Object Record
Images
Additional Images [1]
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1993.03.01 |
Object Type |
Drum, Snare |
Creator |
Gladstone, Billy |
Title |
Snare drum |
Description |
Carroll Bratman's personal Gladstone snare drum. 14" head / 39.1cm W x 18.8cm D. White Pearl marbelized finish with 8 silver lugs, Goldtone rims and mechanisms. Gladstone's personal insginia on side, a rounded triangle with "Billy Gladstone" in script. "PAT NO 2132105" and "PAT NO 2172578" also on badge. Attached to triangle is a trio of drum keys at 120 degree angles. On center is engraved "Billy Gladstone, PAT NO 2172578". Mechanism flips vertically with large silver handle; stamped "PAT NO 2495451" on mechanism. Lever to one side of mechanism has gradation of "OFF' to "9", presumable to tighten metal snares. Wooden shell painted black on inside. Heads not original. Upper white opaque Remo Weather King Ambassador batter, plastic; Lower is a clear Remo Weather King Ambassador snare, plastic. Name plate, hex-headed screws, wrench holder, and original gold-plated wire snares are missing. |
Dimensions |
H-7.5 Dia-16 inches |
People |
Gladstone, Billy Bratman, Carroll |
Date |
c. 1960 |
Additional Research |
Considerable interest is often generated by instruments that were owned or manufactured by a well-known individual. Shown here are three snare drums that fall into this category. Two of the drums were custom built by Billy Gladstone, famous as the drummer/percussionist for Radio City Music Hall and as an inventor. Gladstone personally built about fifty custom snare drums between 1949 and 1960 at the request of various individuals. Both of the Gladstone snare drums feature his patented, three-way lug design, which allows the player to tension the top head alone, the bottom head alone, or both heads simultaneously without removing the drum from its stand. Both also feature a modified internal tone control with nine height levels, a snare throwoff lever that can be operated by striking it with a drumstick, and an adjustment screw for each of the individual snares. This white-pearl drum with gold hardware was Carroll Bratman's personal instrument, but has no plate identifying its owner. It is not known whether Gladstone made the instrument for Bratman or whether Bratman acquired it from someone else. Also shown here is a "presentation" drum manufactured by Ludwig & Ludwig around 1918. Presentation drums, usually specially manufactured, are instruments given as gifts to mark an occasion. This 6-lug, 6-1/2 x 14 inch, gold-plated drum belonged to Max H. Manne, Shelly Manne's father. It was a gift from Vernon Castle, who, with his wife, formed a famous ballroom dancing duo. This was the first gold-plated drum manufactured by Ludwig & Ludwig and was presented to Manne when he left Castle's orchestra to become manager of productions at the new Roxy Theatre in New York. This black-lacquered, 7 x 14-inch drum, made for Elden C. "Buster" Bailey, was the first drum (other than Gladstone's personal one) that he manufactured. The inscription plate reads: "Elden C. Bailey, Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of New York, October, 1949, Drum #0". Percussive Notes, February 1999. |
Credit line |
Gift of Carroll Bratman |