HANDBOOK OF THE COLLECTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 51 



The application of valves to the old post horn has given us the 

 cornopean, or cornet a piston. The post horn, its tube bent in two 

 rounds, is shown as 72877. A cornopean in E flat with two valves 

 is 54255 (pi. 21#). Its piston valves are of the kind called "schub- 

 ventil," which were invented by Henri Stolzel, of Germany, in 1825. 

 In this kind of valve the wind may enter at the bottom of the first 

 valve and leave at the bottom of the second valve. The first valve 

 lowers the pitch a semitone and the second valve lowers it a whole 

 tone. No. 55608 is a Challenge B-flat cornet, and 237757 is a B-flat 

 cornet with double piston valves. Each valve has two cylinders and 

 two tubular pistons of the kind called weiner ventil. The scale of 

 instruments with but two valves had certain gaps, which were filled 

 later by additional valves. A B-flat tenor trombone with three 

 piston valves is 55604, these valves being the sort invented in 1833. 



An American cornet (E flat) of the military style in use from 

 1850 to 1870 is 72875. It has three rotary valves with a top action. 

 An E-flat cornet acquired in 1882 and labeled " Style since 1860," is 

 55596 (pi. 21a), having three rotary valves. A B-flat cornet of the 

 same period is 55595 (pi. 21&). These are brass, nickel plated. A 

 Challenge E-flat cornet acquired in 1882 has three piston valves of 

 the style invented by F. Besson, of Paris, about the year 1850 and 

 improved in 1854. 



The cornet a piston is said to be a "hybrid between the high- 

 pitched trumpet and the bugle." It is a facile instrument and 

 double tongueing is one of its popular means of display. It has a 

 harmonic compass from middle C to C above the treble clef and can 

 go higher, but with difficulty. 



A valved trumpet marked "alto B flat" is 214566. It has three 

 rotary valves. The valve cylinders, action, and part of the tubing 

 are silver plated and the cylinder heads and finger plates are inlaid 

 with pearl. The collection contains four E-flat alto horns. No. 

 55587 is the American military style from 1850 to 1870, with bell 

 carried over the shoulder. It is made of brass, nickel plated, and 

 has three rotary valves. No. 55598 is marked "American style since 

 1875," and was played with the bell upright. It was acquired in 

 1882. An E-flat alto horn (55597, pi. 21c) is "American style since 

 1860." No. 55609 is a Challenge light piston E-flat alto horn, tubing 

 length 77% inches. It has three light piston valves. 



A Challenge light piston B-flat tenor trombone is 55614, made 

 of brass, silver plated, with portions gold plated. It has three pis- 

 ton valves of the style invented by F. Besson about 1850, already 

 noted. 



Two B-flat baritone horns are exhibited. No. 55589 is the Amer- 

 ican military band style with the bell over the shoulder, used from 

 1850 to 1870. It is made of German silver with three rotary valves. 



