Posted by jlb on January 24, 2000 at 21:26:10:
In Reply to: Weller BBb von Markneukirchen posted by Moises M. Carrasco on January 24, 2000 at 14:06:44:
I don't know Weller, but I have an August Reichel, Jr. BBb from Markneukirchen from between the two wars. As I understand it, Markneukirchen has been an instrument making area for a loooong time, and just about every instrument has been made there by multiple shops. I have heard that the brass instrument makers would mostly buy the valve sets from specialists who did only that, then form the tubing and bend it to shape for the finished instrument. I believe all the small brass shops were folded into B&S under the DDR regime after the 40's. VMI is the heir to that work, and I think I read that one of the West German makers (Meinl?) has bought into it.
A while ago, I corresponded with Bob Tucci (?) who plays for a German Orchestra, has a shop in Munich(?) and works with VMI. If any of this is correct, you might be able to get some info from him. When I corresponded with him, he spoke to some of the employees at VMI and actually found two who worked for Reichel before the war.
Check out the link to the town website.
jlb