Box Valve Cornet

I suppose every collection has a conversation piece which has puzzled the collector and generates a wide variety of comments from those viewing the collection. My conversation piece has been this box valve cornet that I acquired over thirty years ago. Some say it is extremely rare and an important piece. Others say that it is someones idea of a bad joke.

Either way, I still don’t have an answer and would like to solicit comments from those interested just what this is. I know that there are probably less than 10 known box valved instruments in existence.  Mine certainly doesn’t look like the two I saw in the museum in Nuerenberg Germany. I know that Quimbey attempted a box valve horn in the 1870s but have never seen an example of one.

A friend told me of the existence of this horn in the late 1970s and I was fortunate enough to be the successful bidder on it. It is not a complete horn and is missing the lead pipe and bottom plate for the box valve section. The bell section is obviously an E flat Sheppard crook cornet, common in the 1870s. The valve section is like nothing I have ever seen. Can you help me identify it?

Prussian Cornet, Berliner Pumpen Valved

This instrument was acquired in a trade with an acquaintance for a baritone horn. It was found at an estate sale in Sheboygan Wisconsin in the mid 1970s.I am told by Dr. Herbert Hyde that it is a Prussian Cornet and that it dates to the mid 1840s. When I acquired it I sent it to Bob Pallansch in Fall River Virginia for repairs. Enough to make it presentable for display. It has been on display ever since that time and I would not consider using it for performance as it is very airy.  Valves are the squat, early Berliner “Pumpen” which were made popular by Willhelm Wieprich, director of the Gard du Corps band in Berlin in the mid 1800s.  The bell is 3 inches in diameter. I am told that the heart shaped decoration on the bell might indicate that it was used in a cavalry band.  Like most collections, mine tells a story. That story is the development of valve systems on brass instruments after keyed brasses became obsolete. The Berliner Pumpen valve seems to have faded in popularity after the 1890s

 

A detailed description of the horn is:  a soprano horn in Bb, bell front with side mounted Berliner pumpen piston valves. Mouthpipe is fixed and includes a period mouthpiece. The body of the horn is brass with brass bracing and brass brace plates. Ferrules are brass and the bell garland is German silver. Top valve caps are brass and the bottom of the valves are also brass. Piston buttons are German Silver. A decorative German Silver heart appears on the bell (cavalry band symbol?) German silver accents also are used on the bell bow guard, main bow ferrule and the 1st and 2nd valve pull plates. Length of the horn is16 inches, bell diameter is 3 inches, width is 5 1/2 inches and the bell garland width is 3/4 inch. There is a punched floral pattern in the bell garland. There is a fitted mahogany carrying case included with this horn.