Tenor horn. Nominal pitch: E♭.

Besson & Co

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Alternative Title

Tenor horn.

Instrument

Alto saxhorn

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Besson & Co

Place Made

Europe ; United Kingdom ; London ; England

Date Made

Circa 1910

Description

Technical description: Silver-plated brass. No loop over valves. 3-valve `Enharmonic' system valves: 1st and 2nd valves double with respect to 3rd. Windway leads from mouthpipe to 3rd valve, then via one of two alternative windways through 1st and 2nd valves back to the third valve, thence to bell. Valve type: Périnet-type valves, bottom-sprung; alignment by key on piston. Repair History: 3rd valve piston and touchpiece are replacements. Legs of main tuning-slide extended to lower pitch from Old Philharmonic. Serial number: 92949. Overall size: 508; bell 180. Sounding length: minimum 2048. Bore: mouthpipe at c 45mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore) 9.8; centre of valve cluster at c 370mm from mouthpiece receiver, v.t.s. bore (3,2,1,3) 11.0; m.t.s. at c 649mm from mouthpiece receiver, tuning slide bore 11.0; m.t.s. at c 865mm from mouthpiece receiver, tuning slide bore 11.5; 1024mm from bell end, c 12.2; c 777mm from bell end, 17.2. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. 11.3 10.4. Inscribed on bell "CLASS / A / Enharmonic / Patented" / "50 MEDALS OF HONOUR" within banner / monogram FB / "BESSON & CO. / Prototype / 198 EUSTON ROAD / LONDON / ENGLAND" / five pointed star; on side of valve casings "4", "BESSON & CO / BREVETE" within ellipse / "92949 / 5", "6"; on side of valve stems "4", "5", " ". Decorative features: Floral embellishment around inscription on bell. Usable pitch: As modified, plays at A4 = 440 Hz. Purchased by lender with and possibly formerly used with mouthpiece (2959).

Notes

R.Parks, 11.12.93, 23.10.99; A.Myers.

Measurements

508; bell 180.

Provenance

on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

2974

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