c. 1860 Peter Grossman Side-Action Rotary Valve Cornet GL-098_A7-02

Feb 26

Written By Zoe Larson

c1860_Peter-Grossman_Side-Action-Rotary_Cornet

Title: Side-Action Rotary Valve Cornet

Maker: Peter Grossman

Model: N/A

Date: c. 1860

Geography: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Material: Brass

Serial Number: N/A

Accession Number: GL-098_A7-02

Provenance: Founding Greenleaf Donation from Conn Museum, 1969

Description

Key: E-flat

Pitch: High

Finish: Brass with nickel bell garland, bell rim, and bow guard.

Lacquer: Modern, has been refinished

Engraving: Bell garland engraved with “Peter Grofsmann Hamilton Ontario.” in cursive. (Note, the fourth letter in “Grofsmann” appears to be either a lowercase “f” or an archaic “long s”.)

Mouthpiece: No

Accessories: No

Case: No

Notes:

Although the bell garland appears to read “Peter Grofsmann Hamilton Ontario”, the maker is likely Peter Grossman. Grossman was a music and instrument dealer in Hamilton during the last half of the 19th century. He was likely a distributor and not a manufacturer of brass instruments. Grossman was also a bandmaster. (Source: The Canadian Encyclopedia website)
Three side-action “Allen style” rotary valves. The “Allen style” rotary valves would likely have been made in Germany. The instrument is played flat, with the valve spatulas facing up.
Screw tuner on lead pipe
The numbers “10”, “11”, and “12” are stamped on the back of the spatulas and the side of the valves.
This instrument has a wide bell and scholars might use the modern classification of “saxhorn”.