Bach Stradivarius Trumpet Serial Numbers

1. Bach Stradivarius Trumpet Serial Number Guide

NEW YORK BACHSTRADIVARIUSTRUMPET AND CORNETBELL MARKINGSRevision 1(Roy Hempley and DougLehrer)References:1. 'New York Bach Stradivarius Trumpet and Cornet Bell Markings', February19, 2001, Roy Hempley and Doug Lehrer.2.

'Bach's X Horns', July 10, 2001, Roy Hempley and Doug Lehrer.3. 'Interesting Bach Instruments: A One-Digit New York Trumpet', February 6,2004, Roy Hempley and Doug Lehrer.DISCLAIMERThis article is a complete revision to Reference1. Since the original version was written, the authors discovered anadditional bell marking arrangement.

They also found new material thatexplains certain codes found on some bells. The authors continue to reviewnew data and try to correlate it with instruments. They make every effortto ensure that the articles are accurate, but because of the unfolding nature oftheir research, even further revisions are possible.INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEWThis article discusses bell markings on New York Bach Stradivarius trumpets andcornets, i.e., trumpets and cornets made by Vincent Bach before he opened his MtVernon, New York plant in 1953. These bell markings hold special meaningfor those who play and collect older Bach instruments. They help identifythe characteristics of an instrument, relate those characteristics to theevolution of Bach's designs and judge whether the instrument has significanthistorical interest.Bach made other models of trumpets and cornets in New York: Apollo, Mercedes andMercury. Nevertheless, the subject of this article is restricted toStradivarius instruments simply because there are more of those available forexamination. The other models use many of the same markings.This article was written primarily by comparingbell stamps with data recorded on Bach's shop cards.

These cards containall of the information known about the instruments as they left the factory.Conn-Selmer, Inc. Provided the authors with access to them as well as otheroriginal Bach material. Because of the importance of the shop cards inresearching Bach's trumpets, a special section about them has been included atthe end of this article.Except for his earliest instruments, Bach's bell marking arrangements allincluded the model name of the instrument, the company name and the name of thecity in which the instrument was manufactured. As time passed, otherinformation was added to the format. Eventually, most of the importantinformation on the shop cards could be found on the instruments, but the bellsbecame cluttered and sometimes confusing.

To simply things again, stamps wereeliminated, and the bells were returned to a more streamlined look. Theauthors think that most trumpet players probably preferred the simpler look.Four marking arrangements are discussed below. They are identified as'Earliest', 'Faciebat Anno', 'Bell Number-Bore Size' and 'Plain' bells.FOUR BELL MARKING ARRANGEMENTSI. EARLIEST BELLSThe earliest New York Bach bells were relatively unadorned.

They did notinclude model names. Bach instruments had model names (Stradivarius,Apollo and Mercury) at the time, but they just were not stamped on the bells.The following shows one of these bells as well as the marking arrangement.Figure 1: Earliest BellMarking Arrangement(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)The authors think that approximately 85instruments were made without model names on them. A few instruments withserial numbers up to and including 79 were examined, and none have model nameson them. On the other hand, trumpets numbered 89 and beyond do.

Theauthors assume that model names were added to instruments starting at a serialnumber in between.The Company NameFrom the beginning of production, the companyname, Vincent Bach Corporation, was stamped on each bell. Vincent Bachappears in distinctive signature form and underlined. The word Corporationfollows underneath. This feature was never changed.Bell IdentifiersLetter stamps are used to identify the bells on these instruments. Theletters found so far are T, B (shown in the figure above), D, F, TD and VB.Most of the bells are stamped between the Corporation and New York lines.The VB stamped on one instrument is interestingbecause it might represent Vincent Bach's initials. That particular bellis unique in size, being much smaller in diameter compared to all of the otherearly bells examined thus far.

