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Keefer Bb Trumpet |
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Keefer Band Instrument Company Length = 19.25" It's been said that Keefer stopped production during WWII due to a stopped supply of the French brass that they used. Jim Keefer mentioned that a few were made soon after the war and that Arthur Magliocco was still working there in the 1950s and could make anything. This trumpet may have been made just after the war and seems to be the last model made by Keefer. A few of these have shown up with serial numbers all around 30,000. It came with a very rare, full-size case with a Keefer tag that I have only found one other time. My guess at this time is that these were all made by Art Magliocco (1892-1968) and plated by John R. Ross (1883-1976). Art was still working for Keefer in 1960 when the factory burned but Ross had left by the 1950s with the plating then done by two women (from the memory of Jim Keefer in 2022). I have owned many Keefer trumpets over the past 25 years and this one is by far the best player. I ended up selling a 1950s French Besson trumpet because the Keefer sounded just as nice and the valves were better. This trumpet appears to be an unrestored original that's never been damaged beyond a few dings. Enjoy the views!
Six-sided water keys not used on any other Keefer model.
Custom pull knob with six-sided base.
Rare Bb/A stop rod found only on a few other trumpets. Even the third slide stop rod has six-sided bases.
Unique finger buttons and valve caps not found on another Keefer model.
Small brace or protector on top of the third slide branch.
Keefer valve casings are always round except for these with octagon shapes.
Original case looks like a product from the 1940s.
The neat Art Deco case tag.
Similar bell engraving on Intonatic model with #20002. Perhaps made at the same time? This is very crude work compared to what was done in the 1920s.
#30097
Here are a few shots after cleaning and polishing. A really great player!
I found this photo of a Keefer trumpet with the same unusual pull knobs. I don't know the serial number for this one but it definitely is from the same period. This one has an adjustable top third slide ring.
Trumpet #30096 showed up on the Goodwill auction site in 2023. It appears to be the same design.
#31001 with the same design and "L" marking and a nice satin silver finish on the lower valve block (photo courtesy of Rob Aleman).
Another match is this Intonatic model with unknown serial number found at an internet help site. This one has the same bell engraving but with the added word "Intonatic." I have to assume at this point that these were all considered to be the Intonatic model despite not all being marked.
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