To restore or not to restore
March 21, 2008 · Print This Article
There are two schools of thought here and one most collectors have pondered at one time or another. The most difficult decision for me was when I had to decide what to do with my box valve cornet. I acquired it in 1970 at an antique shop in Illinois and since it looked so strange, I wanted to research box valves. I soon discovered that box valves are the rarest kind of valves and finding an instrument in a collection was almost impossible. In the early 1970s while visiting Germany, I found two instruments at a museum in Nuremberg that were made by the inventor of the box valve, Schuster, in the 1820s. From the U.S. Patent office, I acquired a copy of the Quimbey patent for horns they intend to make in the 1870, but in searching for box valved horns I discovered that there were very few in existence. One in a Museum in Rhineland Germany and another at the Shrine to Music in Vermilion S.D.
Since my instrument was incomplete (missing the lead pipe, one valve slide and one square valve mechanism, I had nothing to go on in completing the restoration. Finally, Byron Autrey attempted to recreate the missing 1st valve mechanism and was quite successful, but would not attempt further restoration as he had nothing to use as a model. Bob Pallansch in Virginia also would not attempt it for the same reason
I have finally given up my quest for restoration and I believe there are probably no more than ten existing horns with box (square) valves in collections today. So, this mission is unaccomplished unless there is someone out there with another example of a horn with box valves. The valve was invented by Schuster in the early 1820s and Quimbey was the last to market a successful horn. The box valve seems to have died a quiet death in 1870, never to be heard from again. Just another dilemma for a horn collector desiring a restoration.
You need to contact Robb Stewart. He is about the only guy that could restore your Box Valve cornet. He has already restored a Hall and Quinby and will soon restore a second one that a friend recently purchased.
Steve
Thanks for the heads up Steve! This boxvalve of mine has been a mystery for about 30 years. Now I have some positive information.
BTW, are you going to restore the recently acquired Graves Vienna valve with,as Udo Koehne calls them “Klinkerdrucker”? I can recall seeing only one horn like that in my life, and I cant remember where. Can you refresh my memory?
Bob
There are 15 American made Twin piston valve Trumpets (also known as Post Horns) that I am aware of. Also an additional 7 other instruments. Of the trumpets, 3 are at the Fiske museum, One at the Ford, one in the Utley collection (you can see it online and is probably the one you are referring to having seen) and one in the Smithonian. Seven are Graves NH, two Allen, Five Wright, and one Fiske. Of the Graves, two are whole step first valves, three are half step, and two are not known. Mine in a whole step.
Yes, I will have it restored by Robb Stewart in the coming year.
Steve
Thanks for the heads up Steve, Its nice to go straight to the subject and information like yours lets the novice medium and advanced collector as well as the average Joe find what he is looking for without flailing around for 30 years like I did.
I hope that Jeff and you will share the restoration projects on your two very important finds with our audience. Could you possibly get us a picture of both the before and after of that restoration (with Robbs approval of course) My collector friend Udo Koehne in Bonn sent me pictures of a before and after of a 2 valve ivory button upright cornet he had done in Germany. That restorer is an artist in a class with Robb.
You can see a picture of my unrestored Hall & Quinby box-valve Eb cornet at this URL: http://excelsiorcornetband.com/wst_page2.html ; it is the 3rd instrument on the page. This is apparently the only known Eb cornet by Hall & Quinby with B.F. Quinby’s patented (April 9, 1872) box valves to survive. I plan to have Robb Stewart restore it within a year or so. “After” pics will have to await Robb working his magic.
Thanks for your willingness to share Robb Stewarts restoration of your box valve cornet with us when he finishes. Robb appears to be “DA MAN” for restorations here in the U.S. I contacted him about my mystery box valve and he informed me that it could not be positively identified as a Hall & Quinby horn, although it might possibly be a pre patent rendering of a similar design. Oh well, I know more now than I did 30 years ago when I acquired it.
Thanks for sharing your gallery of very interesting photos with us, and dont forget us when show and tell time comes when Robb finishes the restoration.