Category Archives: Brass

Is it really what you think it is?

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Like most collectors of antique horns, I have been guilty of not doing my homework on identifying exactly what kind of horn, valve type, maker, etc I have. The sources for this kind of identification are there, but often the novice collector does not know where to look Two good starting points are Langwills Index and Heydes works. Other sources are Eliasons works and other collectors in different countries.

I had been making this mistake for years, until just recently, I made the acquaintance of  German collector Udo Koehne. Udo has a very interesting and a good sized collection of brass instruments. In addition, Udo is a professional brass musician (trumpet) in a Bonn Germany orchestra, so when he talks about brass instruments and valve systems, you can learn a lot.

I had been in error for years in identifying one of my horns as having Vienna Valves. Udo informed me that the instrument was in fact known as “Neumainzer” and had what was known as “Klinkerdrucker” and explained that was the reason the Graves/Boston horn on Ebay sold for over $14000.

Udo was kind enough to share this information and even told me where to look to find examples of this type of valve. Just another example of how important it is to the novice collector to contact the right sources and persons for information. Thanks Udo!

Is it really what you think it is?

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Like most collectors of antique horns, I have been guilty of not doing my homework on identifying exactly what kind of horn, valve type, maker, etc I have. The sources for this kind of identification are there, but often the novice collector does not know where to look Two good starting points are Langwills Index and Heydes works. Other sources are Eliasons works and other collectors in different countries.

I had been making this mistake for years, until just recently, I made the acquaintance of German collector Udo Koehne. Udo has a very interesting and a good sized collection of brass instruments. In addition, Udo is a professional brass musician (trumpet) in a Bonn Germany orchestra, so when he talks about brass instruments and valve systems, you can learn a lot.

I had been in error for years in identifying one of my horns as having Vienna Valves. Udo informed me that the instrument was in fact known as “Neumainzer” and had what was known as “Klinkerdrucker” and explained that was the reason the Graves/Boston horn on Ebay sold for over $14000.

Udo was kind enough to share this information and even told me where to look to find examples of this type of valve. Just another example of how important it is to the novice collector to contact the right sources and persons for information. Thanks Udo!

Vienna Valves and their role in Music

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Today, only the Vienna Symphony uses horns with Vienna Valves. They are specially made and they, like the Berliner Pumpen valve, seem to have disappeared into obscurity. Vienna valves, known in the United States as Vienna Double slide valves, are little known. Surprisingly, American makers attempted to make Vienna Valves and several have been found in American collections. One sold recently on ebay for $14,400. It was made by Graves in Boston, probably in the 1850’s

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Another example by a obscure maker in Cincinnati is in the 1st Brigade Band collection and can be viewed online at the band’s very interesting website. The 1st Brigade Band is a website that should be visited by anyone, collector or researcher, to view the collection.

I actually played one of my Vienna valved horns when I was in the 1st Brigade Band and I found it to play rather well. I still always went back to my Berliner Pumpen Alto, as it was the horn I preferred over all others. I guess every musician has a favorite and I had mine.

One of the men in the band, as his favorite, preferred a rotary valve alto horn that was used in the original 1st Brigade Band in the 1850’s. It was used at the Lincoln-Douglass debates in Illinois before the Civil War. Playing a horn with a historic connection is a joy in itself. Just for your info – it didn’t play as well as my favorite, the Berliner Pumpen Alto.

The Box Valved Cornet

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I suppose every collection has a conversation piece which has puzzled the collector and generates a wide variety of comments from those viewing the collection. My conversation piece has been this box valve cornet that I acquired over thirty years ago. Some say it is extremely rare and an important piece. Others say that it is someones idea of a bad joke.

Either way, I still don’t have an answer and would like to solicit comments from those interested just what this is. I know that there are probably less than 10 known box valved instruments in existence. Mine certainly doesn’t look like the two I saw in the museum in Nuerenberg Germany. I know that Quimbey attempted a box valve horn in the 1870s but have never seen an example of one.

A friend told me of the existence of this horn in the late 1970s and I was fortunate enough to be the successful bidder on it. It is not a complete horn and is missing the lead pipe and bottom plate for the box valve section. The bell section is obviously an E flat Sheppard crook cornet, common in the 1870s. The valve section is like nothing I have ever seen. Can you help me identify it?

Prussian Cornet, Berliner Pumpen Valved

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This instrument was acquired in a trade with an acquaintance for a baritone horn. It was found at an estate sale in Sheboygan Wisconsin in the mid 1970s. I am told by Dr. Herbert Hyde that it is a Prussian Cornet and that it dates to the mid 1840s. When I acquired it I sent it to Bob Pallansch in Fall River Virginia for repairs. Enough to make it presentable for display. It has been on display ever since that time and I would not consider using it for performance as it is very airy. Valves are the squat, early Berliner “Pumpen” which were made popular by Willhelm Wieprich, director of the Gard du Corps band in Berlin in the mid 1800s. The bell is 3 inches in diameter. I am told that the heart shaped decoration on the bell might indicate that it was used in a cavalry band. Like most collections, mine tells a story. That story is the development of valve systems on brass instruments after keyed brasses became obsolete. The Berliner Pumpen valve seems to have faded in popularity after the 1890s.

