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Boosey & Co Regent alto Ebay now

cromerblues

Senior Member
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Hi, currently a Boosey & Co Regent Alto on Ebay, ending today. Silver plated, rolled tone holes, very unusual "Boosey & Co" key guard, low pitch? Definitely made in Great Britain. Not seen one of these before. Anyone have any knowledge or previous? Looks in half decent condition and I believe they can be good horns. Must be pre 1930 or on the cusp, and also takes the Regent name which suggests that name originated in the Boosey stable not Hawkes. Others like the "32" have appeared recently and were made as the merger happened then marketed/sold before the new company took hold I believe. It sits at a low £108 at this moment but with 29 bidders I think it may be a sleeper about to hit a much higher final price this evening when it ends. Thoughts appreciated to add to my Boosey/Hawkes/B&H knowledge.
 
Could be very nice. It has the Macdonald patent mechanism and the compound bell keys (note the little steel pins in the low Bb barrel). And yeah, it's low pitch. It'll need a new crook clamp made for it, at least.
I think it's likely it was built post the merger with Hawkes & Son given that it has rolled toneholes. The earlier models had soldered holes. It's known that both Hawkes and Boosey continued to build their own horn for a while after they joined forces...presumably to use up old stock.

I was very impressed with the soprano:

 
It is one of those "hmmmm" horns! If it would just turn up on the doorstep that would be fun, but I think it will go up in price over the next couple of hours. The name "Regent" was used across a number of the brass/woodwind family but this is the first time I have seen it on a Boosey sax/cl rather than B&H. There is not a lot known about these, especially as the general consensus is that so much was made out of country as stencils. As in, LaFleurs, 400's etc. This one is very much home grown. The tickler with the item is the three mouthpieces, any one of which could be worth either a big chunk of the final bid or more. So many folk who literally sell Grandad's old sax do not understand those wee black jobbies you stick on the end. Proof being the upside down assembly in this one! Still not as bad as those who put the neck in 180 degrees out!! Tells you a bit about the seller. I suspect savvy bods will have noted the m/p's too and put 2+2 together. I often find I buy a "free" clarinet as someone has kindly donated a top m/p that is worth more than the price paid for the cl. I bought a Noblet Artist a couple of weeks back for just over £70, great condition plays well, but the real winner was the 2 mouthpieces provided plus around 15 brand new decent reeds (not the used, chewed bitten versions people think are of value) plus a hercules stand..........only trouble is I have to spend a lot of time poring over the ads to find the deals.............
 
I'm tempted to have a punt myself, if only because I'd be quite keen to review it. It's a lot of work, though - and it clearly needs just about everything doing to it.
I could be wrong but I don't think the mouthpieces amount to much. I've got lots of similar/identical pieces from that period. Great big bores, woofly old Hectors.
 
lovely! (the Hectors). Trouble is you never get the phot you want of the m/p's so there is a gamble. I like the surprise, being greedy and clever doesnt pay off!! I like it at low £100s but as said before suspect there is a latent rush to the post. Good luck if you go for it. I have just pm'ed you Steve re a sax that may be of interest, background explains all.
 
I did have a snipe bid on it, but decided I couldn't be doing with the neck clamp repair. The potential mouthpiece score notwithstanding!
 
Hurts doesnt it, you want it, common sense says hold off, emotion says buy the damn thing, but as Steve says, a lot of work, and that is coming from one who knows better than most. We will never know re m'p's but they are the bonus, maybe! Is the neck original? If the collar is so stretched out it suggests the receiver was smaller than the insert??
 
Hurts doesnt it, you want it, common sense says hold off, emotion says buy the damn thing, but as Steve says, a lot of work, and that is coming from one who knows better than most. We will never know re m'p's but they are the bonus, maybe! Is the neck original? If the collar is so stretched out it suggests the receiver was smaller than the insert??
Believe me, I'm going through that process myself.
The pads looks to be the original white kid jobbies - so they're years past their use-by date. If nothing else you'd be into a repad - and along with the extras that's going to be around £600 if you do a proper job of it.
Then there's the action. No telling what state that's in. And the crook clamp...and I would bet good money the receiver will need some work too.
Toneholes will probably need levelling - and that won't be a walk in the park.

£800 of my time, plus the purchase price (currently at £155).

I think I've just talked myself out of it.

Still quite want it though....
 
We all know that the mouthpiece upside down indicates an innocent.
So if you want to look like an innocent, stick the mouthpiece on upside down, mention your grand dad played it, to give it some provenence and give a passing mention to multiple un named, period, mouthpieces but with no clear pictures.
Not all ebay sellers are new to the game. Or maybe I'm an old cynic.
 
Phew. It went for more than my retracted snipe anyway; and somebody else snapped up the bargain Dawes Super Galaxy, so I've been saved from myself.
 
Phew. It went for more than my retracted snipe anyway; and somebody else snapped up the bargain Dawes Super Galaxy, so I've been saved from myself.
I kept half an eye on it, but even at £155 it wouldn't have been a practical proposition for me.
Would make a good bet for a DIYer though.
 
Never mind, the one that got away, or maybe didnt get away.............unless the new owner fesses up we will never know! Everyone seems to have felt the same....want it, but a little scared....perhaps the upside down m/p worked a treat!!! :happydance: A look at the seller's history is a must, if they are selling a load of rubbish too then probably a death in the family, if they have many other horns online they KNOW what they have and too many describe the item oddly or have a music inspired handle!! Amazing what you can learn with some 'net research........ Oh well, we can eat this weekend now........
 
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