In 2026 the alto cornet seems to be pretty much a rarity in bands, something which I think is almost inexplicable given the range of the instrument [which includes most of the “normal” Bb tenor trombone range, but can extend right up into “normal” trumpet range].
History of Alto cornets
From everything we know about the evolution of brass instrument manufacture through the 19th century, it is clear enough that the manufacture of an instrument answering the general description of a cornet, but in alto voice, was unavoidable – inevitable.
The earliest reference that I have come across – specifically to an alto cornet – is in the New Langwill Index: it attributes [credits] a 1835 manufacture of an alto cornet, in this way –
” Wieprecht, Wilhelm Friedrich (b Aschersleben
10 August 1802; d Berlin 4 August 1872) BI inventor
fl Berlin.
A trombonist, he came 1824 to Berlin, becoming
bandmaster in 1828; 1828 collaboration with GRIESLING & SCHLOTT over new brass instrument valve; …….. collaboration with (1) J.G. Moritz and
his widow, son, over the production of an entire range of brass instrument for military use, many of which were marked “Wieprecht & Moritz’: 1833 soprano, alto cornet, 1835 ……”
The following two pages are from “Das Saxhorn – Adolphe Sax’ Blechblasinstrumente im Kontext ihrer
Zeit. Romantic Brass Symposium 3 Herausgegeben von Adrian von Steiger, Daniel Allenbach und Martin Skamletz” –
They provide a good start to understanding the alto cornet and recognizing its taxonomic place in the hierarchy of brass instruments.
The book “Fanfares and finesse: a performers guide to trumpet history and Literature” by Elisa Koehler [Indian University Press, 2014] relates [p.167] –
” Just as the Distin Family Quintet benefited
from a kind of sponsorship arrangement with Adolphe Sax and performed on his saxhorns, Kosleck formed an association with the Bohemian instrument maker Václav Cervený, who built a unique quartet of brass instruments in circular shape (two cornets in B-flat, an alto cornet in E-flat, and a tenor in B-flat) in 1876 that were dedicated to Crown Prince Alexander (the future Czar Alexander III). These instruments and Kosleck’s ensemble both embraced the name Kaiser-Kornett-Quartett (Crown Prince Cornet Quartet). “
GALLO’S BAND BOOK – A TREATISE ON WIND INSTRUMENTS, SYMPHONY BAND AND MILITARY BAND By STANISLAO GALLO, Conductor of the Gallo Symphony Band and Head Instructor of the School for Bandmasters and Players at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston – PART I
WIND INSTRUMENTS THEIR TECHNIQUE, NOTATION, TONE-COLOR, AND USE IN BAND AND ORCHESTRA [published January 1921 by the Boston Music Co, Boston, Mass] declares that the alto cornet’s place in musical taxonomy is as an alto saxhorn [at page 68] –
Early Boston manufacture of Alto cornets is referred to on the website trumpet-history.com [Ron Berndt]
In June 1919 alto cornets were being used by musicians who played – amongst other things – cornet and trumpet, as this 1919 advertisement for a doubler’s mouthpiece shows –
Grove’s Dictionary of Music mentions an example of the practice of what amounts to the widespread but arbitrary exclusion or inclusion of particular instruments from being used [which is germane to this discussion because the tenor horn occupies a similar intermediate range to that of the alto horn] –
” British military bands were standardized at a conference held at Kneller Hall (Royal Military School of Music) in 1921: the tenor horn was abandoned and saxophones were added, a trend already apparent somewhat earlier in works such as K.]J. Alford’s march Colonel Bogey (1914). The instrumentation then established remained in force at the end of the century …” [[i.e. the 20th Century]]
Willson, Switzerland, alto cornet [branded DEG Getzen]
Below is a photograph from Facebook post The Mellocast which compares Tiffany Johns’ standard and alto cornets.
Her post, and the discussion that’s resulted from it, confirms that the most obvious feature of this instrument is the fun that players of this instrument are getting out of it.
Donald Getzen [DEG] has been a bold and prolific experimenter in interesting, beautifully detailed and designed brass instruments sporting tone rings etc – I’ve tried and liked DEG’s trumpets, trombones and cornets as well as the less successful Frumpet [a cross between French horn and trumpet]: DEG produced some great instruments. But all I can convey about my own DEG / Willson alto cornet, is my enthusiasm for its range, tone, controllability and punch.
