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For Sale

As at 21 December 2025 in Melbourne Australia
Contact David – 0415425350
Email: play_that_quail@hotmail

Arioso Super trumpet

  • Arioso – Unusual handmade Professional Arioso Super Trumpet – Bb – by Joseph Lidl’s [circa ]1892 and is the oldest music instrument manufacturer in Maehren, Czech Republic] which was merged into Amati. Arioso production by Amati continued through 1970s and 1980s
    Has a “Bohemian” or “French” rim and features a reverse leadpipe, 1st valve trigger, and large bore. Plays very well. Valves and slides operate as they should. Raw brass with patina, with some nickel trim  – Original case – $1000

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American model professional trumpet

  • “American” is the model name of this trumpet – French or Czech made – these trumpets were sold under the name of Buffet Crampon in the US but not in Europe – Bauerfeind valves – with original pigskin style Buffet hard case – Professional – similar appearance to Selmer – Tone ring built into bell – a delight to play

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Conn Ballad Horn

  • Ballad horn – Conn Elkhart Indiana – piston valve actuated Ballad horn / French horn / mellophone – silver – with hard case and mouthpiece – circa 1919 – very good playing condition – $850

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Champion cornet

  • Champion: Chicago jazz age horns. When Louis Armstrong learned to play at the New Orleans Waifs Home it was on a Champion Silver Piston trumpet [see my post] which history wrongly designated as a cornet. This instrument IS a cornet in nickel plate which I guesstimate to be from mid to late 1920s. Very good playing condition with full engraving on the bell and also on the horizontals This has the original mouthpiece and “case”: the red satchel type period case is leatherlook material with a zip top, with a label inside “Artistic covers, New York” – $1000

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Dixie Music House trumpet

  • Dixie Music House trumpet – a piece of early jazz history – a Chicago horn from the Dixie Music House, 320 South Wabash Avenue Chicago Illinois, circa 1929 – probably a stencil – plays well – original hard case – $750

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Emo brand World trumpet –
the finest horn that I have ever played in my whole life” – Satchmo

Serial #2104 [photos and details @ – https://www.vintagebrasswindsaustralia.com/tag/emo/ ]
See Louis Armstrong’s handwritten letter to the maker, Ernst Modl, enthusing over Emo trumpets – $2250

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Holton banana trumpet MF horn

  • Fabulous and iconic Holton MF horn banana trumpet –
    Maynard Ferguson horn – Holton ST305 MF `banana` trumpet 0.484 bore, case, mouthpiece – Very good condition – Original case – $6000

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Weril Master trumpet

Weril Master trumpet from Brazil where Weril [based on European design] has been manufacturing since 1909 – gold brass lacquer finish and Nickel Silver Trim – serial number F-07913 – This has a slide ring on the third valve slide and a saddle slider on the first valve –  
Weril master trumpet  – Professional level – $1000

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Zeus trumpet

Zeus TR250 from USA – plays well – looks good – with hard case shown – $650

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Olds Valve trombone SERIAL #664841

Nice playing Olds Valve trombone – circa 1968 – good condition and great sound – hard case missing a latch but serviceable – with mouthpiece – $1000

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Olds Recording trombone

– great sound and good slide –

Dual bore  – Fluted inner slide – 7 1/2″ Bell has some slight dings.
Finish has wear – most of the lacquer is off
Slide action is excellent after a service by Melbourne’s Don Stewart, @ Broken wind]. Tone warm and clear tone. Bell is red/rose brass [lots of copper in the mix].
King case in good used condition – no mouthpiece included

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Harry B. Jay Chicago Columbia euphonium – a piece of jazz history –

Harry B. Jay Columbia Euphonium – Chicago – circa 1921

Harry B. Jay instruments and the Jazz Age

Harry B. Jay was a cornet player in what was America’s best-known internationally renowned band, the Sousa band, which was based in Illinois not far from Chicago.  In around 1909  he set up Columbia Band Instrument Company.

 His Columbia instruments were renowned in Chicago, a major jazz center, and are responsible for the cornet sounds in Jelly roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers and the sounds of King Oliver’s Dixie Syncopators (where they were played respectively by George Mitchell, King Oliver, and Louis Armstrong). George Mitchell played one of the cornets on all the Jelly Roll Morton recordings (and others) as did Tommy Ladnier of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Jabbo Smith {Rhythm Aces] who was seen as a rival to Armstrong also played one.  A lot of other traditional jazz band cornet players used Columbia instruments in the 1910s and 1920s. An example of H.B. Jay instruments being at the epicenter of 1920s jazz in Chicago is what was said by cornet player George Mitchell –