The authors recognize that there issignificance to the VB stamp, but they simply cannot confirm what it is.The most important bells are the first two in theabove list because they are found in larger quantities than the others are.Bach designated his first two B b bells as T and B, but the authorshave been unable to determine what the letters mean. Based on a lot ofcircumstantial evidence too lengthy to present, the authors are almost certainthat the letter B does not mean Besson, as has been suggested to them severaltimes. The bell flares of approximately 10 Bach trumpet bells werepatterned to some degree after Besson bells, and they include both the T and Bbells. As of now, there does not appear to be any particular reason toassociate the name Besson with the B bell.Not all of the bellidentifiers are located in the position shown above.

The owner of aone-digit trumpet (Reference 3) graciously allowed it to be examined. Thatinstrument also has a B bell, but the B is located between Vincent Bach'ssignature and the word Corporation (see below).

The company name on thisbell was nearly buffed off during refurbishment, but the B remains fairly clear.Figure 2: AlternativeBell Letter Placement(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)Manufacturing LocationThe last entry on these bells is the company's location. It simplyidentifies New York, U.S.A. All instruments without a model name were madeat Bach's second factory, which was located at 241 E. 41st Street, NY.Just What Model Is It?Without a model name stamped on its bell, it is difficult to determine the modelof an instrument. In a very few instances, replacement shop cards werefilled out, and the cards identify the models.

Beyond this help,measurements and/or comparisons to catalogs are needed to determine the pedigreeof an instrument.The authors think that most of the instrumentsmade without model names on them were Stradivarius Models. All of theinstruments brought to the authors' attention so far are clearly StradivariusModels.

On the other hand, some Apollo instruments were made within thefirst 85 or so instruments, but none of those have been found. The authorsassume that they follow the same convention and do not have model names stampedon them. If so, they would require analysis to identify.

There wereno Mercedes or Mercury instruments made within the relevant serial number range.II. FACIEBAT ANNO BELLSThe earliest marking arrangement soon gave way tothe more familiar format of the Faciebat Anno bells. Additionalinformation is included in this format as shown below.Figure 3: Faciebat AnnoBell Marking Arrangement(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)Model NamesAfter approximately 85 instruments were made (see abovesection), Bach began stamping model names on his instruments. It appearsthat the Faciebat Anno marking arrangement also started at the same time.A question naturally arises as to why Bach introduced model names at thisproduction point.

The authors think that the key event was his applicationfor trademarks. This occurred in August 1925. (They were officiallyregistered in March 1926.) Because of the omission of 'completion' dateson the earliest shop cards, the relationship between the trademark applicationdate and the earliest stamping of a model name on a bell can only be judged tocoincide.Faciebat AnnoFaciebat anno is a Latin phrase for 'manufactured in the year of' or somereasonably close translation to that. It is stamped immediately below themodel name, normally with a year designator following it. The year usuallyreflects when the instrument was sold, and this can be a different from the yearthe instrument was actually completed.Many of the shop cards for the Faciebat Annoinstruments do not contain completion dates.

Thus, the sale year, whichcould be a later year, is the only relevant year known for these instruments.It is common to see incomplete years stamped on some Faciebat Anno instruments.The sale years for those instruments can only be estimated by comparing them toinstruments with similar serial numbers.The Company NameAs with the previous stamping arrangement, thecompany name, Vincent Bach Corporation, is stamped on every instrument that hasbeen examined. Bell identifiers normally are found embedded in it.Bell IdentifiersThe Faciebat Anno instruments changed the location of the bell identifiers.In this case, the identifiers were usually stamped just under Vincent Bach'sname, most often near the B in Bach. A small 'x' on the writtendescription next to the trumpet bell in the above figure indicates where tolook.

The photograph shows a small 6 located in that position.When Bach began the Faciebat Anno stampingarrangement, he was still using letters to identify bells. (The letterswere described in the previous section.) He soon switched to numericalidentifiers.

At this point, he re-designated his T and B bells as bellsnumber 1 and 2, respectively.Bach began switching to number identifiers aroundserial number 102 (probably in 1926), although a few instruments with higherserial numbers were made using letters. Stradivarius instruments usingletters essentially stopped at serial number 143.

