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Holton Miracle Model Cornet

Holton-Clarke Miracle Model [Long] Cornet

  • near mint – an extraordinarily beautiful instrument
  • gold plate
  • 1919-1920 manufacture: from the Holton Chicago/ early Elkhorn era at a time that Holton was a major supplier of instruments to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
  • reverse leadpipe
  • large bore
  • Bb instrument with quick change to A
  • the “loop” which could be placed on the bell side [exit side] or the mouthpipe side [entry] – or both as with some Harry B. Jay cornets of that era – is visible on the entry side
  • Sixteen and one-half inches in length with a bell four and one-half inches in diameter

Wikipedia  says of the “Clarke” who gives this cornet its model name

Herbert Lincoln Clarke (September 12, 1867 – January 30, 1945) was an American cornetist, feature soloist, bandmaster, and composer. He is considered the most prominent cornetist of his time.[1]

Clarke’s legacy includes composing a portion of the standard repertoire for the instrument, many recordings, as well as a seminal school of playing which emphasized not only technical aptitude, but also increased warmth and lyricism of tone. He also produced several method books that are still used by brass students.

Clarke [who is also somewhat notorious for having written in 1921 to a young Elden Benge that the trumpet as distinct from the cornet was merely a “foreign fad”] hailed from Toronto Canada, on the American Great Lakes: this cornet is engraved as a Toronto delivery cornet sold by the Canadian Holton agent, and was produced by Holton after Holton’s move to Elkhorn circa 1919-1920 [according to the serial number on the valve block and the matching serial numbers on each valve.

Recently [Feb 2025] I took this Holton Miracle Cornet, along with a Martin Deluxe cornet, and a 1918 Conn New Wonder cornet to two hours of band practice. Holton’s 100 year old claims of perfect pitch, instant effortless switching from fortissimo to pianissimo, superb tone, easy blowing, and enormous flexibility still hold good for this instrument.

Tone is warm and feel is responsive and lyrical

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Brands Uncategorized

1918 Conn New Wonder cornet

# 155865

1918 Conn New Wonder cornet – this came with a bag marked “old valves”. The feel and operation of the valves is excellent, and this plays beautifully.

Brass historian Niles Eldredge [Eldredge, N. 2002. A Brief History of Piston-valved Cornets. Historic Brass Society Journal 14:337- 390 –
Conn’s New Wonder. Victor New Wonder, or 80A (with variant versions, such as the slimmer, more trumpet-like 8A of the 1930s—…) was unusual primarily because of
its hump-shaped loop on the lower section of the bell just to the rear of the first valve. With a micrometer wheel, the instrument was intended as a bell-tuner, though there was also a forward-directed slide on the leadpipe that was, at least through the 1920s. equipped with a stop rod for quick-to-A: some of the earlier instruments also were equipped with a linkage system that adjusted valve slides when the change was made between Bb and A. Bell lengths varied somewhat, but 163/,” was common in the 1920s. Never to my knowledge copied by anyone else,”’ this model was sold at least through the 1960s; older ones in good repair are the favorites of many modern players in the traditional jazz idiom.

Showing the tuning mechanism [which it’s quite unusual to find intact] – next photo shows the mechanism from the bottom

[above] 1918 Conn New Wonder Mechanism from underside

Goldwash bell inner

above – Pearly Valve tops

[above] Opera glass tuning wheel.

Conn’s constant innovation [referred to by Niles Eldridge as a pattern of almost constant tinkering, production of these [[Conn’s]] unusual configurations both within single firms—and of course among competing firms—more likely represents foment in stylish exterior design than any real mechanical/acoustical improvements.]

Conn’s 1918 New Wonder cornet – excellent longlasting silver finish, excellent valves, and easy bell tuning, as well as its place in the evolution of other brass [some would regard this as part of the trumpetization of cornets which was occurring by degrees in the late 19thC and the first half of the 20th C amongst American brassmakers].

One of Conn’s successful classics [thanks to innovation?] still in great playing condition – sounding great – over a hundred years after it was built.

Rare, complete, and available

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Holton Instrument Makers - United States

Exceptional Holton Revelation trombone

Fantastic engraving on gold

Intricate floral bell engraving – with a butterfly on each side
Showing part of the engraving against the open case
Holton badge on the case
Shows the deep Holton 40 mouthpiece, the counterbalance mounted on the tuning slide, and the handslide with patent marking and the Revelation stamp
The engraving extends right along the bell – surrounding the Revelation name and manufacturing details – and the outside face of the bell is engraved as well
Despite the obvious wear in some places the overall effect is stunning
Butterfly detail

The horn is marked L.P. = low pitch and has a “3” which ordinarily means large bore: however some Holton catalogs referred to bore of “4”.

Has the original Holton 40 deep mouthpiece. With this mouthpiece [the only one I have tried it with] slotting is excellent, and high notes are attainable.

Photographs show that this has seen plenty of use and shows typical finish wear, with some dinging/denting in some areas of the bell section, but  the horn is solid  and straight. The not particularly well done solder repair on the bell stay near the slide is obvious, [photo below] as is the tape on the slide handle. The unevenness on the bell could be worked through by a competent brass tech

The slide moves extremely freely without dragging and does not appear to have high points or dings. is pretty good, but – with this much potential as a great horn – could do with attention from a brass tech.

The period case – complete with Holton badge and one out of three working latch and hinges  – shows a lot of wear and is in only fair condition. Handle is disintegrating.

Friction fit slide/bell attaches well and feels solid

I have seen many Holton Revelation trombones, but not one with the rare finish of this one which – from the serial number – was manufactured in about 1926. The probability is that this was a custom engraving for a professional trombone player.

Frank Holton was firstly an artist on trombone, and the first Holton promoter. Holton sales literature from the 1920s noted that Holton always kept a trombone at his desk to play for guests and promote his products.

[from the Holton catalog at www.brasstacks.de ]
The most usual mid 1920s Holton Revelation silver finish