This is a rare and very fine instrument.  Effectively, it's a 'pre-Model 40' but with a slightly larger bell than Paxman's current Medium - more like their current Europa bell.

It comes from the days when Paxman horns were 100% handmade - and don't you ever know it when you blow it!  It sails through all registers with super-fast, silent, silky-smooth valves and a lovely legato facility, and the Bb horn is truly superb - every bit as good as the very best Paxmans I've ever played.

The F alto side is also lovely, and produces clarion-clear, secure high notes and a big, fat and very free-blowing low register below bottom C, right down to pedal F (using orthodox F fingerings below bottom C on the F alto horn.)  Of course, you've also got the A/(+) valve which helps with awkward transpositions and difficult fingerings, and (with the sleeves fitted) renders hand-stopping non-transposing.  Using this valve, sleeves still fitted, you can produce all the slightly lack-lustre notes on the Bb horn using alternative fingerings which give the same tubing lengths as orthodox F horn fingerings, and so make the same F horn sound.  These slightly dodgy notes on the Bb horn include middle C, E and G above, and G below, all these notes down a semitone, and open first space F - and all this is standard single Bb/A(+) horn alternative fingering technique.

Although the horn is tatty it plays extremely well in all registers and makes a wonderful sound.  It's got a thin area in the bell (which has been well patched), several other patches, lots of little dents and imperfections, and no lacquer!  But the fabric of the horn is fine - it'll give many years of trouble-free, excellent service - and it's in gold brass - wow!

It comes fully reconditioned, with a full 3-year guarantee and hard case.  And it's priced to sell...

£POA