Flugel horn in E flat. Brass tubing with varnish coating. Three Périnet valves configured as an unusual compensating system with both additional loops for the first and second valves and alternative loops for all three valves. Valves have mother of pearl finger buttons. Mouthpiece and one valve slide missing. Lower section of second valve casing is stamped: TRADEMARK/....../BOOSEY/35518 - TRADEMARK; Lower valve caps and central sections of valve casings are stamped 1,2,3 respectively.
The valves on this flugelhorn use an experimental duplicate-loop compensating system, meaning that an alternative valve loop is brought into play by the first or second valves when used in combination with the third. The instrument appears in two of the surviving factory record books, both production ledgers for valve clusters. The first entry records the production of the valves and reads: 'Number of pistons: 35518; Description: Flugel Horn new model comps 4; Class: A; Maker's name: L. Rockaerts; Date received: 3 Jan 1891; 'Ford. to /96' [made up in 1896]'. The instrument appears in a later production record book, where a note is made about three experimental instruments, this flugelhorn, a trumpet and a cornet and says: 'transferred to museum Dec 30/05'. This is the first known mention of the Boosey & Co. instrument museum that would later form the basis of the Boosey & Hawkes Collection.
