Besson & Co. (c. 1940)

This elegant instrument is a 'Class A' C-trumpet manufactured by the renowned British maker Besson & Co. While simplified serial number charts traditionally attribute serial number 134230 to the post-war era (1944–1948), comparison with the definitive Myers & Eldredge register (Surviving London Brasswind project) reveals a more accurate timeline.

Records of surviving valved Besson instruments show that serial numbers around 130900 were reached by 1938. Given that post-war manufacturing from late 1948 picks up around the 135000 range, this trumpet (134230) was actually produced on the eve of World War II, around 1939–1940, right before civilian brass production in London came to a halt. It features the signature 'Low Pitch' (L.P.) stamp and the 1930s 'British Throughout' engraving.

Unlike many military or older British brasses of the time, this specimen was constructed in Low Pitch, aligning it with modern orchestral standards.

Unfortunately, due to a crack in the main tuning bend, the instrument is currently not in a playable condition and is preserved here as a beautiful testament to mid-20th-century craftsmanship.