Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

[markj]

Winning bid for this item: $260.00.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBUAA:US:11&Item=250130957336

My response? Yeeeeeeoooooooooooooooowwwwwww!!!!!

Definition of "inflation": "Too many people, with too much money and too little common sense, chasing too few goods."

Very truly yours, &c.,

Mark Jaeger

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

"In 1860 Howe returned to publishing under his own name, re-established himself in Boston just at the start of the American Civil War. In addition to publishing, he manufactured drums for the Union Army and sold fifes to the numerous newly-forming martial organizations. Declining a government offer to serve as Director of Bands (which came with a rank of Lt. Colonel), Howe concentrated on supplying the government all he could sell with regard to musical instruments and publications. Some of the most popular of the latter items were his fife tutors (e.g. Army and Navy Fife Instructor, 1861), understandably in demand for training new military musicians. Ironically, finds Sky, “Howe discovered after the war that the majority of the books were distributed to the Rebel armies,” probably through a Kentucky firm."

http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/ryan1.htm

I just got a reprint of Ryan's Mammoth Collection, also published by Howe. I have been meaning to check the source listed in the bibliography to see if there is any truth to this statement about Howe's manuals entering CS service. Has anyone else looked into this? Regardless, it would be good if Confederate reenactors started playing more from Howe's, especially the camp duty. It would increase the number of functional musicians, whose number is small due to the fact that most musicians tend to focus on attempting to learn the more difficult pieces rather than the tunes and type of beats in books like Howe's, which were probably heard pretty frequently in both of the armies. A reprint Howe's Drum and Fife book is certainly readily available, and it costs much less than $260.

[joewhitney]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Since Ebay no longer lists the indentity of bidders and winners, we'll never know who paid that much for a copy, nor can we warn people when we know they're getting ripped off by fraud.

Ebay used to be a good place for bargains, but so many people now participate who are unschooled in what are and are not authentic period pieces that it's rare to find anything at a decent price anymore.

Coincidentally, I was at the Gettysburg Relic Show today, and Union Drummer Boy was selling a copy of the manual for $625, which is roughly ten times what I paid for each of my two copies (and one of them came with a period fife!) I would assume that since the auction was only three days ago, UDB wasn't the high bidder.

Surprisingly, at the same show I picked up from a dealer a ca.1820's boxwood Metzler C fife in great condition for $70. Looks like shows occasionally are still a good place to look for bargains.

Anyone in the Gettysburg area tomorrow may want to check out the big auction. Many of the goods up for bidding were displayed at the show, and may end up in private hands tomorrow. These included Custer's battleflag, Grant's sword, Mahone's camp chair, lots of flags (including a Stuart cav ANV battleflag captured by Custer), drums and tons of other incredible stuff, including that Zouave drum major's uniform and staff (NOT baton--that word is so 20th century).

As for Howe vs. B&E, no contest. Inflicting B&E's rare, complicated versions on beginners probably constitutes cruelty to children. Besides being usually simpler, Howe's manuals were so prolific that the duty on both sides most likely were those in his manuals. Personally, I think B&E should not be allowed at field music schools, because of its over-sized influence. While it dominates field music today, I believe some day down the road reenactors will recognize it was not representative of the music commonly played.

Joe Whitney
2nd SC String Band
Md Line Field Music

[Luckiduc13]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Mr Whitney, you must want to sell the metzler to me!

[joewhitney]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Sorry dude, I'm a collector, not a dealer. But it goes to show, if you keep looking, you can still find original instruments pretty cheap.

Joe Whitney
2nd SC String Band
Md Line Field Music

[33rdaladrummer]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Finally tracked down the source.

Boston of To-day: A Glance at Its History and Characteristics. With Biographical Sketches
by Edwin Monroe Bacon - 1892, Page 266

"Mr. Howe...began making drums, and during the early years of the war he sold drums and fifes to nearly all of the Massachusetts regiments and to many of the Western States. He also published music, especially military band and drum and fife, for use in the armies. Much of this music was sent to Louisville, Ky., and after the war he was informed that it all went into the Confederate army and was played there."

http://books.google.com/books?id=WgRQa9f8MWgC&pg=RA1-PA266&dq=musician%27s+companion+howe

[joewhitney]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Good job, Will! Supports using Howe over B&E even more, especially for Confederate musicians.

Joe Whitney
2nd SC String Band
Md Line Field Music

[DOC1861]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

I must admit that I even looked at it when it was up for auction. I didn't bid on it because it looked just like the reprint that I have and use and thought it the same. I wonder if I put my copy up would someone pay that price.:D

[RJSamp]

Re: Howe's Army & Navy Fife Instructor - EBay

Good job, Will! Supports using Howe over B&E even more, especially for Confederate musicians.

Joe Whitney
2nd SC String Band
Md Line Field Music

hmmmm.
and that means
Cavalry Bugle Signals
# 26 To Extinguish Lights. (or Taps) was potentially in the hands of many a CSA bugler.....