Hi,
Sometimes things come full circle. I purchased this drum many years ago from noted drum historian, collector and friend Harry Cangany. I kept and enjoyed this drum for a number of years but at some point there was a guy who just had to have this drum. As a collector I rarely sell my drums but since this person had to have this drum then he was going to pay a huge amount...which he did...as we all know, everything has a price. A number years after that he resold the drum (at a huge loss) to my good friend Bun E. Carlos. Bun E. paid the correct price for the drum. On Sunday 8-30-2020 Bun and I made a deal and the drum is now back home. You can see this drum on pages 8-9 in my book: VINTAGE SNARE DRUMS THE CUROTTO COLLECTION.
1925 LUDWIG & LUDWIG 4 x 14 8 LUG GOLD PLATED/ENGRAVED TRIUMPHAL MODEL (*WILLIAM S. HART DRUM #1)
*Harry J. Cangany Jr: “Bill Ludwig II sold me the drum that we have for years called the William S. Hart Drum--the Triumphal. I asked him back then why he had a drum that was made for Mr. Hart and he didn't know. I am sure that's because he never asked his dad. So, here is my theory. I think Hart, a movie star, either sent someone into the music store to buy the best drum they had--or maybe he went in. The Triumphal--24K gold over brass and engraved and burnished-- cost $125 back then. I think he bought it and decided to get something more ornate made and that would take months. [This being the “Swastika” drum] In the meantime, he had something to give his son. The store then sold the All Gold snare (it is NOT a Triumphal) for $650 and probably agreed to take back the Triumphal when the All Gold got there. Well, a store can't resell as new a drum that has left the store, so they probably got Ludwig to agree to take the Triumphal back since the publicity is what Ludwig wanted. Hart was a very famous man because of his starring role in countless movies. I know the Triumphal sat in the Ludwig conference room until Bill II took it home and that was years before he sold it to me, and I later sold it and it has been sold twice since. So there are two William S. Hart Ludwig snare drums; the Triumphal and the All Gold (‘Swastika” drum’)”.
The Triumphal Model was Ludwig & Ludwig’s top of the line snare drum and sold for 125.00 in 1925. The Triumphal Model featured 24K gold plating with hand engraving on the shell, lugs and rims. Noted drum historian and collector Harry Cangany has stated his belief that there were only 12 of these Triumphal snare drums produced. The engraving pattern on this drum is very unique and is the only pattern like this as compared to the other Triumphals. After a few owners this drum is still in the original condition when Harry Cangany purchased the drum from WFL II. As of this writing I have discovered a total of 10 Triumphal Models amongst five different owners:
Robert Campbell... 1 (4 x 14 “Wild Rose”)
East Coast owner...1 (5 x 14 Super-Ludwig)
East Coast owner...1 (5 x 14 Super-Ludwig)
Mid-Western owner...1 (5 x 14 Super-Ludwig)
Mike Curotto...6 (5 of the 6 are in my book)
Enjoy!
Mike Curotto