“When I made the [Red Hot Peppers] records with Jelly Roll, I used a Harry B. Jay cornet, made here in Chicago. The reason I bought that Jay cornet was, I was working with Jimmie Noone at an after-hours club down on 35th Street, and Muggsy Spanier used to come and sit in with us. One night I was telling him that my horn was going bad and that I needed a new one. He mentioned the Jay he had and said, “You can play that tonight.” He left the cornet there, and I liked the tone so much that I went to the factory the next day and bought one, a Jay. That’s what I used on those records. …”

Harry B. Jay produced a variety of instruments, including several varieties of Euphoniums, trombones, trumpets, cornets and trumpet cornets. The quality of his instruments is fantastic, in terms of playability, design, construction, and sound. They live on!

Just over ten thousand Columbia instruments were produced between about 1910 and the late 1920s: they were not marketed in Australia, where mostly British instruments – Besson, Higham, Hawkes, Boosey & Hawkes – and some Bohemian instruments were sold by Australian Musical instrument shops. In 1918 Harry B. Jay advertising [in Boy’s Own, and Popular Mechanics] offered 10 days free trial, and payment on terms.

It is completely playable.  The valves are pictured and are in very good condition. Compression is very good. There are no leaks:  the instrument is tight and fully functional. The slides all pull. Tuning slide architecture is reverse leadpipe, the subject of a Harry B. Jay patent.

EXTREMELY good vintage condition but has  some slight pings/dings and finish wear: No major dings – see the photographs below

    tuning slide works –     warm clear ebullient tone –     solid and straight – No  case – The mouthpiece shown works well and is included

This iconic Chicagoan is an absolute treat to play and is absolutely gig ready – I played it with Havana Palava at a Kindergarten open day on Separation Street Northcote a couple of months ago –

Martin Band Instruments for sale –

Some Martin Instruments are shown here: Martin Committee – Vintage Brasswinds Australia

If you’re interested in a Martin, make me an offer: Mobile 0415425350

Martin Indiana cornet [Indian Chieftain model] #77942 –

This is one of those timeless vintage cornets which underscores the validity of the mystique about Martin instruments . Valves perfect. Slides working. Makes you the player sound good and feel good. Some of the lacquer has worn off where there is hand contact – $800

Callet New York trumpet

Jerome Callet New York, Large Bore Bb trumpet. Valves and slides are all in very good shape. {Un}original Bach hard case – $2000

Dearman Wornell model

This stylish UK designed and patented trumpet was built to Wornell’s specifications in Czechoslovakia and came with either a copper finish [like this one in the Horniman Museum] –

or a silver plate finish. Unusual features include the tubular valve ends, the telescoping valve tops, and the French ring on the bell. A slide can be removed for quick change to A. Has the original case [shown] in reasonable condition. Excellent quality and construction and Extremely collectable. $1400

Helmut Finke rotary baroque trumpet

From 1950 Helmut Finke was involved in making and assembling instruments, running his own workshop, and making copies of sackbuts and baroque trumpets. In the mid 1950s he was the first 20th Century maker in this field. His instruments included high trumpets and french horns and other bigger brass instruments. In 1959 he designed the coiled natural trumpet (also known as a Clarino).

  • GREAT playing condition
  • third valve trigger
  • foam holding cover [seen in the photos] is in good condition
  • bell size measures just under 100mm
  • All slides move
  • mouthpiece included 
  • rotary valves are excellent 
  • cosmetically excellent but with some very minor imperfections 
  • straight and solid
  • engraving is crisp

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Bach CR300 outfit – a steal at $450

Bach CR300 cornet outfit – Vintage Brasswinds Australia

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Jackson trumpet

Some comments and photographs on this site – https://www.vintagebrasswindsaustralia.com/2020/12/14/jackson-super-trumpet-from-switzerland/

Brilliant sound – great  intonation – full range of sound from lowest whispering to highest screaming! A real collectors item!” – $2250

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and many more trumpets, cornets, trombones, euphoniums, flugel horns etcetera – in Melbourne Victoria right now

Categories
Uncategorized

Brands & types

This is a list of makers and types that I’m interested in. Some brands I have instruments for sale, some I don’t [see the separate list, which is not exhaustive or complete]. Some of them are my personal favorites – but there are lots of intangibles which come into play in instrument brand preference, and – unlike the stereotypical brass teacher who wants all students to sound the same – as a player be awake to the differences in sound, feel, and satisfaction between different brands of an instrument.

A word on Chinese instruments: China has been making brass instruments for a lot longer than many people choose to acknowledge. Brass bands have existed in China for a couple of hundred years, furnished with imported instruments by – at least – the French and the British. Chinese made Yamaha brass has been with us for several decades. I am aware of skilled and experienced brass players publicly enthusing – 20 years ago – at the sound quality and build of Chinese instruments, whereas there are others who decry them. Generalizing is a lazy approach.

