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Note the bell's rim. There is a flat brass ribbon behind the roll in the rim that runs around the circumference of the bell. Buescher started using this method of forming the bell rim in the early 1930s, possibly in 1930 when the "New Aristocrat" trumpet was introduced. The bells on earlier horns - trumpets and saxophones - had rounder, thicker rolled rims and lacked the reinforcing ribbon.
Here and in the following pics also note the thick, grooved flat brass ribbon used on the third-valve finger ring.
After 1935 Buescher started making what it called its "Gladstone" style instrument cases; it claimed they could easily be confused with the finest personal luggage. If you're the kind of traveler that notices that kind of thing.
They are in fact good looking cases; solid, wood-framed and decently padded for an instrument case of the time. Modern instrument cases are much uglier, but generally offer better overall protection.
The purple plush lining seems to have been the standard, but you could custom-order the materials used in the case, so you may run across cases with a green or other color linings and linings made of different fabric materials.
The Model 254 did not feature the bottom sprung "pin" valves Buescher used on earlier Custom Built horns. Instead it used pretty standard top-sprung star-guide valves.
The action on this horn was excellent, though - a really slick, solid short valve throw and very finger-friendly.
Note the octagonal valve caps and buttons. The valve cap bottoms were octagonal, too. They were made of very heavy brass.
The bell diameter is 4 & 9/16". It's bell flair and diameter are probably different from that found on the base line Aristocrat cornet that was its contemporary, but I don't know for sure. I've never handled an Aristocrat cornet from this era, if anything they seem to be rarer than the 265.
Note the nickel-silver used on the brace between the bell-tail and mouthpipe at the back of the horn, and on the finger-hook. Also look for the third valve slide finger ring and note how it is made of a flat, grooved thick brass ribbon.
The back is bookmatched flamed maple (the actual look is more blond sorry for the poor shot). The neck is maple. The dark line down the iddle is a small mahgony strip.
We recieved today the final welded components for the first time and oput everything next to each other to see how large the whole thing will be! One word: Enormous!
We met with our architect and builder today to review the first draft of our custom home. We are building 3 miles from my office and 20 minutes from Paulette's.