Humes & Berg New Stone Lined Derby Hat Mute Red White Vintage

This Humes & Berg New Stone Lined Derby Hat Mute is a vintage brass instrument accessory with its distinctive rounded white crown and red fluted brim. Derby mutes like this are held over the bell of a trumpet or trombone to change the instrument's tone and create muted effects. This example has plenty of visible use, including surface wear, yellow marks, cracks, and finish loss from years of handling.

Details

• Item: Derby hat mute
• Maker: Humes & Berg
• Mark: Humes & Berg "New Stone Lined"
• Instrument: Trumpet or trombone
• Material: Rigid fiber construction
• Color: Cream white with red fluted brim and red interior
• Form: Derby or bowler hat style mute
• Measurements: Approximately 10 inches by 9 inches oval and 4.5 inches tall
• Product Weight: 8 ounces
• Era:1970s era.

Condition Grade: Fair

Positives

• The derby hat form remains intact and recognizable.
• The red and cream color combination remains strong enough for display.
• The piece can still be used as a musical mute according to the information provided.

Issues / Wear

• There is overall surface wear, scuffing, and discoloration from use.
• Yellow marks are visible on the top.
• Cracks are present in the piece.
• The red fluted brim has noticeable finish loss and edge wear.
• The interior red surface shows rubbing and wear.
• The mute could use a good cleaning and is being sold as found.

Condition Grade Key

• Near Fine: Close to new. Any flaw is small and named above.
• Very Good: Light use. Every flaw is named above, and none of them get in the way of use or display.
• Good: Complete and usable, with clear signs of use. Every flaw is named above.
• Fair: Heavy wear or damage, named above. A working or display piece with noticeable condition issues.

Collector's Notes

Derby mutes are an especially recognizable form among vintage brass instrument accessories because they look much like a small bowler hat.

Musicians manually hold or move this style of mute near the bell of a trumpet or trombone to alter the sound. The movement can help create the changing muted effects associated with jazz and Big Band playing.

The Humes & Berg Stone Lined name has a long association with brass instrument mutes, making the maker name useful to both musicians and vintage music collectors.

This example shows its working history plainly. The wear, marks, and aging are part of what separates it visually from a newer performance accessory.

Shipping + Trust (Reading Vintage standards)

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Disclaimer

All items are vintage and may show signs of age, wear, or use consistent with their history. Photos show the exact condition of each piece, please review them carefully, as they are part of the description.

I do my best to capture colors accurately, but your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.

Please Note

This mute has visible wear, cracking, marks, and finish loss and could use additional cleaning. It is being sold as found.

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