Pocket bugle, bicycle bugle, or 'buglet', nominal pitch: 4½-ft B♭

J Higham

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Alternative Title

bicycle bugle ; buglet

Instrument

Bugle/Bugles/Wind/Musical Instrument ; Bugle

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

J Higham

Place Made

Europe ; England ; United Kingdom

Date Made

Circa 1900

Description

Overall size: length 158 without mouthpiece; bell: top to bottom 97, side to side 69. Bore: oval Dia of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. 10.2 9.4. Technical description: 4 coils, oval bell; silver plated brass. Inscribed on bell "J. HIGHAM / MAKER / 127, STRANGEWAYS / MANCHESTER". Lacks usual Higham embossed circular plaque with lion & unicorn emblem. Some dents. Usable pitch: Plays c 60 cents above A4 = 440 Hz. Performance characteristics: Very responsive sound production, but intonation imperfect. Purchased by lender with, probably formerly used with and possibly supplied by manufacturer with cornet mouthpiece (906). General usage of type: Bugles of this type were used for cycle clubs c 1900. This pocket bugle(t) is made from silver-plated brass and has four coils and an oval bell. It is inscribed on the bell “J.HIGHAM / MAKER / 127, STRANGEWAYS / MANCHESTER”. It lacks the (apparently) usual Higham embossed circular plaque with lion and unicorn emblem (although Langwill/Waterhouse and Grove make no mention of such an emblem in association with the firm). The instrument is dented in several places. It plays at c.60 cents above A4 = 440 Hz. In performance its sound production is very responsive but with imperfect intonation. In the late-19th century bicycle clubs became a popular pastime throughout Britain and North America. The clubs were social organisations often organised around neighborhoods, professions, gender and social classes. As these groups of cyclists competed for space on the road, they needed a way to signal to traffic, passersby and each other. The bicycle bugle, a small, compact instrument, was the perfect solution. It was the practice in most early bicycling clubs to have a club bugler give directions to members when out on a ride. These directions could signal that the group was mounting, speeding up, slowing down, dismounting, or even lifting their hats as they passed. Bicycling clubs were popular up until the start of the First World War. After the war alternative forms of entertainment made the bicycling club, and its associated bugle, mostly a thing of the past.

Other Information

General usage of type: Bugles of this type were used for cycle clubs c 1900.

Notes

Arnold Myers; L. Haigh 1.10.85; R. Parks 8.12.90.

Measurements

length 158 without mouthpiece; bell: top to bottom 97, side to side 69.

Provenance

on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd ; Mickleburgh Collection

Accession Number

0905

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