Expert: Kenton Scott - 2/7/2009

Question
Dear Mr. Scott,
I acquired a silver Besson upright tuba some years ago. I am now trying to date it's year of manufacture. The only number I've found on it is 441552. This number is located on the back lower portion of the bell. The engraving in the front says as follows "50 Medals of Honor", below seems to have the letters FJB. Below that it states "Besson" with a stamped 5-pointed star. Below that it says "London-Paris-New York". Finally below that it simply states "Made in England".

I've given someone else this number, and they've looked this up in the Boosey & Hawkes list and said it was made from mid-to-late 1967. Although I'm no expert in this field, I am however somewhat knowledgeable in antiques and the like , and this instrument doesn't seem to have been made in 1967. Please help.

Thank you so much,
Anthony

Answer
I can't account for the serial number, but Besson ran several different serial number lists depending on where the instrument was made and what the instrument was.  Nevertheless it seems to large for an early horn.  BUT the 50 Medals of Honor was a designation they used near 1900.  I would suspect the horns dates to around the turn of the century.