Some Apollo trumpetswith even higher serial numbers are known to have letters, but these fewinstruments probably used bells left over from earlier manufacturing.The numbers can be associated with the mandrils used to form the bells, butthere are other stampings occasionally seen with them. These take the formof letters and/or numbers following the bell numbers. The cases identifiedso far are 6G, 6F23 and 6GF.

All of these trumpets use a number 6 bell,but there is obviously something special about them.The authors have determined that the F representsFrench brass by inspecting the shop cards. The 23 is thought to be somekind of code indicating a relatively thin brass.The meaning of the letter G has been illusive.It would naturally follow that G represents German brass. Probably it doesnot. The 6GF bell makes this interpretation meaningless. Aninterested reader sent a photograph of a 6GF bell to the authors (see below).(In addition to having this unique bell code, the trumpet is highly engravedwith Bach's distinctive engraving pattern.)Figure 4: Bell Code 6GF(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)Another logical guess is the G means the samething as it does on modern Bach instruments, i.e., the bell is made of 'goldbrass', which has higher-than-normal copper content. In a letter reviewedby the authors, however, Bach wrote about European brass.

Speaking aboutthe period after World War I, which ended in 1919, he said that French brass hadlower-than-normal copper content because copper was hard to get. He alsosaid that it was widely used in Europe and was hard to work. The authorshave seen evidence, however, that Bach had both French and German brass assayed,and the German brass had higher-than-normal copper content. With this inmind, what could the copper content of a 6GF bell possibly be, high or low?The existence of a bell with 6GF stamped on it isimportant. The trumpet's shop card identifies the brass in its bell asFrench brass, yet the bell is stamped with a G as well as an F. Since thebrass cannot be both French and German or high and low in copper content, theauthors are unable to make a useful judgement about the G at this time.Before leaving the topic of bell brass, readers should realize that Bachimported relatively little brass. The authors know that Bach had brassmade to his own specifications.

Some of it may well have been similar toEuropean brass of one kind or another whether or not it was indicated by aspecial bell stamp. While the authors are aware of some of the brassalloys Bach used, they cannot now associate them with specific manufacturingperiods.Manufacturing LocationMost of the instruments whose bells are stampedin the Faciebat Anno configuration were also made at Bach's second factorylocated at 241 E. 41st Street, NY. While he opened that factory in 1922 toexpand his mouthpiece manufacturing business, in 1924 he began to producetrumpets and cornets there as well. Production at this factory continueduntil October 1928.III. BELL NUMBER-BORE SIZE BELLSThe next marking arrangement seen frequently onNew York Bach instruments began around 1930.

It omits the Faciebat Annoline but adds numbers after the word Model as well as introduces special codes.The added numbers indicate the bell number and bore size of the instrument,hence the name given to this marking arrangement. The codes indicate thethickness of the bell brass.This is the most complicated bell markingarrangement that Bach used. It is also the most complete.

Coupledwith small numbers stamped on the mouthpiece receivers to indicate themouthpipes (lead pipes) used, these instruments have stamped on them somewhere alot of the important information affecting playing quality that one would liketo know. With many of these instruments, there is little need to resort toinformation from their respective shop cards, at least concerning identificationof the major components of the instruments. An example is shown below.Figure 5: BellNumber-Bore Size Marking Arrangement(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)Model NamesThis marking arrangement continues the model namein the same location as before.Bell Number Identifiers MovedOn these instruments, the bell number is locatedimmediately after the word Model rather than below Bach's signature as in theFaciebat Anno arrangement.Bach's decision to stamp the bell numbers in thisposition created something of a problem that persists even today. Stampingbell numbers after the word Model created the erroneous impression that thesenumbers are model numbers.

