E.G. Wright Eb Valve Bugle
E.G. Wright is probably my favorite brass instrument maker
and over-represented on this website. Featuring this
restoration would be covering the same ground that I've been
over several times except that this one has a different story to
tell. The restoration was straightforward for the most part, the
only challenges were in making the various parts to replicate
the originals. This leads me to that different story: on first
viewing, I knew that this instrument was different than any
other that I've seen. I've owned and restored numerous
Wright Eb valve bugles (also called soprano flugelhorn or
soprano Saxhorn) and they all had side action levers. Because
the levers were missing, it took me several minutes to notice
that they were mounted in the opposite direction than Wright
instruments that do have top action, such as the Bb cornet
featured here. Then I quickly notice small details: braces,
valve stop arms, lever mounts, pull knobs etc. that are all
different from Wright's designs. Then my palm hits my
forehead as I take a second look at the engraving, which is
surrounded by a wreath of leaves. This was the trademark of
the shop that was founded by J.L. Allen, taken over by D.C.
Hall in 1862 and run by the Quinby brothers from that time
until the 1880s. In 1868, when E.G. Wright & Co. changed its
name to "Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory". Wright
then left that shop to work with Hall & Quinby in the last year
or two of his life. Most instruments made in that shop were
continued as before, but others, presumably assembled by
Wright were signed as he had done previously. These all seem
to have the trademark wreath indicating where they were
actually made. I only know of about a half dozen instruments
signed this way and on close examination, they all have the
small details that confirm their origins.
This instrument isn't identical to those signed by Hall &
Quinby, although the differences are very minor. These
include the tuning mouthpipe being fixed to the instrument,
compared to the removable shank seen on all others of this
design that I'm familiar with including several on this web site.
I was able to confirm this to be correct based on the placement
of the brace that attaches to the bell. Also in the Hall &
Quinby products, the tube leading from the valve assembly to
the bell tail has a sideways curve so that the third valve slide
will clear it as it is pulled. In this case the third slide has very
short inside tubes so that is clears the outside tubes just as it
hits that main tube. Using all of this evidence, I was very
confident that I could reproduce missing parts accurately. I
made the mouthpipe tuning assembly fixed to the instrument
but with the mechanism copied from Hall & Quinby. For the
valve levers, I had castings made of those from my top action
D.C. Hall cornet, which I know from experience are the same
as used on all such instruments made in this shop. Aside from
the dents and slides being severely stuck in place, this
instrument is very well preserved and not surprisingly, a
superbly good playing soprano.
and over-represented on this website. Featuring this
restoration would be covering the same ground that I've been
over several times except that this one has a different story to
tell. The restoration was straightforward for the most part, the
only challenges were in making the various parts to replicate
the originals. This leads me to that different story: on first
viewing, I knew that this instrument was different than any
other that I've seen. I've owned and restored numerous
Wright Eb valve bugles (also called soprano flugelhorn or
soprano Saxhorn) and they all had side action levers. Because
the levers were missing, it took me several minutes to notice
that they were mounted in the opposite direction than Wright
instruments that do have top action, such as the Bb cornet
featured here. Then I quickly notice small details: braces,
valve stop arms, lever mounts, pull knobs etc. that are all
different from Wright's designs. Then my palm hits my
forehead as I take a second look at the engraving, which is
surrounded by a wreath of leaves. This was the trademark of
the shop that was founded by J.L. Allen, taken over by D.C.
Hall in 1862 and run by the Quinby brothers from that time
until the 1880s. In 1868, when E.G. Wright & Co. changed its
name to "Boston Musical Instrument Manufactory". Wright
then left that shop to work with Hall & Quinby in the last year
or two of his life. Most instruments made in that shop were
continued as before, but others, presumably assembled by
Wright were signed as he had done previously. These all seem
to have the trademark wreath indicating where they were
actually made. I only know of about a half dozen instruments
signed this way and on close examination, they all have the
small details that confirm their origins.
This instrument isn't identical to those signed by Hall &
Quinby, although the differences are very minor. These
include the tuning mouthpipe being fixed to the instrument,
compared to the removable shank seen on all others of this
design that I'm familiar with including several on this web site.
I was able to confirm this to be correct based on the placement
of the brace that attaches to the bell. Also in the Hall &
Quinby products, the tube leading from the valve assembly to
the bell tail has a sideways curve so that the third valve slide
will clear it as it is pulled. In this case the third slide has very
short inside tubes so that is clears the outside tubes just as it
hits that main tube. Using all of this evidence, I was very
confident that I could reproduce missing parts accurately. I
made the mouthpipe tuning assembly fixed to the instrument
but with the mechanism copied from Hall & Quinby. For the
valve levers, I had castings made of those from my top action
D.C. Hall cornet, which I know from experience are the same
as used on all such instruments made in this shop. Aside from
the dents and slides being severely stuck in place, this
instrument is very well preserved and not surprisingly, a
superbly good playing soprano.
Click on images for larger views.