French MEHA trumpet - info wanted

[Nick Boyer]

Hi all,

Quick question for the group. I have a French MEHA trumpet (owned for about
15 years - bought it second hand) and I'm trying to find a little bit of
background on the company and trying to find out how old it may be. I've
taken it for valuations but no-one seems to know the make and its been
valued between 500 pounds and about two thousand - go figure! If anyone has
heard of the make or may be able to suggest how to date it etc I'd be
grateful. It seems farily old - virtually no laquer left a few dents etc
but they all add to the tone - its a wonderful instrument but with an
unknown background.

Any thoughts much appreciated

Nick

[TrmpTrim]

Hi all,

Any thoughts much appreciated

Nick

I too have two old Mehas. Can't remember numbers off hand but I believe I'm in
the 92,000 on one and 90 on the other. I've heard them being dated everything
from 1912-1947. Not sure but I really dig the sound. If I come across
anything I'll let you know. Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

Jon Trimble

[matthias kerl]

I have a F.Besson MEHA with the number 101xxx, I think it was build before
1940.
On the Bell is also stamped "Paris-France" and "fabrication francaise
perfectionée", so I always thaugt, it´s original build in France. This
French Company was bought by Besson (London) later (?), I think, before
this was owned by Boosey and Hawks.
It´s a really good Instrument with superb sound. Exceptional craftmanship.

matthias

"Nick Boyer" <nick....@wbhb.f9.co.uk> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:CI%F4.8836$Q5.32663@stones...

[M Magers]

I am under the impression that for F. Besson Meha the cutoff point was
about 92,500 for pre and post war horns made by the original Besson
company in France. So, I would assume that an F. Besson Meha with a SN
of 101XXX to be post war. The only published lists I have ever seen on
the net were not for the French made horns, but rather the British horns
that had a completely different serial number series.

Nick Boyer never came back with his serial or said whether or not his
Besson was an old one made by the French company or a contemporary one
made by Kanstul in the US.

Another little bit of Besson trivia: The F. in F. Besson stands for the
name "Fontaine" and not the word "French."

M Magers

[NORGEFAR]

The internet serial # tables for Bessons are for the English made Bessons - a
separate company from French Besson - (F. Besson = Fontaine? Besson), which
separated in late 1800's - some say to keep English assets out of French court
where Besson was being sued by Adolph Sax heirs.

Pre War II French Bessons have serial numbers below 92xxx - the exact point
when production stopped in 1940 as Germans entered Paris is not known.
101xxx would be in early 1950s. I understand the factory burned down in early
1970s - maybe earlier - and Boosey Hawkes bought the rights to the name then.

[Flip Oakes]

It's also my understanding that at the time when the Germans entered Paris, the
Besson trumpet parts were shipped to New York City, already stamped made in Paris
France (etc.) and some trumpets were assembled in NY and sold throughout the
country. I've also been told that Vincent Bach would go there and buy Besson
parts and assemble trumpets, there by starting him in the trumpet business. I'm
99% certain this is correct.

Flip Oakes

Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets”
COME AND HEAR THE DIFFERENCE
http://www.flipoakes.com

"To read what Wild Thing owners say about their horns, click on this"
http://www.flipoakes.com/testimonials.htm

Flip Oakes
1632 Burroughs St.
Oceanside, Ca. 92054-5911
760-722-1501

NORGEFAR wrote:

--

Flip Oakes “Wild Thing Trumpets”
COME AND HEAR THE DIFFERENCE
http://www.flipoakes.com

"To read what Wild Thing owners say about their horns, click on this"
http://www.flipoakes.com/testimonials.htm

Flip Oakes
1632 Burroughs St.
Oceanside, Ca. 92054-5911
760-722-1501

[matthias kerl]

Now I finally know what horn I own. :-))

Thanks a lot to Norgefar and M.Magers

matthias

"NORGEFAR" <norg...@aol.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:20000404104613...@ng-cf1.aol.com...

[mm]

At ease, Ed. There's no other way to indicate that the word is plural.
=] That's all he means, I'm sure.

Cheers,

M Magers

Ed Grant wrote:
>
> Tread carefully. Isn't "Bessons" the nasty "thing" that is made in India
> and advertised as a trumpet? Whether legit French, English, or U.S. (made
> by Kanstul), the word is Besson.....only two s's.
> NORGEFAR <norg...@aol.com> wrote in message

> news:20000404104613...@ng-cf1.aol.com...
> > The internet serial # tables for Bessons are for the English made
> Bessons - a

> > ....

