Tag: 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