The full description: a European [Lake Geneva Switzerland] DEG Getzen Signature 1220 Eb alto cornet.
I don’t think that I can really do any better than quoting Tiffany Johns – here goes:
“It wasn’t marketed as an alto cornet (“marching alto/French horn” was how DEG sold it), but it looks, feels, and sounds like one. I guess the closest thing to it would be the “solo altos” Conn used to sell, but those were always in Eb like the British tenor horn. Whether it’s an alto cornet or a solo alto in F, it’s something I’ve never seen from another manufacturer and doesn’t sound quite like anything else. And man, it plays great!”
Categories
Protected: Middle Hut Bess
Some of my absolute favourite brass instruments have been variations on an alto theme. I like the mellowness of sound you can get – a complete departure from the shallow rim shrillness that is standard fare for many trumpets.
Some great instruments – in my opinion – include the ones I am going to list: but really, there’s a virtual candy shop out there full of other examples.
first, a Key: F with Eb Slide Change silver horn which I’ve just rescued from its beaten up old [original] case, shaken the dust off [it’s been sitting here for over a decade], freed a stuck first valve, and generally cleaned up [without embarking on dent removal] – it’s a King [H.N. White] “Altonium”. Generically an alto horn, the ones entitled to the appellation “Altonium” are the ones produced by King for several decades right into the 1970s
The picture below is an H.N.White Co photo of a slightly later [serial 328259] instrument which was restored – no expense spared – by the maker a few years back. [unlike mine, this one has its bell screw/mount and music stand holder]
H.N.White’s White Way News Catalog #21, 1965 described the Altonium like this –
King Altonium Background:
The alto-tone of the Altonium adds sparkle and brilliance in the open air. It blends in perfectly with the other bell-front brasses and brings out the usually weak inner voices. The Altonium is the perfect marching substitute for the French Horn. The tone is rich and mellow yet possesses much power and resonance. With a mouthpiece about twice as large as the French Horn, it does not require as delicate an embouchure and produces a good tone even with a fast cadence. The trumpet-type valves on this King creation permit the player to finger as fast as smaller brasses.—
I was so taken with the way this horn plays that last week I took it [with no second instrument] to a Havana Palava practice: I used a Martin flugel mouthpiece, but I note H.N.White matched the horn with a King number 9. I describe the sound as bold, not with the sheer blast power of some mellophones, but – as White claims – rich, mellow, and resonant. I found getting the lowest notes required concentration [maybe my embouchure] but it has an ability to let you soar high, with outstandingly [surprisingly] nice slotting on climbs and retreats.
Fingering is fast, as claimed.
This rare, collectable, and fully playable vintage King Altonium by H.N. White – one of the great makers from the golden era of American instrument manufacturing – is available for sale and comes with the original King case.
NO mouthpiece included.
Price – $1000 AUD
On 25 March 2026 there was a photograph placed on a Cornet players Facebook page with a request for help in identifying a Cornet.
The photograph in question referred to a Sydney musical instrument seller by the name of Barratt.
I have a number of photographs of a cornet made by John York, and it looked as though the Barratt cornet was actually a York made instrument.
An interesting and well researched article “Playing On: John York and the Sydney Brass Musical Instrument Factory” by ANDREW EVANS was published in the Sydney Journal Vol 4, No 1 in 2013.
The article says “The history of John York and the Sydney Brass Musical Instrument Factory contains familiar elements of a quintessential nineteenth-century Australian narrative. It features a skilled English immigrant who brought his family to a developing capital city and became a manufacturer and small business owner. It is an unusual story in that York practised the specialised skill of brass instrument making and repairing and was one of a handful of brass instrument makers known to have operated in Sydney at the time.”
John York is the only Australian brass instrument maker that I know of, although there have been many Australian brass sellers who have commissioned makers from elsewhere and put their own names on those instruments.
On the other hand there were many brass instrument makers who emigrated to the United States from Europe and the UK, taking their skills, and presumably their tools and parts with them.
The Evans article continues –
“At the end of the nineteenth century the significant purchasing power of an expanding Australian middle class, and a strong demand for the many musical instruments required for home entertainment, generated vigorous competition amongst Sydney’s music retailers. Cheaper British mass produced instruments were aggressively marketed “
This page from 1902 obtained from the National Library of Australia [trove.nla] shows an example of John York’s advertising
The advertising in 1903 was referring to testimonials “FROM ALL MILITARY AND CIVIL BANDMASTERS IN N.S.W.” and said “Patronised by the Band Association of N.S.W.”
