Alan Dismukes

A few months ago I lucked into a very inexpensive 1914 Holton New Proportion cornet, which I won on Ebay after when the winning bid was withdrawn. It has a few issues which I intended to have the brass tech address in the not so distant future.

Today I received a virtually identical horn from 1912, also won with a low bid. In all respects this appears to be the same horn, except it has "Couturier Model" stamped on the bell. This horn also has a few issues, but it has a complete kit of slides and other goodies, including two mouthpieces. I bid on this horn thinking that one will be a donor horn for the other, and I will end up with one, good, complete cornet.

Now the task is to figure out which horn will be the donor and which will be the donee. Here's the rundown on each:

1914
a) small crease in bell
b) missing the fitting for the main tuning slide water key aperture
c) 1st slide stuck and missing the pull knob
d) 2nd slide stuck and the legs of the slide detached from 2nd valve; also has a crack in the curve of the slide where a bad dent was hammered out.
e) secondary tuning slide stuck
f) moderate dent in shepherd's crook
g) incomplete kit: missing the 3rd valve slide (high pitch?) All other extra slides are present.
h) has lyre and screw-to-tighten clamp for mounting the lyre on the horn.
i) has two stop rods -- neither attached and loose in the case.
j) no mouthpiece
k) rough, but serviceable case

1912
a) ugly repair job to main tuning slide; looks like it was taken apart and crudely put back together.
b) silver plate missing at the end of the receiver tubing where it enters the main tuning slide
c) 2nd valve slide is stuck; it is in backwards and the pull knob is missing.
d) has full kit of extra slides (the secondary tuning slide is much longer that the one on the 1912 horn or the 1914 horn or the 1914 spare; I suspect it changes the key to A)
e) lyre, but no means of attachment
f) cleaning rod
g) 3 spare valve springs (of uncertain condition)
h) 2 mouthpieces
i) rough, serviceable case (but latches are suspect)
j) stop rod on main tuning slide is in place on the horn

Based on the above, I clearly have enough parts to assemble one nice horn. At this point, the 1912 seems to play with a better tone than the 1914, which is a bit fuzzy, but this may be due to the damaged 2nd valve slide and the missing water key fitting. The valves on both seem to be pretty good, with the edge going to the 1914.

Perhaps once the brass tech gets all of the slides loose I will be able to playtest them and see if there is any significant difference that will help me determine which is the donor and which is the donee!

Anyway, a fun puzzle!

__________________
1974 Bach ML 37 Strad Trumpet
1928 Buescher Bb/A Cornet
1947 Conn 12A Coprion Cornet
1912 Holton New Proportion "Couturier Model"
Cornet

willbarber

Yeah, I would suggest trying a full set of the best slides and such from each on both, and then tell.