Several months ago I was offered this horn and made an offer MUCH lower than the current minimum opening bid. I provided some historical information to the seller but cautioned that it probably should be considered a collector piece rather than a playing horn. AFAIK the only person to actually try the horn is not a horn player and is not qualified to assess its playing qualities. Still, another horn authority suggested (unseen, I believe) that it might be worth as much as $3000, so that became the asking price. I haven't actually examined the horn but I don't think it is worth anything near that much (butcha never know on eBay!). For example I'd expect a hefy bill for rebuilding the valves and for body/fender work to make it a passable player. The 1880 date of manufacture seems reasonable based on the bell inscriptions but I doubt that the nickel plating is original and therefore detracts from its collector value. From the labels on the case I deduced that the horn was broug ht to the U.S. ca. 1920. Just my $.02 (leaving $2999.98 plus shipping)
Dick Martz -- http://www.rjmartz.com/horns Horn Collection > Whoa ! Old Vienna-pumpen horn in only semi-wrecked condition: > > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3703771532&category=16215 > > -AC. > > _______________________________________________ > post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > set your options at > http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/rjmartz.lists%40att.net _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org