In 1904 York had added the claim “The Original and only practical Brass Musical Instrument Maker and repairer in N.S.W.” Although the Commonwealth of Australia [i.e. the Australian Federation] had only come into existence a short time earlier, I wonder why he didn’t lay claim to being the only brass instrument Maker in Australia. Were there others?
In this letter in March 1905 to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, York displayed His irritation with a situation which continues throughout the country to this day, namely the undervaluing of music in public places by public authorities in Australia
I believe that there must be a few John York instruments out there, although it is rare to see mention of them. I would love to hear about any other surviving instruments.
If there are any for sale please get in touch. I’d love to know about them.
- Boston Brass Instrument History – Beginnings
Boston was the cradle of U.S. brass-instrument manufacturing in the 19th century. The trade began with small workshops such as Samuel Graves’ wood-wind shop (c. 1820) that quickly added keyed bugles and early saxhorns [trumpet-history.com] In the 1840s Elbridge G. Wright opened a shop at 71 Sudbury St., having apprenticed with Graves, and also produced keyed bugles and early cornets [trumpet-history.com].
By the late-1860s the two firms had forged a close partnership, and in 1869 they merged to form the Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury (later the Boston Musical Instrument Company) robbstewart.com. This new company consolidated Boston’s position as the nation’s brass-instrument hub, supplying bugles, trumpets, cornets, trombones and euphoniums for military, civic and concert bands. Their catalogs emphasized rotary-valve designs—considered superior to pistons at the time—and offered a range of “three-star” and “four-valve” cornets that were heavier and richer-sounding than earlier models trumpet-history.com.
Throughout the late-19th and early-20th centuries, Boston manufacturers dominated the American market, benefiting from the post-Civil-War boom in community bands. The company relocated to 51 Chardon St. in 1902 and continued producing brass instruments under the Boston name until the mid-20th century, when competition from New York and Midwestern firms led to its gradual decline.
Timeline based on Christine Ayar’s research – https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/001454791
1. Early Foundations Year Event / Person Brass-instrument relevance c. 1820 Samuel Graves opens a workshop (later “Graves & Co.”). Produced keyed bugles and early saxhorn-type brass instruments. 1835 Formation of the Boston Brass Band (the first brass band in the United States). Led by Edward Kendall (“King of the E-flat Bugle”). Created a local demand for quality brass instruments and spurred a nascent manufacturing base. 1837 James Keat introduces keyed bugles to the Graves firm. Expanded the range of brass-band repertoire and instrument design. Source: Ayar pages 222-236Christine Merrick Ayars, Master of Education in Music, Master of Science in Economic Research
Title: “Contributions to the Art of Music in America by the Music Industries of Boston 1640 to 1936”
NEW YORK – THE H. W. WILSON COMPANY – 1937
- First generation of makers – to 1860
- Consolidation & the Boston Musical Instrument Manufactury (1860-1900)
- Signature Instruments & Innovations
- Post-1900 Transition (1900-1930s)
- Summary of Brass-Instrument Makers in Boston
- Research and collecting
Couesnon Flugel branded Elkhart – No trigger
Renowned for great sound
Made in France
1970s [+ or -] – Couesnon Serials went up in smoke in a fire
Sometimes described as Couesnon for Elkhart, or “Couesnon stencil” according to horn-u-copia
$2250 AUD
Located in Melbourne AUSTRALIA
play_that_quail@hotmail.com
ph 0415425350 David
As at 21 December 2025 in Melbourne Australia
Contact David – 0415425350
Email: play_that_quail@hotmail
Arioso Super trumpet
- Arioso – Unusual handmade Professional Arioso Super Trumpet – Bb – by Joseph Lidl’s [circa ]1892 and is the oldest music instrument manufacturer in Maehren, Czech Republic] which was merged into Amati. Arioso production by Amati continued through 1970s and 1980s
Has a “Bohemian” or “French” rim and features a reverse leadpipe, 1st valve trigger, and large bore. Plays very well. Valves and slides operate as they should. Raw brass with patina, with some nickel trim – Original case – $1000
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American model professional trumpet
- “American” is the model name of this trumpet – French or Czech made – these trumpets were sold under the name of Buffet Crampon in the US but not in Europe – Bauerfeind valves – with original pigskin style Buffet hard case – Professional – similar appearance to Selmer – Tone ring built into bell – a delight to play
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Conn Ballad Horn
