Serial number: 1406 MC Material: nickel bronze Detachable bell with Alexander ring, Kruspe style wrapping It is a custom-made horn circa early 2000s, the maker Walter Lawson retired in 2006 and passed away in 2007. It is one of his last horns. The weight of the horn is on the heavier side, but not the heaviest Lawson horn. I purchased in 2015 for $10,000 USD, actively used for 2 years. Then well maintained while not in use. This horn plays beautifully and evenly throughout all ranges, it has a warm and big sound. The lower register is especially easy to center and very powerful.
I purchased it from Pope Horns, Inc. Boston MA. https://poperepair.com/
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry. Based on the photographs and description provided, the subject of this appraisal is a Lawson Fourier Model 804 Professional Double Horn with a serial number of 1406, circa early 2000s. According to the current owner, the piece was acquired from Pope Horns, Inc. in 2015 for $10,000.
The piece's composition is nickel bronze. It features a detachable bell with Alexander ring, and Kruspe-style wrapping.
Recorded sales data of Lawson Fourier horns is sparce and non-existent within major auction settings. The basis of the price is formed by research done on horns listed and sold on the secondary market. Specifically, in 2019 Beck Brass Works, the current operator of the Lawson brand, appears to have sold a used Fourier model for $6,900 based on listings on its website at the time. Other retailers and online sales prior from sites including Reverb.com have been falling in the $6,000 to $6,300 range. Based on these prices, coupled with the current scarcity of the pieces, a pre-auction estimate of this instrument would fall within a range of $6,500 to $7,500.