Bach did not assign model numbers to hisinstruments. (After buying the company in 1961, the Selmer Companyintroduced model numbers, but they were not stamped on the bells either.For example, the commonly named Model 37, which is stamped on the bell, isactually a Model 180ML.)In many cases, the last two digits of the boresize are appended to the bell number with a hyphen. A trumpet stamped7-59, for example, would have a number 7 bell and would be a medium-large boreinstrument with a bore size of 0.459 inches. One stamped 10-62 would be aninstrument with a number 10 bell and a bore size of 0.462 inches.Bach made some hybrid bells; that is, bells made with sections corresponding totwo earlier bell designs. One of the more interesting of these is the 7-10bell whose mandril matches different segments of the number 7 and 10 mandrils.These hybrid bells require three numbers after the word Model, e.g., 7-10-62,which means a number 7-10 bell and a large bore trumpet or cornet. Later,hybrid bells that remained in production were assigned new, two-digit numbers,and the hybrid numbering convention disappeared.The last two digits indicating bore sizeseventually were dropped from the bells.

The authors believe that they weredropped in favor of putting letters on the second valve casings, e.g., L forlarge bore. The authors cannot pinpoint exactly when this change occurred,but it may have been in the mid-1930s when significant changes were made toproduction options.The authors have seen a variety of trumpet bellnumbers in this stamping arrangement, both with and without the bore-sizedigits. Some of the bell numbers include 7, 10, 7-10, 25 and 26, but theauthors have not been able to determine the full array. The following mayhelp to understand why.Through 37 years of making trumpets and cornets,Bach considered a very large number of bells. He assigned numbers toseventy-two B b bells alone, and each one had its own design.The bell numbers skip number 15.

Thus, the numbers range from one to 73.Hybrid bells are not counted in the total since these have duplicate numberswithin the sequence described above.While it is generally true that bells madeearlier in time have lower bell numbers, that rule is not universally true.For example, bell number 12 was designed over 15 years after bells 14 and 15.This raises a question about the correspondence between numerical and productionsequences. As a result, the authors cannot determine the full range ofbells made while the Faciebat Anno marking arrangement was in effect.As for instruments in other keys, the bell number stampings follow the samegeneral ideas as those of the B b instruments, although the bellnumbers are very different.The Company NameThe company name, Vincent Bach Corporation, remained in the same position as onbells with other marking arrangements.Bell Brass CodesThis marking arrangement includes two-digitnumerical codes located within the company name (see figure above). Thesecodes are bell brass codes. Readers will observe that they arestamped in the same position as the bell number identifiers on the Faciebat Annobells.The bell brass codes will be discussed in somedetail. The reason for concentrating on this topic is that the codesidentify characteristics that differentiate how the instruments play.The codes represent the thickness of the brass used to make the bells.This information is contained in recently found documents and on occasional shopcards as well. The documents show that the codes make up Bach's own systemof artificial gauge numbers.

When the first version of this article waswritten, the authors believed that they had evidence indicating that these codesidentify brass alloys. That was wrong.The most frequently occurring codes appear to be45, 48 and 50, but others occur as well. The authors have found referencesin the shop cards and other written material to codes ranging between 36 and 56.New York Bach owners who read the earlier version of this article provided theauthors with several welcome additions to their list.A description of his calculation scheme and theauthors' attempts to unravel it follow. The codes probably bedeviledBach's competitors, as they did the authors.Some readers may want to skip ahead to thesummary of this section as the material between here and there may require somepatience to understand.When Bach ordered brass for his bells, he did not order it using any of thevarious sets of gauge numbers in use at the time. First, gauge numbersystems were unsettled during the period of American manufacturing history inquestion, and, in any case, the available systems did not provide sufficientresolution for ordering brass in the thicknesses that Bach needed.

Afterhe decided what thicknesses he would use, Bach simply coded the bells and/or theshop cards so that he could recall which ones were used.To assign a code, Bach first converted thethickness of the brass from inches to millimeters though the standard conversionof 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters. For example, 0.019 inches is equivalent to0.4826 millimeters.

Bach then assigned the first two digits of theconversion as his code number. To illustrate, number 48 represents a sheetof brass 0.019-inches thick.Taking another case to illustrate one of the many problems encountered by theauthors trying to figure out these codes, 0.018 inches is equivalent to 0.4572millimeters. By the same rule, this thickness would be represented by thenumber 45.