My perspective of musical paths and tracks to follow were laid out by my first trombone [a Buescher] 65 years ago, and my first trumpet [a Boosey & Hawkes] 60 years ago]. My journey has also been informed by the recorded sounds of jazz players and they sounds and dynamics they created – the horns and dynamics of Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, King Oliver, Kid Ory, Miff Mole, Red Nicholls, Jack Teagarden, and Miles Davis – to name a very few.

Student instruments

The concept of a student horn was a marketing device which began around the time of the great depression. But before that it was common for manufacturers to offer cheaper alternatives for purchase by beginners. A hundred years ago Besson offered Class A instruments [the better class] and Class B instruments [what we might call student horns].

Nowadays one way to select an instrument for a student is to go to your local music shop. In our Australian cities choice is limited: for learners the shelves tend to be monopolized by a few somewhat soul-less brands, some with better quality models within the brand. The modern method of anonymizing provenance is for the seller to place initials, or some bland description on a shiny instrument: generally you will get what you pay for. From time to time Aldi stores have a variety of cheap instruments [including trumpets, trombones, flutes, and others] for around $167 Australian dollars.

Professional instruments – upgrade instruments

New instruments: An establishment close by Melbourne’s CBD that I checked out last week had many boxes of new trumpets, but only two used ones. In reality, as you can see from the player’s preferences [if you follow the link In the next paragraph and check out who plays what] there are many brass players who don’t get involved in the process of semi-snobbery which distinguishes student and professional instruments.

Players’ Preferences [what they use]

There is an interesting list of instruments played by various trumpet players: the list has been around for years, and seems to be evolving: one iteration is here – https://ojtrumpet.no/playerhorn/

Mouthpieces

Mouthpieces: can make an enormous different to the sound and feel of an instrument. Playing a trumpet with a Bach 7C mouthpiece can be satisfying, but deeper, shallower, wider rimmed, heavier mass mouthpieces are there to exploit: they DO have the capacity to change an instrument’s dynamics. Switching from a narrow bore mouthpiece to a more open bore mouthpiece can change how much effort you need to put in as a player.

