Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet

SSmith1226

If you have a spare $60,000 - $80,000 loose change available you might have a shot at buying one of Louis Armstrong’s trumpets from Christie’s Auction House. The details can be found in this Rolling Stone Article.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/louis-armstrong-trumpet-auction-christies-1061269/

J. Jericho

Uhhhhh...... My piggy bank is just a little short of $60,000 right now, so I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this one. Maybe next time.

administrator

It's beautiful -- but I wonder if it would ever get played, or sit around gathering dust like many collector cars.

J. Jericho

@administrator said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

It's beautiful -- but I wonder if it would ever get played, or sit around gathering dust like many collector cars.

It'd be a shame to not play it. IMO you'd be obligated to do it justice by playing it as it was meant to be played and by playing it as it was played and by exploring its characteristics.

GeorgeB

Considering how much I loved and admired Satchmo, just holding that trumpet in my hands would leave me so awe-struck that I'd probably screw up any note I could manage to blow.

Dr GO

With what I paid in taxes this year, I could have bought 5 of them.... Would have give 4 of them to the closest of my friends here on TB.

Newell Post

@Dr-GO Dude. Sorry, but that comment is not OK, even if it was lighthearted. There have been times in my life when I made that kind of money and paid those kinds of taxes. (And I'm not an MD.) But there are people on this board who struggle to come up with $100 for a new mouthpiece. I don't make your kind of money today, and I'm lucky enough that I don't need to. But this is a site about trumpet playing. I know the OP was about one of Louis Armstrong's collectible horns, but have a little compassion for the players just trying to get by on gigging.

administrator

@Newell-Post said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

@Dr-GO Dude. Sorry, but that comment is not OK, even if it was lighthearted. There have been times in my life when I made that kind of money and paid those kinds of taxes. (And I'm not an MD.) But there are people on this board who struggle to come up with $100 for a new mouthpiece. I don't make your kind of money today, and I'm lucky enough that I don't need to. But this is a site about trumpet playing. I know the OP was about one of Louis Armstrong's collectible horns, but have a little compassion for the players just trying to get by on gigging.

Calm down.

Kehaulani

I think a simple statement to the good doctor would have been enough. I don't think he meant to be insensitive.

For what it's worth, though, I did cringe a little when I read that. There were times in my life that I didn't even come close to earning just a part of the tax money, much less the income and lifestyle it represents. I'm sure the good doctor earned his money but so did I. I'd rather not be reminded of that. But sometimes life just isn't equitable. That's just the way it is.

About the horn, itself, it would be nice to have a part of history but I really don't care and I would never pay that much money, or anything close to it. For me horn's a tool, not a collector's item. But if I was going to have a horn that represented a piece of history, I'd rather have Lee Morgan's or Adolph Herseth's or Fats Navarro's horn. Different strokes . . .

administrator

I read an article once in the ITG Journal that basically claimed the metalline structure of brass changes over time to match the playing characteristics of its owner. So, perhaps it isn't too uncouth to say that you would sound like Herseth on Herseth's horn, or like Satchmo on Satchmo's horn.

J. Jericho

I would hope that those not burdened by the possession of money would be willing to suffer being in a position to pay lots of taxes. When the character Tevye in the movie Fiddler on the Roof heard the character Perchik say: "Money is the world's curse." he commented: "May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover." Aspiration is a much better mindset than jealousy.

Dr GO

@Newell-Post said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

@Dr-GO Dude. Sorry, but that comment is not OK, even if it was lighthearted. There have been times in my life when I made that kind of money and paid those kinds of taxes. (And I'm not an MD.)

First let me say to all that I did not mean to offend anyone. This has been a painful few years for me as my employer tried to fire me after I reported a wrongful death to an accrediting body that my employer tried to cover up. A judgment was made in my favor which created my tax burden for this year. Is the winning worth it? Being bullied by my employer for the many years this case was in the courts was a pain I would never wish on anyone. But exposing and assisting that one patient that was irreversibly harmed was well worth the effort. Fortunately for the years that follow, my tax burden will fall back to the realm of the mortal world. Again, so sorry for creating any anger for my post.

ROWUK

Mavbe some of us are reading the auction incorrectly. The engraving says Duke Donin FROM Louis Armstrong. Christies has a bunch of "non scientific" theories - not backed by documentation (invoice, serial number. history):
https://www.christies.com/features/The-1948-Louis-Satchmo-Armstrong-trumpet-10881-3.aspx

Certainly a collectors item, but you really have to want to believe the conjecture about Louis having actually played theis horn...

Dr GO

Would his Creole roots have been an influential factor in Louis choosing this horn.

Dr GO

I believe there is a video of Sir Paul McCartney playing The Saints Go Marching In using this horn.

administrator

@ROWUK said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

Mavbe some of us are reading the auction incorrectly. The engraving says Duke Donin FROM Louis Armstrong. Christies has a bunch of "non scientific" theories - not backed by documentation (invoice, serial number. history):
https://www.christies.com/features/The-1948-Louis-Satchmo-Armstrong-trumpet-10881-3.aspx

Certainly a collectors item, but you really have to want to believe the conjecture about Louis having actually played theis horn...

And they are asking a lot of money...

Kehaulani

@administrator said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

So, perhaps . . you would sound like Herseth on Herseth's horn, or like Satchmo on Satchmo's horn.

Hah, hah. I doubt that.

@Dr GO, can you give me a source of Armstrong being Creole? I don't recall that and would love to fill in the gaps. Thanks.

J. Jericho

@Dr-GO said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

I believe there is a video of Sir Paul McCartney playing The Saints Go Marching In using this horn.

Hearing protection strongly advised!

Dr GO

@Kehaulani said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:

@Dr GO, can you give me a source of Armstrong being Creole? I don't recall that and would love to fill in the gaps. Thanks.

Please read my post carefully, I said Creole roots... Jazz roots... playing with King Oliver, disciples of Jelly Role Motrin. While not defined as Creole by race, his roots are Creole sho nuf. (See attached)
http://www.vappielle.com/_press/_pdf folder/Creole music 9-3-06.pdf

Kehaulani

@Dr-GO said in Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet:
Please read my post carefully, I said Creole roots... Jazz roots...

I did read it carefully and you didn't say anything about any musical roots, just ethnic ones.