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Antique Wilson Brothers 3x12 Mahogany Snare Drum

Posts: 373 Threads: 56

I just picked up this Wilson Brothers snare and I don't know much about it. It's 3x12, has the "3 way" strainer, original heads and hoops, and is a mahogany shell. I have heard that these would have been 1 ply shells. The company made drums from approx 1915 to 1928.

That's all I could find so far. What I'm wondering about is if this was a normal production size at the time or if this would have been some sort of one off or custom order (maybe a display model?). I also have no idea what it's really worth.

Look closely in the pictures, there is a "Wilson" stamp on the snare side head along with some pencil writing. The writing looks like "Ashworth & R......". Not sure if that rings a bell with anyone, I thought it may have been a store or something.

Any info would be helpful, thanks!

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0186.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0187.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0188.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0189.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0190.jpg[/IMG]

Posted on 12 years ago
#1
Posts: 373 Threads: 56

More pictures:

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0199.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0192.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0196.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0194.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/af5/potsy24/Wilson%20Bros%20Snare/IMG_0193.jpg[/IMG]

Posted on 12 years ago
#2
Posts: 2713 Threads: 555

NICE DRUM !!

I have a Gretsch drum with same t-rods and about the same size....different strainer though. Mine's 1926.

Your drum is in beautiful shape - I love the wood hoops.

I have a 1925 Willson Brothers metal shell snare 16" diam.

Cool old drum you have there.

Sorry I don't have information on your drum though.

The only information I found on the web was something Rob Cook at Rebeats wrote. You may have already read that...

Posted on 12 years ago
#3
Posts: 373 Threads: 56

From Kona

NICE DRUM !!I have a Gretsch drum with same t-rods and about the same size....different strainer though. Mine's 1926.Your drum is in beautiful shape - I love the wood hoops. I have a 1925 Willson Brothers metal shell snare 16" diam. Cool old drum you have there. Sorry I don't have information on your drum though.The only information I found on the web was something Rob Cook at Rebeats wrote. You may have already read that...

Thanks Kona! Yeah, it's a pretty cool drum. I had to get it even without knowing much about it. I did read that Rob Cook article. Most of the pictures/info I can find from Wilson Brothers are the metal snares. I can't find much about these wood ones, and zero about a 12".

Posted on 12 years ago
#4
Posts: 747 Threads: 37

Wilson Bros Chicago 1915-1928 ?. I have a wartime brass rope tension drum by this company that was made on contract for our allies during WW1. Small drums like the OP were often called "Tango" snares, in drum company catalogs.

(pics: left snare = Leedy,1921-29, Right = Ludwig,1922-35)

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Posted on 12 years ago
#5
Posts: 1334 Threads: 235

That size would most like come under the Juvenile Drum category...L&L, Leedy and others made those.

Mike Curotto

Posted on 12 years ago
#6
Posts: 373 Threads: 56

From Mike Curotto

That size would most like come under the Juvenile Drum category...L&L, Leedy and others made those.Mike Curotto

Mike, great info, I should have thought of that initially. It just seems higher quality than what a juvenile drum would usually be. Now that you brought that up, I found this:

http://presto.arcade-museum.com/PRESTO-1922-1897/PRESTO-1922-1897-20.pdf

It describes the "Ultrafine Outfit No. 5", which included a 3x12 thumb-rod snare drum and 8x24 thumb-rod bass drum. That is could be the snare that I have here.

Posted on 12 years ago
#7
Posts: 747 Threads: 37

It's common for a juvenile snare to have a simple tightening rod for the wires/chord/gut, & not a working throw off like your snare.

Posted on 12 years ago
#8
Posts: 373 Threads: 56

From tdennis

It's common for a juvenile snare to have a simple tightening rod for the wires/chord/gut, & not a working throw off like your snare.

The throwoff on this drum is interesting. The "3-way" function allows you to point the lever to either side or straight out from the shell. So far it doesn't seem like that changes the sound at all, but it might when the wires are properly tensioned.

Posted on 12 years ago
#9
Posts: 747 Threads: 37

I would guess that the lever moves to each side to "Lock" it out of the way, & that the central position allowed a "quick" release on/off flicker of the stick, when the composition called for that.

Posted on 12 years ago
#10
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