Posted by Lew on June 27, 2002 at 16:01:18:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Who is this? posted by Klaus on June 27, 2002 at 14:38:36:
Yes, Besson did originate in Paris, but this is actually labeled with the Besson London address. The person who put up the web site called it a F. Besson, but it is actually an English Besson, imported into the US by Carl Fischer.
On the other hand, one can argue that all English brass instruments evolved out of Sax's Saxhorns, and are therefore French in origin. Distin started by selling Saxhorns, and then opened his own manufacturing business in London, producing instruments very similar to Sax's. Distin was then bought by Thomas Boosey and the company eventually became Boosey & Hawkes. The English branch of Besson was started by a member of the Besson family who first began manufacturing in Paris. They also lost a suit brought against them by Sax for patent infringment. I don't know about Hawkes, salvationist, or Higham (the other large British brass instrument makers), but I suspect that at some level their designs were at least influenced by Sax.
This design, with the valves above the top bow, is probably French in origin, but was used on Besson baritones (not euphoniums) into the mid 20th century.