[Dixielandjazz] Instrument Collection for Sale

[Dave Stoddard]

Dear Listers:

The instrument collection described below is in the Raleigh, NC area.  I 
have not seen the collection, nor do I have any financial interest in it.

Dave Stoddard
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Subject: Items from a local instrument collection for sale

Last month, a gentleman named Al Wirth passed away; he was 84.  Al was, for 
many years, a member of the Little German Band, as a trumpet player.  He was 
also a collector of horns, mostly trumpets, but some other brass instruments 
as well.  He got most of these from flea markets, pawn shops and estate 
sales.  His wife, Mildred, survives him, but she is also in her 80s and 
understandably overwhelmed by the vast amount of stuff Al left behind (he 
also collected suitcases, among other things).

In an effort to help her out, I've taken a look at the horns sitting around 
her house and thought I would forward a description of what she has to other 
brass players I know (I know some of you are collectors).  Some of you may 
also have students who might be interested in one of these as a marching 
band horn, or a horn for their little brother, who is starting band next 
year, etc..

I counted 10 trombones.  None of these has a trigger.  There are 
King/Clevelands, Bundy, Olds Standard, a couple of Conns, an Austrian 
trombone, one labelled "Bruno, New York" and one labelled "Legionnaire"  All 
of these trombones have cases and most of them have mouthpieces.  I counted 
3 Baritones; all have three valves. One is a Yamaha YEP201 in brass lacquer, 
one is a Windsor, from Elkhart, Indiana, one is a 3-valve brass horn but the 
logo was so faded I couldn't read it.  Two of these horns have mouthpieces 
but only one has a case.  I think two of them would play just fine; one of 
them seems to have an obstruction in the 3rd valve.

 There were two Eb Alto saxophones -- one Ambassador and one Bundy Selmer. 
Both had cases.  There was also a very small case that I couldn't get open 
which I suspect may have had a clarinet in it.

There are 20 trumpets, each in its own case.  There are several Olds 
Ambassadors, a couple of Bundys, there is a Pan-American, a King/H.N. White, 
an Elkhart, a Conn, a Cavalier, a Besson, something called a "Yale Super," 
something called an "American Commander Paragon," one labelled "Eindhoven, 
Holland," one labelled "Musica, Steyr Austria" and one with no maker's name 
on it at all.  All of these horns are too old to be the Chinese/Indian 
cheapos that have flooded eBay in the past few years. There are also two 
Bach Stradavarius trumpets --  one in silver and one in brass.  All of these 
horns are in decent used condition and most of them have mouthpieces.  All 
of them are either playable as is, or else could be played with a few tweaks 
(unsticking slides, etc.).

There are four cornets (American style, not shepherd's crook) -- a Holton 
Galaxy, a Continental Colonial, an Ambassador and a Reynolds Cleveland. They 
all have cases and mouthpieces and are, again, in decent used condition. 
The Reynolds Cleveland cornet and the trumpet from Eindhoven, Holland are 
together in one case.

If you are interested in seeing any of these instruments, please call 
Mildred Wirth (pronounced "worth") at 919-832-6448 and make arrangements to 
visit the house, which is near Oberlin Rd. and Wade Ave. in Raleigh.  Tell 
her you know me.  I don't think she drives anymore and I think her children 
are making arrangements to sell the cars that the couple owned; if you're 
interested in the cars, or some really nice suitcases, I'm sure she'd be 
glad to talk to you about those, as well.

I trust you all to not take advantage of her and to offer fair pricing on 
these instruments.  I have told her that I would help her out by selling 
whatever doesn't sell locally on eBay later in the summer.  She says she can 
use the money. Durng the last six months of Al's life (fighting liver 
cancer) he was in a specialty-care home which, she says, was quite 
expensive.

Thanks,
Connie Verner