New York & Mt. Vernon-era Stradivarius Flugelhorns
Vincent Bach manufactured a relatively small number of flugelhorns (<100) over 40 years before the sale to The Selmer Company and the subsequent move to Elkhart in 1965.
Below are details of bach flugelhorns from the New York and Mt. Vernon-era instruments, shop cards where available, and catalog references.
Vincent Bach manufactured a small number of Bach flugelhorns (fluegelhorns) in the New York era. Here are the various serial number ranges based on examples shared by various Bach loyalists.
Serial Number 1002
The first known Vincent Bach Flugelhorn was serial number 1002. It was initially manufactured for the New York Police Department band in January 1932. Based upon the shop card information, it was returned and resold to various customers through 1945, when it was donated/sold to the Salvation Army Band in New York City.
Here are the known Bach Flugelhorns New York-era serial numbers shared from various Bach loyalists.
Serial # | Bell model | Notes | Mfg. Year |
|---|---|---|---|
1002 | 154 | Bb Flugelhorn (first one) | 1932 |
Bell Only | 158 | Bell Prototype 34-158 - Model 4 (Trombone bell) / 1194X | 1934? |
tbd | - | Eb Soprano Flugelhorn US Army Band | 1938 |
2253 | 159B | Factory Sample | 1939 |
Bell Only | 164 | Bell Prototype - Stamped with New York 67 | > 1943 |
11076 | 158 | Mfg. Batch from 11073 - 11078 | 1951 |
Example: 2253 (mfg. 1939)
(courtesy of Bill Cable collection)
The first reference to Bach Flugelhorns (Fluegelhorns) found is in the 1940 Vincent Bach Corporation Instrument catalog. Here is the reference, but with little detail other than an image and reference to both a
- Stradivarius Fluegelhorn in Bb
- Stradivarius Fluegelhorn in Eb
Vincent Bach manufactured a few Bach Flugelhorns (Fluegelhorns)) in the Mt. Vernon era. Here are the known serial number ranges from various Bach loyalists.
The transition from the 158 bell to the 165 bell seems to have occured around 1959, with serial number ~18000. Vincent Bach Corporation manufactured approximately seven batches of Bach Flugelhorns. The serial numbers were not sequential in his manufacturing.
Serial # | Bell model | Notes | Mfg. Year |
|---|---|---|---|
Mfg. Batch from 17993 to 17999 | 1958 | ||
17993 | 158 | Bb Flugelhorn (first one) | 1932 |
17996 | 158 | Bell Prototype 34-158 - Model 4 (Trombone bell) / 1194X | 1934? |
17999 | 173B | Eb Soprano Flugelhorn US Army Band | 1938 |
Mfg. Batch from 18000 to 18005 | 1959 | ||
18001 | 165 | Feb. 1959 | |
18002 | 165 | Bell 158 correction to 165 on shop card | March 1959 |
18003 | 158 | Jan. 1959 | |
18004 | 158 | Feb. 1959 | |
18005 | 165 | April 1959 | |
Mfg. Batch from 19160 to 19171 | 1961 - 1963 | ||
19160 | 165 | 1961 | |
19161 | 165 | 1961 | |
19163 | 165 | #182 Update | March 1963 |
19165 | 165 | #182 Update | March 1963 |
19168 | 165 | #182 Update | 1963 |
19171 | 165 | #182 Update | 1963 |
Mfg. Batch from 20167 to 20178 | various | ||
20167 | 158 | 1955 | |
20178 | 165 | Nov. 1962 | |
20229 | 165 | April 1959 | |
Mfg. Batch from 20813 to 20823 | 1955 | ||
20819 | 158 | Mr. Bach's sample | 1955 |
20821 | 1958 | 1955 | |
20822 | 317 | Eb Flugelhorn | 1955 |
20823 | 317 | Eb Flugelhorn | 1955 |
Mfg. Batch from 24540 to 24544 | 1963 - 1964 | ||
24540 | 165 | #182 Model | 1963 |
24544 | 165 | #182 Model | 1964 |
Mfg. Batch from 25568 to 25573 | 1963 | ||
25569 | 165 | 1963 | |
Bell Only | 174 | Bell stamped 1192X 2 piece bell Never mounted on a horn. | 1965? |
26389 | 165 | 182 Body Bell stamped 1197X Last Mt. Vernon flugelhorn? | Nov. 1965 |
source: Special thanks to Peter Bachmann for his Bach Flugelhorn research.
Example: 20819 (courtesy of BachLoyalist collection)
There are also various references to Bach Flugelhorns (Fluegelhorns) throughout the Mt. Vernon – era. Here are examples of catalog and price lists for these models.
1958 Vincent Bach Price List
(Effective Nov. 1958)
- Bach Soprano Fluegelhorn in high Eb
- Bach Mezzo Soprano Fluegelhorn in Bb
- Bach Contralto Fluegelhorn in Eb
1961 Vincent Bach Corporation catalog
- Bach Mezzo Soprano Fluegelhorn in Bb
- Bach Soprano Fluegelhorn in high Eb
- Bach Contralto Fluegelhorn in Eb
1962 Vincent Bach Corporation catalog
(Last Catalog)
- Bach Mezzo Soprano Fluegelhorn in Bb
- Bach Soprano Fluegelhorn in high Eb (Introduction of Model 194)
- Bach Contralto Fluegelhorn in Eb (Introduction of Model 195)
source: from the collection of Bill Cable
source: from the BachLoyalist collection - instruments, catalogs
source: Special thanks to Peter Bachmann for his Bach Flugelhorn research.