 

 

A detailed description of the horn is: a soprano horn in Bb, bell front with side mounted Berliner pumpen piston valves. Mouthpipe is fixed and includes a period mouthpiece. The body of the horn is brass with brass bracing and brass brace plates. Ferrules are brass and the bell garland is German silver. Top valve caps are brass and the bottom of the valves are also brass. Piston buttons are German Silver. A decorative German Silver heart appears on the bell (cavalry band symbol?) German silver accents also are used on the bell bow guard, main bow ferrule and the 1st and 2nd valve pull plates. Length of the horn is16 inches, bell diameter is 3 inches, width is 5 1/2 inches and the bell garland width is 3/4 inch. There is a punched floral pattern in the bell garland. There is a fitted mahogany carrying case included with this horn.

German Berliner Pumpen Valve

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The Berliner Valve tuba in this article is one I acquired from a friend and is an early example (1840-1850) of a tuba which still had the shape of an ophicleide from which the tuba developed.  It has two valves up and two valves down and looks exactly like one in an advertisement of Herold in Klingenthal ca. 1855 featured in the Journal of the American Musical Society authored by Dr. Herbert Heyde.  It is probably not as early as the Prussian cornet, but every bit as important in the development of the Berliner pumpen valve.

The second quarter of the 19th century was probably the busiest and most important in the development of valve systems and to a lesser degree, the configuration of tubing on horns.  The major developments of the rotary valve, the piston valve, the box valve, the Stolzel and Bluhmel valve, the Vienna valve and Perinet valve all occurred between 1825 and 1850. William Wieprich the director of the Gard du Corps band in Berlin favored the Berliner valve and championed its cause, but within the 80 year period of 1830-1910, the Berliner valve faded and disappeared.

Robert played a Berliner valve horn while in the 1st Brigade Band and favored it over the American string action rotary which was the most popular valve system during the Civil War.  He has collected a variety of “Berliner Pumpen” valved horns representing the period between 1830 and 1870 and am still convinced it is superior to the Pernet valve which is popular today.

Berliner Valve Tuba

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The Berliner Valve tuba in this article is one I acquired from a friend and is an early example (1840-1850) of a tuba which still had the shape of an ophicleide from which the tuba developed. It has two valves up and two valves down and looks exactly like one in an advertisement of Herold in Klingenthal ca. 1855 featured in the Journal of the American Musical Society authored by Dr. Herbert Heyde. It is probably not as early as the Prussian cornet, but every bit as important in the development of the Berliner pumpen valve.

 

 

The second quarter of the 19th century was probably the busiest and most important in the development of valve systems and to a lesser degree, the configuration of tubing on horns. The major developments of the rotary valve, the piston valve, the box valve, the Stolzel and Bluhmel valve, the Vienna valve and Perinet valve all occurred between 1825 and 1850. William Wieprich the director of the Gard du Corps band in Berlin favored the Berliner valve and championed its cause, but within the 80 year period of 1830-1910, the Berliner valve faded and disappeared.

Robert played a Berliner valve horn while in the 1st Brigade Band and favored it over the American string action rotary which was the most popular valve system during the Civil War. He has collected a variety of “Berliner Pumpen” valved horns representing the period between 1830 and 1870 and am still convinced it is superior to the Pernet valve which is popular today.

Collecting Antique Horns

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Back about 40 years ago when I began collecting horns, I got a bit of good advice from another collector who was downsizing his very large collection to specialize in Civil War instruments and bands. He cautioned me to aim at a certain field of collecting and to concentrate on that field, otherwise I would end up with an attic full of instruments that wouldn’t tell any kind of story.

Prussian Cornet, Berliner Pumpen Valved

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Prussian CornetThis instrument was acquired in a trade with an acquaintance for a baritone horn. It was found at an estate sale in Sheboygan Wisconsin in the mid 1970s.I am told by Dr. Herbert Hyde that it is a Prussian Cornet and that it dates to the mid 1840s. When I acquired it I sent it to Bob Pallansch in Fall River Virginia for repairs. Enough to make it presentable for display. It has been on display ever since that time and I would not consider using it for performance as it is very airy.  Valves are the squat, early Berliner “Pumpen” which were made popular by Willhelm Wieprich, director of the Gard du Corps band in Berlin in the mid 1800s.  The bell is 3 inches in diameter. I am told that the heart shaped decoration on the bell might indicate that it was used in a cavalry band.  Like most collections, mine tells a story. That story is the development of valve systems on brass instruments after keyed brasses became obsolete. The Berliner Pumpen valve seems to have faded in popularity after the 1890s

 

A detailed description of the horn is:  a soprano horn in Bb, bell front with side mounted Berliner pumpen piston valves. Mouthpipe is fixed and includes a period mouthpiece. The body of the horn is brass with brass bracing and brass brace plates. Ferrules are brass and the bell garland is German silver. Top valve caps are brass and the bottom of the valves are also brass. Piston buttons are German Silver. A decorative German Silver heart appears on the bell (cavalry band symbol?) German silver accents also are used on the bell bow guard, main bow ferrule and the 1st and 2nd valve pull plates. Length of the horn is16 inches, bell diameter is 3 inches, width is 5 1/2 inches and the bell garland width is 3/4 inch. There is a punched floral pattern in the bell garland. There is a fitted mahogany carrying case included with this horn.