Skip to main content
Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, G, and F
Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, G, and F
Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, G, and F

Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, G, and F

Date1851-1855 ca.
Place MadeLondon, England, Europe
Serial No.382
SignedDie-stamped brass plate on bell: BY HER / 382 (engraved) MAJESTY’S / ROYAL LETTERS PATENT / J, SHAW / INVENTOR / [Royal coat of arms with lozenge] / KOHLER SOLE MAKER / 35, HENRIETTA STT / COVENT GARDEN LONDONMarkingsStamped on rotating discs and adjustment discs, respectively: 1, 2, 3 Stamped on third-valve finger button: 3 Engraved on crook for F: F Engraved on crook for G: G Engraved on crook for A-flat: Ab Engraved on shank for B-flat: BbDescriptionBrass, German silver, single loop, tuning slide between first and third valve, removable shanks and crooks, three disc valves (1, ½, 1½), flat fixed disc with cork buffers, square shaft, clock-spring return.

Funnel-shaped brass mouthpiece with silver rim, three crooks for F, G, and A-flat, two tuning shanks with ears for A and B-flat, three tuning bits with ears (all original).

This instrument closely resembles the “patent lever cornopean” Köhler displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. However, the tuning slide is placed at a different position (between first and third valve rather than immediately following the leadpipe).
DimensionsHeight: 333 mm
Tube length: 1300 mm, 1370 mm, 1456 mm, 1510 mm, 1634 mm, 1836 mm
Bore diameter (initial, minimum, tuning slide, valve slides): 11.4 mm, 10.8 mm, 11.1 mm, 11–11.1 mm
Bore diameter shanks and crooks (range initial, minimum): 10.6–10.5 mm, 10.4–10 mm
Bell diameter: 120 mm
ProvenancePurchased in 1992 from André Bissonnet, Paris, France.
Published ReferencesSabine K. Klaus, “Trumpet in F and Cornopean in B-flat by John August K"hler,” Historical Instrument Window, International Trumpet Guild Journal, Vol. 31, no. 4 (June 2007), p. 60.

http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/galpin/gdkl.html.

Frank Tomes, Sabine K. Klaus and Arnold Myers: “Shaw, Koehler and the Disc Valve in Britain,” in: Galpin Society Journal 66 (March 2013), pp. 104, 108, 110–111, 114.  

Sabine Katharina Klaus, Trumpets and Other High Brass: A History Inspired by the Joe R. and Joella F. Utley Collection. Volume 3: Valves Evolve (Vermillion, SD: National Music Museum, 2017), pp. 265-267, 269-271, 313.
Credit LineJoe R. and Joella F. Utley Collection, 1999
Object number07063
On View
Not on view
Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, F
John August Köhler
1854 ca.
Trumpet, F, E, E-flat, D, and C
John August Köhler
1845 ca.
Cornopean, B-flat, A, A-flat, G, F
John August Köhler
1850 ca.
Mechanical slide trumpet, F, E, E-flat, D, C
Augustus Charles Köhler
1881 ca.
Cornopean, B-flat
John August Köhler
1845-1863 ca.
We use cookies to ensure we give you the best experience on our website. By continuing to use this site or by closing or clicking "I agree", you agree to the use of cookies. I agree