I’d like to start this story by both thanking and blaming Mark Cooper (Coopers Vintage Drums) J. Many years ago, I met Mark at one of the Chicago Drum Shows. He was sharing his fabulous collection of vintage green-wrapped drums from Slingerland and Leedy. The Slingerland Sea Green Pearl was a bright, luscious color. I had never seen so many vintage green drums in one place. These instruments were indeed quite rare and beautiful gems of the drum collecting world. I asked Mark a lot of questions about the drums in his booth. He impressed me with his depth of historical drum knowledge and the generous amount of time he took to educate me on the subject. Over a decade later, Mark has become a valued friend and a drum historian who I consult frequently for vintage drum info. So, I thank him for all the wisdom and for his friendship. On the other hand, I blame Mark for passing on his addiction for vintage green drums. I am now obsessed.
One of the rarest of the vintage green drums is the circa 1928 Leedy Jade Green Pearl snare. The wrap was made of Pyralin (a.k.a. pyroxylin), a thin nitrocellulose-based covering developed by Arlington Company and later purchased by DuPont in (1917). Pyralin later became known as “Pearl” as it “simulated the of Mother of Pearl found in the shells of mollusks.” (http://www.coopersvintagedrums.com/VINTAGE%20DRUM%20FINISHES.htm). This particular model was only shown in the 1928 Leedy “R” catalog so I presume it was only made from around 1928-1929 (i.e., Leedy catalog “S” was issued in 1930 and omits the Jade Green Pearl) – right around the time of the Great Depression. The Jade Green Pearl snare cost $55 in 1928, about $825 in today’s dollars – not cheap!
The Jade Green Pearl snare drum had a very distinctive deep, rich green pyralin wrap, solid mahogany shell with maple reinforcing ring, Speedway strainer, and was offered in 4”, 5” and 6” x 14” depths. They had no badges per se but “Leedy, Indianapolis” was stamped into the top hoop. In catalog “S”, the “Jade Green Model” was displayed with Nobby Gold hardware (imitation gold plating produced by plating the hardware in copper followed by application of a translucent gold lacquer). Leedy described the finish as, “Its surface, like the Marine Pearl and Sparkling gold, is harder than the hardest wood and is polished to a glassy smoothness reflecting strong, irregular light beams that are dazzling beyond description. The various blending shades of green, spotted here and there with white, create a design found in no other object. This finish acts as a magnet for all eyes in the direction of the Drummer.”
For years, I had searched for a Leedy Jade Green Pearl snare drum. A short time ago, I was approached by a collector by the name of Jusden Aumand. He had a Leedy Jade Green Pearl snare for sale (one of 4 Jade Green Pearl drums in his collection!) and had been referred to me by fellow collector Chris Ardoin. I am forever indebted to Chris for that act of kindness. Chris already had a 5 x14” Leedy Jade Green Pearl (see also the article by Chris Ardoin, Not So Modern Drummer, Dec, 2016), and thought I might have an interest. Jusden contacted me, and we had some wonderful conversations about his Jade Green Pearl collection. Eventually, one of his Jade Green Pearl snares came to me. It was indeed quite beautiful. A 5 x 14”, 8-lug Jade Green Pearl with all Nobby Gold hardware, like the catalog picture, in wonderful condition. All original with no restoration needed. It was an amazing addition to my collection; I was no longer “green with envy”.
I’ve often wondered why so few Jade Green Pearl drums exist and why they are so coveted by collectors. Mark Cooper offered, “I think that Leedy's Jade Green Pearl was only offered for about a year, as opposed to their Green Pearl finish which was available from about 1929 through the mid-1930's. So, based on the limited time available, I would say that’s why Jade Green is so rare.” Jusden Aumand noted, “Like you, I was drawn to the Jade Green finish. It was so exotic, almost mysterious. Perhaps it flopped because it was likely polarizing on a drum (either you loved it or hated it).” For Ben Goldberg, it was, “Any vintage green drum is rare. A lot of us have White Marine, and Black Diamond, etc., as those were more common and neutral on a lit stage. The Leedy Jade Green pearl was one of the first vintage green drums I ever found in the mid-90s. Coincidentally, my grandfather had given me a pocket-knife from the 30’s that had a virtually identical jade green handle so that made the drum even more special.”
Harry Cangany (noted author, drum historian) commented, “UG (Leedy) sold the company in the fall of 1929. I am sure it was worked on for a while, and he probably kept on eye on what was selling. In 1929, they introduced Green Pearl, so it may have taken Jade Green’s place. There are lots of Leedy White Marine and Black Diamond drums. I have seen a few Gold Sparkle from the late 20s, early 30s, but the Onyxes, Rainbow Pearl, and Jade Green are rare. You can’t help but wonder how much influence the name players had on the public back then, because Leedy always seemed to feature white-, black- and gold-wrapped finishes for the publicity pictures in the Leedy Drum Topics.” Personally, I wonder if Jade Green was also just not that popular? Were there any difficulties in production? Answers perhaps we will never know.
One note of caution to owners of colored wraps such as Jade Green Pearl. As Mark reminded me, these drums need to be protected from direct sunlight as they will fade over time. Technically, UV light can break down chemical bonds in the compounds that produce the green color and cause them to fade. Most of the flecks of white in the Jade Green wraps have now faded to cream or yellow. My advice is to keep them covered or in a case when not in use.
I have tried to track down as many of the Leedy Jade Green Pearl drums. This is the list I have thus far, but if you know or have any others, please contact me (fallendrummer@me.com) so I can amend the list:
Leedy Jade Green Pearl snare drum owners:
Chris Ardoin 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
Jusden Aumand 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW, 5 X 14” with nickel HW
12 x 15” field drum with nickel HW
Bob Campbell 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
Mike Curotto 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
Stefan Wicki 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
Ben Goldberg* 5 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW (with 6 tube lugs, single flange hoops, Black/Gold Elkhart badge!)
Anonymous** 6 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
Anonymous 6 x 14” with Nobby Gold HW
*Note: This is the only tube lug which I have seen and also the only one with a badge. However, the wrap appears quite authentic. Jusden Aumand mentioned he had seen another about 10 years ago, present location unknown. He also stated, “The 6 tube lug versions I’ve seen, and presence of the field drum, tells me that Leedy likely had several variants uncatalogued.” Perhaps there was some wrap left over from the original inventory and custom made with tube lugs in the early 30’s?
** This 6 x 14” Jade Green Pearl snare drum came from the late Tony Lewis estate and was brokered by Donn Bennett to a new (anonymous) owner.
While I have focused on the Leedy Jade Green Pearl snare, the greatest personal value has been the relationships that I have cultivated with Mark and all those listed above. The Jade Green was a way to break the ice and find common ground. We share a love of vintage drums and the craftsmanship of the day. Each hold some bits of the puzzle, gaps in the history and existence of other rare drums. These collectors of Leedy Jade Green Pearl drums are outstanding gentlemen, and it’s a privilege to have their friendship. This drum will eventually move on to another caretaker, but those friendships will live on…
Special thanks to Mark Cooper, Jusden Aumand, Harry Cangany, Chris Ardoin, Mike Curotto, Stefan Wicki, and Ben Goldberg. Tony Lewis – you are greatly missed!