- Ballad horn – Conn Elkhart Indiana – piston valve actuated Ballad horn / French horn / mellophone – silver – with hard case and mouthpiece – circa 1919 – very good playing condition – $850
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Champion cornet
- Champion: Chicago jazz age horns. When Louis Armstrong learned to play at the New Orleans Waifs Home it was on a Champion Silver Piston trumpet [see my post] which history wrongly designated as a cornet. This instrument IS a cornet in nickel plate which I guesstimate to be from mid to late 1920s. Very good playing condition with full engraving on the bell and also on the horizontals This has the original mouthpiece and “case”: the red satchel type period case is leatherlook material with a zip top, with a label inside “Artistic covers, New York” – $1000
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Dixie Music House trumpet
- Dixie Music House trumpet – a piece of early jazz history – a Chicago horn from the Dixie Music House, 320 South Wabash Avenue Chicago Illinois, circa 1929 – probably a stencil – plays well – original hard case – $750
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Emo brand World trumpet –
“the finest horn that I have ever played in my whole life” – Satchmo
Serial #2104 [photos and details @ – https://www.vintagebrasswindsaustralia.com/tag/emo/ ]
See Louis Armstrong’s handwritten letter to the maker, Ernst Modl, enthusing over Emo trumpets – $2250
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Holton banana trumpet MF horn
- Fabulous and iconic Holton MF horn banana trumpet –
Maynard Ferguson horn – Holton ST305 MF `banana` trumpet 0.484 bore, case, mouthpiece – Very good condition – Original case – $6000
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Weril Master trumpet
Weril Master trumpet from Brazil where Weril [based on European design] has been manufacturing since 1909 – gold brass lacquer finish and Nickel Silver Trim – serial number F-07913 – This has a slide ring on the third valve slide and a saddle slider on the first valve –
Weril master trumpet – Professional level – $1000
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Zeus trumpet
Zeus TR250 from USA – plays well – looks good – with hard case shown – $650
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Olds Valve trombone SERIAL #664841
Nice playing Olds Valve trombone – circa 1968 – good condition and great sound – hard case missing a latch but serviceable – with mouthpiece – $1000
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Olds Recording trombone
– great sound and good slide –
| Dual bore – Fluted inner slide – 7 1/2″ Bell has some slight dings. Finish has wear – most of the lacquer is off Slide action is excellent after a service by Melbourne’s Don Stewart, @ Broken wind]. Tone warm and clear tone. Bell is red/rose brass [lots of copper in the mix]. King case in good used condition – no mouthpiece included |
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Harry B. Jay Chicago Columbia euphonium – a piece of jazz history –
Harry B. Jay Columbia Euphonium – Chicago – circa 1921
Harry B. Jay instruments and the Jazz Age
Harry B. Jay was a cornet player in what was America’s best-known internationally renowned band, the Sousa band, which was based in Illinois not far from Chicago. In around 1909 he set up Columbia Band Instrument Company.
His Columbia instruments were renowned in Chicago, a major jazz center, and are responsible for the cornet sounds in Jelly roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers and the sounds of King Oliver’s Dixie Syncopators (where they were played respectively by George Mitchell, King Oliver, and Louis Armstrong). George Mitchell played one of the cornets on all the Jelly Roll Morton recordings (and others) as did Tommy Ladnier of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. Jabbo Smith {Rhythm Aces] who was seen as a rival to Armstrong also played one. A lot of other traditional jazz band cornet players used Columbia instruments in the 1910s and 1920s. An example of H.B. Jay instruments being at the epicenter of 1920s jazz in Chicago is what was said by cornet player George Mitchell –
“When I made the [Red Hot Peppers] records with Jelly Roll, I used a Harry B. Jay cornet, made here in Chicago. The reason I bought that Jay cornet was, I was working with Jimmie Noone at an after-hours club down on 35th Street, and Muggsy Spanier used to come and sit in with us. One night I was telling him that my horn was going bad and that I needed a new one. He mentioned the Jay he had and said, “You can play that tonight.” He left the cornet there, and I liked the tone so much that I went to the factory the next day and bought one, a Jay. That’s what I used on those records. …”
Harry B. Jay produced a variety of instruments, including several varieties of Euphoniums, trombones, trumpets, cornets and trumpet cornets. The quality of his instruments is fantastic, in terms of playability, design, construction, and sound. They live on!
