Antique Musical Instruments/info on old horn

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Expert: - 12/21/2007


Question
I have an Excelsior Sonorous Class A Hawkes & Son Denman St Piccadilly Circus London 38317. I believe it is a coronet, made of brass. You can see the seams wher the bell was put together and the lead pipe is where you tune the horn. Any info about the age or history would be appreciated.

Answer
That horn would date back to about 1912.  

William Henry Hawkes, state trumpeter for Queen Victoria,  started an import business in 1860 at Cumberlnad St. Pimlico.  

In 1862,he moved to Soho Sqare. In 1869, he added a repair shop.  In 1875, he moved to Leicester Square.

In 1876, he formed a partnership with Jules Riviere as Riviere and Hawkes and began to make brass instruments.  

He formed WH Hawkes and Son in 1889.  In 1895, he moved to Denman St. Piccadilly Circus. In 1924, he opened a new factory at Edgeware, and in 1930 merged with Boosey and Co.

Antique Musical Instruments

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Kenton Scott

Expertise

Please note: My area is BRASS instruments, not other wind, string or percussion instruments. I will provide information on antique, obscure and out of production BRASS instruments. 1) Please don't ask for evaluations, I'll not provide them on this site. 2) I am often asked very similar questions, so I'd invite you to first check on Horn-u-Copia.net. Much of the information I have garnered about this topic, I have posted on this WEB site.

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I perform in several historical bands, have informally researched the area, repair brass instruments, and operate a Forum dedicated to the topic at http://horn-u-copia.net

Education/Credentials
B.S. Ed, M.S.

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