[Ed Grant]

Tread carefully. Isn't "Bessons" the nasty "thing" that is made in India
and advertised as a trumpet? Whether legit French, English, or U.S. (made
by Kanstul), the word is Besson.....only two s's.
NORGEFAR <norg...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000404104613...@ng-cf1.aol.com...
> The internet serial # tables for Bessons are for the English made
Bessons - a

[Gary M. Gilbert]

You can check out this web site for the date made according to the s/n:
http://web.missouri.edu/~cceric/sn/besson.html

A good friend of mine just purchased a pre-war MEHA a few months ago and
just loves it.
Large bore, light weight and a great sound.

In the 20's and 30's Elden Benge, Vincent Bach and Dominic Calicchio all
based their trumpet designs on the F. Besson MEHA; which at that time was
considered the finest trumpet made.

Gary

"Nick Boyer" <nick....@wbhb.f9.co.uk> wrote in message

[Nick Boyer]

The serial # is 91102 - so that would still make it pre-war. This is the
first I've heard of a seperate company. I'd love to be able to date it and
find more about the history - the tone is so good, very thick, mellow and
smokey - unlike the bright, sharp sound of a lot of modern trumpets.

Thanks guys for your thoughts - anyone with (even :-) mor info is welcome to
get in touch

[mm]

Gary:

The chart at the top of this list is not for the French made horns, I
understand, as that would put his horn at about 1910. I was told the
http://web.missouri.edu/~cceric/sn/besson.html list is only good for the
London made horns and that there's no publicly listed chart for the
French made horns. An F. Besson Meha with a serial number of 91XXX
would probably be immediately prewar (WW2), with the pre and post war
cutoff being about 92500. I wish someone would put together a list for
the French Mehas. It would save a lot of the confusion on this topic.
You are dead on in your last paragraph, though. The early Benges
especially are virtual copies of the Meha.

M Magers

[Nkatsonis]

A bit more information: Carl Fischer in New York was, I believe, the exclusive
U.S. importer F. Besson for several decades before WWII. I have a sweet and
very mellow little trumpet that bears the Carl Fischer house label, but is
marked "Made in France" on the mouthpiece receiver. I haven't located a serial
number or other information, but have pretty much confirmed that it is a circa
1920 F. Besson. If the Fischer company records have been maintained, they
probably would supply the additional information that we are seeking.

[NORGEFAR]

My use of Bessons was in the plural for a group of Besson horns. You are
correct that Pakistani pocket trumpets carry the name Bessons and are being
sold by some US ebay sellers as genuine Besson.

" EdGrant" meg...@home.com
Date: 4/4/00 8:30 PM Central Daylight

[NORGEFAR]

Another bit of trivia --- perhaps legend:
The F. Besson company in Paris bought a large supply of brass shell casings
after WWI, and used that brass for its horn production between WWI and WWII.
Talk about beating swords into plows!!!!

[Ed Grant]

Sorry if I jumped too quickly....it's just that I see so darn much of that
"doo doo" on EBAY, and folks are always coming in and asking about "a
wonderful Bessons trumpet....." that they can buy "for cheap", that I guess
I figure it is important to make the distinction. Appreciate the use of the
plural.

General group question...would it be fair to ask if maybe an explanation of
"Bessons" vs "Besson" could be tacked up in the F.A.Q. for the newsgroup?
Or maybe added to the Brass Resources website? Just as I observe "we all"
tend to discourage illicit music copying, we should do all we can to
discourage illicite instrument copying...especially blatant "pirating" which
includes a legitimate firm's name and labelling.

NORGEFAR <norg...@aol.com> wrote in message

news:20000405152341...@ng-fn1.aol.com...

[stevema...@gmail.com]

I have had an F. Besson MEHA trumpet since the late 1960's, used as a student into the 70's. It has been kept in storage for the past 30+ years, but is in terrific condition. I am currently researching it's history and valuation.

I found a good website with some examples, history and a table of serial number ranges and production years up to 1947. You may find it useful.

http://www.vintagetrumpets.com/meha.shtml

I have found my trumpet to be consistent with the Example #2 non-Brevete MEHA model, with the underslung finger ring (same as mine - it is NOT an aftermarket change). Same marque stampings, mine is yellow brass finish, S/N of 96,xxx.

I will be determining my value and whether or not I want to sell it, since I have not played for those three decades.

Good luck in your own research.