Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-03-11
EXPENSIVE BRASS BANDS.
Over Ten Thousand Dollars for Jewelled
Cornet.


Over Ten Thousand Dollars for Jewelled
Cornet.
The writer was recently accorded the
privilege Of peep into the museum at
tached to the factory of one of the
largest firms of brass instrument maxi
ers in London. Here are to be seen
types, fac-similes and models of every
kind of musical instrument that the
mind Of man has ever devised, invented
or produced.
In one corner is duplicate Of what
is believed to be the most costly pre-
sentation cornet ever produced. 1t was
made to the order of the late Car Of
Russia, and is of sterling silver, richly
craven with various devices, among
which the arms of the imperial house
of Romanoff figure conspicuously. The
whole Of the ornamentation is of beaten
gold filigree work, and the bell" of
the instrument is thickly incrusted with
rubies and emeralds. It's net value is
trifie over 1000 guineas.
A melancholy interest attaches to
battered and blood-stained bugle which
was picked up on the field of Isanil-
wana. In add,,ion to the dark patches
which were once splashes of wet
blood-sundry fragments of woody hair
we're adhering to the bell of the instru-
ment when first found, pretty conclu-
sive indication that the gallant owner
had used it in last desperate effort to
beat off his relentless foes. 1t may be
some ebony-skinned Zulu still wanders
about with an indentation in his skull
whom it would be difficult to convince
that Emusic hath charms"
Near to this interesting relic is fac
smile of set of drums which were
made for the new Rhodesia Horse. The
popularity lies in the fact that the
cases are of aluminium, a precaution
rendered necessary by the number Of
white ants that infest that country.
The other instruments are of brass,
silver-plated, and the whole band cost
some 1850.
The above is, of course, a compare
lively modest turnout. For the real
gorgeousness in brass bands it is neces-
sary to inspect some Of the costly and
magnificent sets of instruments turned
out for eastern potentates. The bands
of even the smartest of our crack cav
airy corps are absolutely not in 1t, so
far as elegance Of appearance is con-
cerned, with the private banda of some
of our Indian tributary princes, al-
though probably the latter would have
to give the former several points If it
came to a musical contest between
them.
The private band of the Rao of Clutch,
for instance, cost originally 5000, AID
renews most of the instruments every
four or five years. The tiger skin used
by the Rao's big drummer, which was
sent over here to be prepared and
mounted, was taken from an animal
killed by his highness, and measured
over seven feet in length. 1t is lined
throughout with heavy corded crimson
silk, and the brute's eyes are simulated
by pair of big yellow diamonds.
Another very fine band was made
three years ago to the order Of the late
Shah of Persia. All the instruments
were of pure silver-which, by the way,
does not give forth so good sound as
brass, besides being far heavier to
handle-inlaid with gold. The total
cost Of this band q luxe was a tribe
under 5000 guineas. A very different
kind of band was that made last year,
by the same firm, for the Mimkish In
dams, tribe of savages living near
Alert Bay, in British Columbia. The
band is nearly all drum, and the megth-
pieces of the few brass instruments are
tipped with india rubber, to obviate the
inconvenience Of applying metal to the
lips In temperature Of some 80 or 40
degrees below zero.
A curious order was received a short
time ago from the Emperor of Morocco.
II was for eighty clarionets for one
band. AS the instruments in question
were all in one key; 1t ia probable that
they were to be played In unison. The
effect upon an average man Of eighty
band clarionets blown simultaneously
would probably be to create In him a
wild desire to take to the woods and be-
come an aborigine. Even to imagine
such an ear-piercing combination sets
ones tympanum quivsring.-London
Answers.