hello all!!
I have 2 rare drums. one is a WW2 leedy drednaught 10 x 14 snare.
The second is a rogers acrylic 5 1/2 x 14 prototype snare.
after owning these drums for years I am thinking about selling them.
I know they are rare, but rare doesnt always mean valuable. so what do you think these would be worth in good shape
here are some pics
Thanks in advance for any help!
Very cool drums,I esp think the leedy looks elegant and antique.
I assume the leedy is WW 2 era like the victorious and rolling bomber drums.
No idea on value.
Maybe someone on here has bought or sold one of these and can help.
The Rogers has got to be real rare,I saw one in the Rogers book and I know they made very few of those.
Drums like yours come up for sale so rarely that it's hard to assign a current market value to them. The only way to do that, would be to conduct auctions and see what they actually realize in today's market. Otherwise, all anyone can offer is ball-park guesses.
Neat drums... rare-birds indeed.
John
Your drum has a Tower configuration to it, replete with mid 1960s hardware, including tension rods... something I have never seen, nor heard of before. An acrylic fake Rogers is far easier to do than a wood 1963 beavertail Dynasonic. I am somewhat doubtful of it being genuine. If you possess sufficient provenance on the acrylic Rogers.... and can make that available.... I will make you a substantial offer on the drum. I am most definitely interested in having this in my collection.
EDIT: There was a period of experimentation in the early mid 70s with acrylic drums. One of these is pictured in the Rogers Book by Rob Cook. Another is posted on a Rogers fan site from Japan. The Japan drum is estimated at 1971-73 approximately.
Heres the story on the rogers. I was in a local music store, A man comes in with the drum and asks if the shop is interested in buying it. The drum teacher looks at it and says "plastic drums are junk I wouldnt have it in my store, and plus rogers was smart enough not to make them.
The mans reply Is what got my interest. my father was a pro drummer sponcered by rogers. I remember him reciving this drum. but it dosent matter I dont realy care what i get for it, the drunk bastard died and im cleaning out his house.
I told the man I didnt have much cash on me but would give him somthing for it. we went to the parking lot and made the deal. He told me his father had retired from playing when his hands got bad from arthritus and he couldnt play. He had sold all his drums except this one.
At the time I just thought I got a cool looking drum, Who cares past that but then I started looking closer the shell is not zickos or any other known factory shell. it is hand bent and has 3 clamp marks every few inches where it was bent.
I went online and found some info and yes a few hand built prototypes were made and were given to rogers drummers
I wish I would have gotten the mans name but I didnt!
With all that said Iam not expecting a fortune from the drum Its just damn cool
Nice drums, and a cool story to boot.
See above edited post regarding some early mid 70s snares.
Cool story on the find. Factory Employee builds do come to light from time to time. There have been individual drums and sets by employees from parts obtained at the factory and most likely assembled there as well. There are a number of prototype Dynasonics in various hands. It would be interesting to see more pics of this Tower config snare drum. A gram weight on one of the lugs without tension rods or screws attached would be nice also. Tension rods appear to be before 1968, they are Rogers square top. The Tower strainer is 1967-69.
Zickos began production in the very late 60s with acrylic drums, according to one source I read. Rogers messed around with some acrylics in the early 70s.
Nice story. More pics.
ok For good measure
Here is the leedy story I found it at a local flea market being sold as furniture.
it had become a magazine rack!!!!!!!!!!!!! The calf heads were cutout and a plywood bottom had been glued to the bottom rim over the original snares. Attached to the plywood were 3 table legs about 6 to 8 inches long and A 1x1 board was set in the top (as a divider) . and the whole thing was covered in olive drab paint.
I asked the man how much for the drum? his reply was 5 bucks but its not a real drum its just for show it has no metal its all wood so its fake.
I handed the man the $5 and took home what i knew was a leedy drednaught. My fathers friend had owned a set that was blue and white and showed them to me when I was 12
I knew the whole story about the ww2 drums with the wood lugs and rims.
10% metal was the limit so our boys could have tanks to win the war !!
The leedy sat for a few years in my shop till a friend (A pilot who had been grounded with a heart condition) said he was board sitting at home and wanted a project to do. So I sent over the leedy and he removed the green paint and cleaned it up for me.
The funny thing is it sits next to my desk now and i have a small fan sitting on it ITS FURNATURE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but cool