By the time Bach moved to Mt Vernon, he had decided to roundoff the millimeters to two digits instead, and the same brass thickness, 0.018inches, came to be represented by number 46. This apparent inconsistencyconfounded the authors until a document was found that provided indications thatthis is what happened.There is another interesting point. Atfirst there appeared to be too many codes.

It turned out that sets ofcodes were associated with instruments of different types and keys.Trombones, for example, had a set. The need to accommodate an expandingbusiness accounted for what seemed to be too many brass choices.Because of the wide variety of bell brass fromwhich to choose, there was nothing to prevent Bach from using brass ordered forone type of instrument to make a bell for another. In fact, late New YorkBach alto trombones and B b trumpets shared brass code 48 as a'standard'. Some choices for trumpets and cornets probably were specialorder items, but Bach routinely chose brass outside the normal range whennon-standard alloys were used.

For example, bronze bells were made fromthicker metal.To summarize this section, the numerical codes found on the bells of NewYork Bach trumpets and cornets are artificial gauge numbers invented by Bach.They are the first two digits of the brass thickness when converted tomillimeters. Based on a limited survey of instruments, there are threegauge numbers most often found on older Bach B b trumpets and cornets.They are 45, 48 and 50, which would correspond to brass thicknesses of 0.018,0.019 and 0.020 inches, respectively.Manufacturing LocationSince the Bell Number-Bore Size stampingarrangement began in the early 1930s, all of the instruments that used it wereproduced at Bach's third factory located in the Bronx at 621 East 216th Street,NY. That factory endured from October 1928 until 1953 when Bach opened hislast factory in Mt Vernon, NY, although this marking arrangement did not.IV. PLAIN BELLSFor an instrument without a bell number stampedon it, it is obviously difficult to determine with certainty which bell is onit. If a serial number of an instrument and its bore size are known,anyone familiar with Bach's 'standard' instrument configurations might make areasonable assumption. Examining the shop card, however, is the only wayto make certain which bell was on an instrument when it left the factory.Figure 6: Plain BellMarking Arrangement(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)StampingsMost of the stampings on these bells are self-explanatory.

They representa return to the simplicity of the original stamping arrangement of the earliestBachs, with the exception that the model name is on them. While theelegance of this arrangement is appealing, the information it provides is scant.Bachcould not seem to keep from identifying characteristics somewhere on hisinstruments, however. The bore size is located on the second valve casing,for example. More and more information came to be located there, sometimesby exception. That is, deviations from standards were sometimes stamped onthe second valve casing. There are some truly intriguing markings found onthe second valve casings of New York Bach trumpets and cornets, e.g., LLB.The authors have only begun to scratch the surface in determining what some ofthem mean.Star StampA stamp in the shape of a five-pointed starappears on some late New York Bach bells. It is not illustrated in thisarticle.

It indicates that the instrument was a special lightweighttrumpet. It was first used in New York, i.e., before 1953.Postal Zone MarkingThere was one other addition to the bells that should be mentioned in thissection. Many of the Bronx trumpets and cornets have the number 67 stampedafter the words NEW YORK.

This number was an old New York postal zone inwhich the Bronx factory was located. Postal zones were established in May1943 to aid in the distribution of mail during World War II.

(When zipcodes were designated in 1963, most of the old postal zones were adopted as thelast two digits of the zip code. The current zip code of the Bronx factoryaddress is 10467.)One of these bells is shown in the following figure. A comparison betweenit and the preceding bells indicates that the entire New York stamp line wasnew. In other words, the 67 was not a separate stamp. This isrevealed by noticing that U.S.A. Had to be moved relative to NEW YORK 67 inorder to keep the two lines centered on each other.Figure 7: Plain Bell with67 Postal Zone(Click the Image to View Full Size in aNew Window)THE SHOP CARDSBach kept meticulous records throughout his manufacturing career, sometimes evengoing to the trouble of keeping identical records at home.

