NMM 7057.  Over-the-shoulder cornet in E-flat, probably Germany, ca. 1850.  Joe R. and Joella F. Utley Collection of Brass Instruments, 1999. While most American over-the-shoulder cornets had string-operated rotary valves, some imports used other valve types. This over-the-shoulder cornet shows distinctly German features, such as the mechanical linkage between touchpieces and rotors. The flat-spring return mechanism is like the type used by Carl August Müller in Mainz. Therefore, it is likely that this unsigned, over-the-shoulder cornet was made in Germany. Furthermore, it may originally have been a bell-front cornet, later altered into an over-the-shoulder instrument. Body:  German-silver body:  leadpipe with telescopic tuning slide, valve cluster, bell bow, bell. Overlapping tab seam (sloping tabs 2.5 mm wide and 2.5 mm apart). Undecorated, German-silver garland; Saxon rim. Ferrules with one engraved line adjacent to each edge. Bell to the right of the leadpipe. Rotary Valves Click on image above to see a larger image Reciprocal driver pivot and cork buffers Valves:  Three rotary valves with mechanical linkage. Flat-spring return mechanism; reciprocal driver pivot stopped by two cork-buffers on screws. Internal slide tubing. Windway: first, second, third valve. Accessories and Sounding Length Accessories:  German-silver cornet mouthpiece contemporary with the instrument. Sounding length (including inserted tuning slide):  928 mm; internal diameter, leadpipe: 10.8 mm; internal diameter, telescopic tuning slide: 10.6 mm; bore diameter (inner valve slides): 10.7 mm; bell diameter: 117 mm. Return to Checklist of Over-the-Shoulder Cornets National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD 57069 ©National Music Museum, 2005 Most recent update: October 23, 2007 You are the 1,784th visitor to this page since December 22, 2005 The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page