M. J. Kalashen Peerless Trumpet - Interesting Antique

[trickg]

I was sitting on the sofa, turning my brain to mush last night in front of the TV when a friend of mine texted me, and asked if I had ever heard of M. J. Kalashen.

Nope - it wasn't ringing a bell for me.

Over the next 30 minutes or so he proceeded to send me some pics and more information about this horn.

It turns out Kalashen was a Russian immigrant to the United States, moved to New York, and proceeded to make musical instruments, to varying degrees of success.

This one was stamped on the bell with a number that appeared to be 7250, which according to the following document, puts it at around a 1924/25 production. (It had a 55 stamped on the second valve casing - I'm not sure what that was about, but I think the serial number was on the bell.)

http://www.brasshistory.net/Kalashen%20Brass%20List.pdf

The horn appears to be in pretty good shape - it's missing one bottom valve cap, but otherwise didn't seem to be too banged up, and the lacquer was in surprisingly decent shape for an instrument pushing 100 years old.

I think this is one of those cases where it's something that's fairly rare, but not really valuable - not like an old Bach or Besson would be anyway.

I'll see if I can find some way to get some pics hosted and added to this thread. I used to use Photobucket, but that lost it's luster for me several years ago and I no longer use it.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[OldSchoolEuph]

From what Jon Patton has pulled together regarding Kalashen, some very intriguing questions arise. ( http://www.brasshistory.net/Kalashen%20History.pdf )

Kalashen's early work seems to be very French in styling (Courtois & Besson influenced wraps) and a trumpet that looks remarkably like an early Buescher / Conn. Was Kalashen just attune to the market forces of the day and an excellent imitator, or was he trained in French/Western instrument making?

Although brass band music basically came to Russia as a result of the crown prince's friendship with Jules Levy, who played Courtois cornets which are the archetype of late 19th century piston valve brass making, all of teh Russian makers of note prior to the revolution seem to have been German expats (they would have said Saxon, Bohemian, Viennese, etc) with their rotary tradition that continued in the Soviet Union right through the fall of communism.

Did Kalashen apprentice to a Russian master working in the French/Western tradition that we don't know about, and none of whose apprentices survived the revolution there, or did he learn this style after emigrating? From what we know of Russian brass making at the time, he logically would have apprenticed in a Saxon or Viennese tradition.

Think about the possibilities if piston-valve brass had taken hold in Russia to the degree they did in the United States, Britain, France - pretty much everywhere outside of Germany, Austria and part of Scandinavia. How would 20th century Russian music have differed? Would rotaries have remained the orchestral preference in the Germanic states if not bolstered by the Soviet Union's cultural direction? Is this evidence of a trumpet-specific socio-cultural impact of the Russian Revolution waiting to be rediscovered?
_________________
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

[trickg]

I just though it was an interesting horn. I was fully expecting it to be some cheap stencil from the 40s or 50s, but it ended up being something a bit more than I had anticipated. I also think it's interesting that there seem to be very few M. J. Kalashen instruments that have survived - probably more than the list that I linked to, but probably not too many more.

On a side note, I also found that other article last night - the one you linked to.

Would something like that be worth restoring? Did they play well? The Peerless Hand Made model seems to be a Besson copy, and if that's the case, it may well be a gem.

Can the valve caps be replicated? I was actually pleasantly surprised that it seems to have all three original valve stem buttons.
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[OldSchoolEuph]

Is it worth restoring is always tough to answer without seeing what the starting point is. As an investment, vintage horns almost never are. but for a trumpet player, if the cost is within reason, there is a lot of enjoyment that can be derived from owning a piece of the history - especially an exceedingly rare one.

Pretty much any part can be replicated. I am sure Robb Stewart would be able to replicate a missing cap, and there are others.

As far as playing: I would only be guessing. I have seen nothing online with regard to that. As Kalashen instruments appear to have been targeted at a general retail channel rather than music stores (along the lines of Keefer, Pedler, PanAmerican, Columbia, etc.), I wouldn't expect artist quality, but certainly something a notch above an imported store stencil.
_________________
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

[OldSchoolEuph]

I will raise a caution flag though as I just found this Kalashan trumpet on EBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-M-J-Kalashen-Trumpet-with-Case-Same-Maker-Mouthpiece-/113771144677

which is a stencil of a Conn PanAmerican.

So it appears that at some point Kalashan stopped building and started stencilling.
_________________
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

[trickg]

Isn't that the Kleartone Model?
_________________
Patrick Gleason
- Jupiter 1600i, ACB 3C, Warburton 4SVW/Titmus RT2
- Brasspire Unicorn C
- ACB Doubler

"95% of the average 'weekend warrior's' problems will be solved by an additional 30 minutes of insightful practice." - PLP

[jrpbrass]

Kalashen instruments are varied in their sources but I am pretty sure that they are all stencils and that Mark made nothing in New York. Some are imported from Europe, some are obvious Pan American stencils, and some have "Pat July 1910" on the middle valve indicating that it was made by Blessing. The added serial number on the bell was probably done by Kalashen for his own records. The quality will depend on the source. None sell for much online. The "55" on the middle valve may indicate a model of the original maker; usually B&F from Austria.

Having it restored or a valve cap replicated will far outweigh its value. Better to polish it up, stick a little valve oil in it, and have some fun.

Jon
BrassHistory.net
_________________
BrassHistory.net
Soli Deo Gloria

[trickg]

[OldSchoolEuph]

I defer to Jon's expertise on this one.

It does explain how a Russian expat could be selling western styled instruments given the Russian tradition in his day.

Oh well. Would still look good hanging on a Christmas tree!
_________________
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