One importantset of records is the collection of shop cards that describe various aspects ofthe instruments he produced. The information contained on these shop cardsis very helpful in interpreting bell markings.Information about a particular instrument usually can be found on the shop cardthat corresponds to the serial number of the instrument.

There are someexceptions to this (Reference 2).The shop cards begin with the number 0001 andcontinue largely uninterrupted to almost 30,000. The numbers wererestarted at 30,000 after the Selmer Company moved production to Elkhart,Indiana. Generally speaking, the number 30,000 is a break point betweeninstruments made in Mt Vernon and those made in Elkhart. This is not ahard rule. For example, Bach used some serial numbers beyond 30,000 forsome instruments made at Mt Vernon, and the Selmer Company used a few Mt Vernonvalve sections with serial numbers below 30,000 in their Elkhart production.The latter have Elkhart bells on them.Most of the earliest shop cards contain only theserial number of the instrument and codes referencing its bell and mouthpipe.Occasionally, the bore sizes, the type of brass used for the bell and/or thesource of the valve set is noted. During 1926, Bach developed a morestandardized card that contains categories of information that he thought shouldbe recorded for each trumpet and cornet.

The categories include serialnumber, model, bore size, valve model, bell and mouthpipe. The bell brass,the dates the horn was completed and sold and the customer’s name are alsolisted on the standardized card. Not all of these categories were filledin for every instrument.

Special codes were entered in some categories,most notably, the one for brass used in the bell.NEXT ON THE HORIZONBach lore abounds. Because of hisunparalleled success in manufacturing brass instruments, trumpet players, notgenerally known as timid souls, are not without opinions about him and hisapproaches to design and manufacturing. One thing the authors do not do isargue points about the merits of old and new manufacturing techniques.They just observe that, in many respects, older New York Bachs are not the sameas modern Bachs, or even late New York or Mt Vernon Bachs for that matter.Even without considering manufacturing differences, the old ones play and feeldifferent because they are different. The authors were surprised, forexample, to find that the older New York Bachs are lighter instruments thanmodern ones.

More to the point, even Bach took some time to get boresizes, mouthpipes and bell flares matched like he wanted them. Manymusicians accustomed to newer instruments are surprised by the playing qualitiesof older New York Bachs. Some of them play well enough that it makes onewonder why Bach abandoned them and moved on to different designs.Because of their interest in the older Bachinstruments, the authors are continuing to research them. They havefocused and will continue to focus on some of the characteristics of the moreunusual New York Bach trumpets and cornets that are occasionally seen. Theauthors own a few of these “rarities” and are aware of others. If anyreader of this article, however, has an old Bach trumpet or cornet that shouldbe considered for display and discussion in an article, the authors would liketo hear about it. Additionally, since this paper leaves some loose ends,the authors would appreciate being contacted regarding any data that mightexpand on the subjects addressed.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis paper was written through significantsupport from Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Bach Stradivarius Trumpet Serial Number Guide

Of Elkhart, Indiana. Access to their datawas essential to understanding the markings on New York bells. TeddWaggoner, Conn-Selmer's Marketing Manager of Brass Winds, is extremelyknowledgeable about Vincent Bach’s New York operations and contributed greatlyto the material.

A used Bach Stradivarius model 72 trumpet. It is silver plated. Theserial number is 496404. It was purchased in May of 1999 as stated onthe warranty card. The trumpet was lightly used and has been stored awayfor years.

It does have some mild scratches. I could not find a ding onit, but it may have a few very mild ones if any. The case is in goodused condition with some fading. The trumpet has been recentlyprofessionally serviced: chem cleaned, new neoprene cork, felt, rubberbumpers, polished, slides pulled & greased, and valves calibrated.The horn comes with a 7C & 11EW Bach mouthpieces. Some music books,slide grease, and valve oil are also included. This is a very goodquality trumpet.Product Specs Condition: Brand Model Finish Categories Made In United States.

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