Josef Lidl

This is a B♭ Flugelhorn manufactured by Josef Lídl in Brno. While pinpointing the exact production year remains challenging, historical context suggests it was crafted before 1948, the year the Lídl workshop was nationalized and absorbed into the state-owned Amati cooperative.

Although it might not appear to be a rare or extraordinary instrument, it was a very satisfying piece to work on. The horn had spent many years serving strictly as a decorative wall piece, but its overall condition was surprisingly good. The main challenge was the tuning slides, which had become completely frozen over time. Fortunately, with some patience and gentle tapping, they were successfully freed. A thorough flush and cleaning got the valves moving again, though the third valve remains a little weak. Despite its long retirement as an ornament, the instrument has been successfully revived and now plays quite well.