Northup Drums Museum is proud to present this time capsule drum kit that has everything including star power from the 1930’s! Let’s talk about what this kit is and who owned it. Walter G. Howe of Boston, Massachusetts was a Leedy Drum Artist with strong ties to the music scene throughout New England. Walter was a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music where he played with the well know Conservatory Orchestra. Later on, he played under Arthur Fiedler at the popular McDowell Club. He also played for two summers at the Fabyian Hotel in the granite state of New Hampshire. As he became a more accomplished percussionist, he joined the WBZ Studio Band located at the Hotel Bradford under the direction of Oscar Elgart. The Hotel Bradford was where the area’s most prominent musicians gathered and made incredible music. The venue was located on famous Tremont Street in Boston. After this stint he joined E.R.A. Orchestra under William Dodge. During this time, there wasn’t a band who didn’t want Walter. He was very popular and always showed up with his Leedy Black Onyx bass drum with factory oil painted Indian on a horseback head (Sentinel Silhouette), Black Onyx Duall snare and matching tom, as well as a variety of traps, Chinese temple blocks, etc
In June 1998, avid percussionist and notable vintage drum collector Stephen M. Hillman of Boston, Massachusetts was able to acquire this trap set from Walter’s relatives. The set was in excellent condition. Northup Drums Museum was able to acquire this rare set from the Hillman family this last year after Stephen’s passing. The provenance stated here was provided by the family. The set is shown with Walter playing it in a 1933 copy of LEEDY TOPICS, issue 24, a monthly newsletter of the time put out by the Leedy drum company. Walter is also included on the very famous pyralin wrap that Leedy introduced in 1941 called ”Autograph of the Stars”. It featured the autographs of 212 Leedy endorsers and remains one of the rarest drum finishes of all times.
Let’s talk about the details of this rare, well preserved time capsule kit from the early 1930’s. As I stated earlier, Walter is shown in a 1933 Leedy topics newsletter playing this kit with some added accessories, a full trap table and temple blocks. Drummers changed out some of their accessories as time went or for playing different styles of music. We are showing it with some different accessories from the period but the main part of the set remains the same. Leedy 14x28” Black Onyx Standard Bass Drum with original oil painted head “Sentinel Silhouette” (1928-35) with red and blue blinking light kit inside. Snare drum is Leedy first generation Broadway Duall 5”x14” in Black Onyx. The Duall mechanism is similar to the Ludwig Super Sensitive snare drum, having 2 sets of snares, one on the outside bottom and another set inside the top of the batter head, giving you a very crisp snare sound when both are engaged. Traps and accessories on the bass drum include a matching Leedy Black Onyx Chinese style Tack head tom with Leedy tom holder. A Leedy professional bass drum pedal with Cymbal clanger and mounted cymbal. A Rare #303 heavy duty dual cymbal holder with large 17” Chinese cymbal and 10” Charelston deep cup cymbals. A 4” Greeko cymbal. A Leedy woodblock and 2 cowbell holder. A rare Leedy Stick tray for holding sticks, brushes and small traps and a Leedy Bocka-da-bock is on the tray. Also shown with this set is a Leedy lowboy sock cymbal pedal with 10” leedy cymbals. What is wonderful about this set is the Black Onyx pyralin wrap remains in near mint condition, still crisp bright white, where many have yellowed over time. If you would like to learn more about this famous kit and even play this kit, take a trip the Northup Drums Museum and visit us at www.northupdrums.com