellyn Model, 1957 Holton 51LB, 2010 Custom C by Bill Jones, 2011 Custom D/Eb by Bill Jones
Flugels: 1975 Olds Superstar, 1970's Elkhardt, 1970's Getzen 4 valve
Cornet: 1970's Yamaha YCR-233S . . . and others . . .

PNut · Posted: Sun May 30, 2021 12:31 pm Post subject:

No shepherds crook.
_________________
Gotta Love Music

Mike Prestage · Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 12:06 am Post subject:

Voltrane · Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 2:47 am Post subject:

Yes, Breveté has nothing to do with a model name. It means only patented.
I have some different Besson trumpet and cornet models (the oldest 1915) that have nothing in common but they are “Breveté”.
When people buy a Besson “Brevete”, they do know what they buy unless there is a model name on the bell.
_________________
S’il n’en reste qu’un je serai celui là (Victor Hugo)
Je m’empresse d’en rire de peur d’avoir à en pleurer (Beaumarchais)