Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Another Double-Claw Rod Brass Snare Drum -- 1890s Thompson & Odell Rod Drum


This is eBay item #130225167268
, offered for sale by eBayer bedrossianmusic, Warwick, Rhode Island. It is a good surviving example of short drum construction in the late 19th century.

A number of features are of particular interest, especially the claws holding down the top counterhoop. Similar claws can be seen in a drum in the CDV (photo below), said to be of an Indian War period drummer.

The leg rest also appears to be similar. And the drum in the CDV (below) also appears to have wood counterhoops and a metal shell.

However, the drum in the CDV appears to be slightly deeper (taller shell) judging by a comparison of the counterhoop width to the exposed metal shell in each drum, but that is difficult to determine (it might be possible that the CDV distorts the shell height making it appear taller than it is, but given that the drum in the CDV is photographed at an angle, the shell height should appear shorter than it actually is rather than taller).

Information from Seller:
METAL SNARE DRUM
Thompson & Odell started in the 1890's

DESCRIPTION: Calf skin head, Metal shell, Gut snares, Mahogany or cherry wood, Inside diameter 15 1/4", Outside Diameter 16", Height 7 1/8", 8 lugs/tension rods ( 1 pc.rods), bottom head is slightly torn/fatigued, Impeccable condition, photo shows the actual label inside the drum with the drum's history
.[?]

[P.S. 12/11/08: The same seller has brought this drum back onto eBay as item no. 130274505428, described this time as:

This instrument is NOT Civil War -- it's a little bit AFTER the Civil War (I'm not quite sure of the exact age). Inside the drum the brand name is Thompson & Odell Manufacturers of Imperial Brass Instruments, Calvin Baker violins and double basses, the Artist banjos, importers and wholesalers and retail dealers in general musical merchandise, 177 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts. The shell is made of steel or metal. Dimensions from inside the snare 15"; from top to bottom 7 1/4" high. Consists of 8 lugs. Original calfskin -- the top calfskin is in good shape; the bottom calfskin has a major rip. The strainer (very old) is made of rope. Lugs are made of steel. There is a Civil War period harness attached to the side of the drum designed to attach to the musician's belt.]

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