RETIRED BRASS
Vintage Brass cornet trumpet horn euphonium baritone tenorhorn conn courtois mahillon persy couesnon huller zinzi instrument music old antique
A retirement home for antique brass instruments
Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated by brass instruments. The beauty of their shiny finish or dull patina, the crooks and bends of their tubes and of course the sound they can make never cease to amaze me. Especially the older ones, often handmade by true craftsmen and -women, have that special aesthetic quality that modern mass-produced instruments lack. Unfortunately those older instruments often end up stowed away in an attic, basement or on a pub wall. Years later, their owners see them as junk and want to get rid of them. I try to get them back in playing condition and admire them as the works of art that they are.
As I have limited budget, I cannot give them a full professional makeover. I try to fix most problems myself and only the worst creases, dents and damage will be repaired professionally.
If you like my site, please consider a donation towards maintaining the site and my instruments.
Not all instruments in my collection are fully retired. Once in a while I take some of the still playable instruments on a 'Field Trip' and play them for fun. Occasionally, I record myself playing; you can hear the instruments on my YouTube-channel.
This site is an ongoing work in progress, as instruments will be added to or removed from the collection.
Please feel free to send me a message if you have any questions or remarks about the instruments.