My brands of interest

  • Abbott – US – New York – imported Bohland & Fuchs instruments – Bells marked Abbott Mfrg
  • Adams
  • Ahlberg & Olson
  • Al Cass [mouthpieces]
  • Allmen
  • Amati [Czech]
  • American Band Instrument Co
  • American Model – various manufacturers
  • Arigra – including the octagonal bells
  • Arioso
  • Arnolds & Son [GB]
  • Aubertin [France]
  • B&S [Germany]
  • Bach [USA]
  • Anton Bach [Czech]
  • Bandmaster [USA]
  • Barcone [Italy]
  • Baronet
  • Bauerfeind [valves] [Europe]
  • Beaumont [US]
  • Benge – Chicago
  • Besson – UK and France
  • Blackburn
  • Blessing – Elkhart Indiana
  • BOHEMIA various inc Czech German
  • Bohland & Fuchs
  • Bohmanns American
  • Boosey – UK
  • Boosey & Hawkes
  • Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury
  • Bruno NY
  • Buech
  • Buechel website
  • Buescher – Elkhart Indiana
  • Buffet
  • Calicchio
  • Callet
  • Carl Fischer
  • Carol
  • Cavalier
  • Century
  • Cerveny
  • Champion
  • Charles Ponte
  • Chicago Distributors
  • Chicago makers
  • Civil warCivil war horns including OTS [over the shoulder] horns
  • Clinton [Czech]
  • Concertone
  • Conn – Elkhart Indiana
  • Conn Pan American
  • Conn Victor
  • Couesnon – France
  • Couf H
  • Courtois – France
  • Couturier – US
  • Crown – Holland
  • Cundy Betoney
  • Custom horns
  • Dallas UK
  • De Lacy – Brixton
  • De Vries
  • Dearman – “Foreign” to UK
  • DeNicola – US
  • Distin
  • Ditson
  • Diver [Chicago]
  • Dixie Music House Chicago
  • Douglas & Son Glasgow
  • DuPont
  • Durand Paris
  • Ebblewhite
  • Eggers Suisse
  • Elkhart
  • Emo – Ernst Modl
  • Erich Lange
  • Ernst David Bielefield
  • Eschenbach
  • Evette-Schaefer
  • Finke
  • Flip Oakes
  • Foetisch Freres Lausanne
  • Foote
  • Foreign
  • Franklin
  • French makers or names
  • Furst Pless
  • Gautrot Ainee
  • Gebruder Alexander Mainz
  • Getzen
  • Giardinelli
  • Glier
  • Graves
  • Gretsch
  • Grinnell – US
  • Halari
  • Hall of Boston
  • Hamilton
  • Harrelson
  • Harry B Jay [Chicago]
  • Harwood
  • Hawkes [UK]
  • Hayes Band Instruments
  • Heald – US
  • Heckel Dresden
  • Henri Gautier – France / Czechoslovakia
  • Henry Keat – US
  • Herco
  • Herman Trapp – Neukirchen
  • Hess
  • Higham – UK
  • Holton [Chicago then Elkhorn]
  • Hopf
  • Hug & Co Lucerne
  • Huller [Europe]
  • Hutchins [Mass]
  • Huttl [Germany]
  • Imperial – Williamsport
  • J.Gras
  • Jackson
  • Jaubert & Cie
  • Jenkins [KC]
  • Jestadt
  • Jiran Chicago
  • John York – Sydney
  • Jupiter – Taiwan
  • Kaempf NY
  • Kalashen
  • Kallison
  • Kanstul – US
  • Kawai
  • Keefer
  • Keilwerth
  • King [H.N. White] US
  • Klier
  • Koeder USA
  • Kofmann Geneve
  • Kuhnl & Hoyer
  • La Fleur
  • LA Sax
  • Lark – PRC
  • Lawler
  • LeBlanc
  • LeComte
  • Lidl
  • Lindberg
  • Lockie Music Exchange LA
  • Ludwig
  • Luxor
  • Lyon & Healy – Chicago: a formidable music house which imported and manufactured
  • Lyons Band Instrument – Chicago
  • Mahillon
  • Manchester
  • Marceau
  • Marcinkewicz
  • Martin Band Instrument Company
  • Martin 0 to 100000
  • Martin 100000 to 200000
  • Martin 200000 onwards
  • Martin 700000 onwards
  • Martin Brasswinds 2020
  • Martin catalogues and documents
  • Martin Committee info
  • Martin committee membership
  • Martin in Australia
  • Martin Indiana
  • Martin information
  • Martin Mouthpieces
  • Martin stencils
  • McMillin – Cleveland
  • Meinel
  • Meister Anton Koln
  • Meredith – US
  • Mersel
  • Merson
  • Milliens Paris
  • Miraphone
  • Missenharter
  • Monette
  • Monique
  • Monitor
  • Monke Josef
  • Monke Wilhelm
  • Noblet by Courtois
  • Nuss
  • Ohio Band Instrument
  • Olds
  • Orsi Prof. Romeo [Italy]
  • Other makers Asia
  • Other makers Germany
  • Other makers Italy
  • Other makers Russia
  • Other makers UK
  • Other makers USA
  • Other makes France
  • Pan American
  • Parduba
  • Parisi Torino – Italy
  • Paul Le Grande
  • Paulus Markneukirchen
  • Pedler
  • Penzel Mueller
  • Pepper
  • Phaeton
  • Pilczuk Accusonic
  • PLASTIC brands
  • Pollman
  • Pollter Leipzig
  • Pruefer
  • Quinby
  • Ralph Kenny
  • Raymond Dubois Paris
  • Reynolds [USA]
  • Reynolds [NOT USA]
  • Rodig
  • Royal
  • Rudall Carte
  • Rudy Muck
  • Salvation Army
  • Sansone
  • Sax
  • Schagerl
  • Schediphon
  • Schenkelaars
  • Scherzer
  • Schilke
  • Schmidt
  • Schubert – Carl
  • Schuster Markneukirchen
  • Sears – mail order instruments US
  • Seefeldt_W
  • Selmer
  • Sherwood
  • Shires
  • Silvertone
  • Sinfonia
  • Sistek Cleveland
  • Slater NY
  • Sonare
  • Sorkin
  • Spiri
  • Stenberg
  • Stencils
  • Sterling
  • Stomvi
  • Sudre
  • Taylor
  • Taylor & Horn Chicago
  • Temby [Australia]
  • Thibouville Lamy
  • Tonk
  • TopTone
  • Triumphonic
  • Unknown
  • Vega
  • Vito
  • Vox
  • Wahlich
  • Warburton
  • Weril
  • Weymann
  • Williams & Wallace
  • Williams query
  • Williams Toronto
  • Willson
  • Wm Frank
  • Wohlrab
  • Wolfram
  • Wright
  • WS
  • Wunderlich
  • Wurlitzer
  • Yamaha
  • York
  • Zeus
  • Zimmerman Leipzig
  • Z-stencils
  • Z_ Defunct makers