Just over ten thousand Columbia instruments were produced between about 1910 and the late 1920s: they were not marketed in Australia, where mostly British instruments – Besson, Higham, Hawkes, Boosey & Hawkes – and some Bohemian instruments were sold by Australian Musical instrument shops. In 1918 Harry B. Jay advertising [in Boy’s Own, and Popular Mechanics] offered 10 days free trial, and payment on terms.
It is completely playable. The valves are pictured and are in very good condition. Compression is very good. There are no leaks: the instrument is tight and fully functional. The slides all pull. Tuning slide architecture is reverse leadpipe, the subject of a Harry B. Jay patent.
EXTREMELY good vintage condition but has some slight pings/dings and finish wear: No major dings – see the photographs below
tuning slide works – warm clear ebullient tone – solid and straight – No case – The mouthpiece shown works well and is included
This iconic Chicagoan is an absolute treat to play and is absolutely gig ready – I played it with Havana Palava at a Kindergarten open day on Separation Street Northcote a couple of months ago –
Martin Band Instruments for sale –
Some Martin Instruments are shown here: Martin Committee – Vintage Brasswinds Australia
If you’re interested in a Martin, make me an offer: Mobile 0415425350
Martin Indiana cornet [Indian Chieftain model] #77942 –
This is one of those timeless vintage cornets which underscores the validity of the mystique about Martin instruments . Valves perfect. Slides working. Makes you the player sound good and feel good. Some of the lacquer has worn off where there is hand contact – $800
Callet New York trumpet
Jerome Callet New York, Large Bore Bb trumpet. Valves and slides are all in very good shape. {Un}original Bach hard case – $2000
Dearman Wornell model
This stylish UK designed and patented trumpet was built to Wornell’s specifications in Czechoslovakia and came with either a copper finish [like this one in the Horniman Museum] –
or a silver plate finish. Unusual features include the tubular valve ends, the telescoping valve tops, and the French ring on the bell. A slide can be removed for quick change to A. Has the original case [shown] in reasonable condition. Excellent quality and construction and Extremely collectable. $1400
Helmut Finke rotary baroque trumpet
From 1950 Helmut Finke was involved in making and assembling instruments, running his own workshop, and making copies of sackbuts and baroque trumpets. In the mid 1950s he was the first 20th Century maker in this field. His instruments included high trumpets and french horns and other bigger brass instruments. In 1959 he designed the coiled natural trumpet (also known as a Clarino).
- GREAT playing condition
- third valve trigger
- foam holding cover [seen in the photos] is in good condition
- bell size measures just under 100mm
- All slides move
- mouthpiece included
- rotary valves are excellent
- cosmetically excellent but with some very minor imperfections
- straight and solid
- engraving is crisp
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Bach CR300 outfit – a steal at $450
Bach CR300 cornet outfit – Vintage Brasswinds Australia
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Jackson trumpet
Some comments and photographs on this site – https://www.vintagebrasswindsaustralia.com/2020/12/14/jackson-super-trumpet-from-switzerland/
Brilliant sound – great intonation – full range of sound from lowest whispering to highest screaming! A real collectors item!” – $2250
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and many more trumpets, cornets, trombones, euphoniums, flugel horns etcetera – in Melbourne Victoria right now
Major update April 27 2025
Ready to play $450
Model on mouthpipe — CR300 Bach
Valve slides out [note third valve slide]
bell view – Valves are fast free and smooth – and importantly feel good as you play
Top front in the case –
Bach USA quality – snug fitting excellent – tough – hard case designed to keep this cornet safe
Pro? – Intermediate? – Student?
This is an Excellent player which offers a range of players response, reliability and enjoyment. High notes are relatively easy [but don’t expect instant gratification if you’re at the start of your journey]
Includes mouthpiece, valve oil, cleaning brush.
Photos show the gleaming condition: the photo with the mouthpiece in shows a very small barely noticeable ding opposite the mouthpiece
Can be posted at buyers expense
Cash, paypal, Visa – Mastercard available
Email: play_that_quail@hotmail