Orchestral horn

Antoine Courtois

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Alternative Title

Cor d'harmonie.

Instrument

Valve horn

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Antoine Courtois

Place Made

France ; Europe ; Paris ; Western Europe

Date Made

1889-1904

Description

Overall size: Corpus diameter 320; bell diameter 275. Sounding length: mouthpipe length 670 (through valves to tuning slide); segment lengths, from distal end of ferrule after tuning slide 205; bell segment 1045. Bore: v.t.s. (1,2) 11.2; m.t.s. 10.5 (i.e. decrease). Bell wall angle at D=100mm, 28.3. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: crook receiver taper on body 13.2 12.2. Technical description: Integral two valve orchestral horn with valves mounted on a curve of the mouthpipe (crook socket tube) and before proximal branch of tuning slide. This arrangement allows short valve stems and possible quicker action. Metal construction: yellow brass; gusseted bell, wired bell rim, no garland; seamed tubing for all segments. Short length of dummy tubing braces the tuning slide branches at their base. Valve type: 2 Périnet valves. Inscribed on bell: five illegible lines in a small circle, then "Médaille / LONDRES 1862 / Exposition Universelle / PARIS 1867 / Médaille d'Honneur / EN ARGENT / ANTOINE COURTOIS + MILLE / MILLE SR. / FACTEUR DU CONSERVATOIRE NATIONAL / 88 rue des Marais St Martin / Paris / 1ER PRIX / GRANDE MÉDAILLE D'OR / EXPOSITION DE MOSCOU 1872 / MÉDAILLE D'OR PARIS 1873 & 1889 / S. ARTHUR CHAPPELL / Sole Agent / 52 New Bond Street / London". Severely corroded and with multiple cracks, this instrument lacks valve buttons and valve tuning sides. General usage of type: Possibly intended for band use, but two valve technique provided complete chromatic scale to orchestrally trained players in France to the turn of the century.

Other Information

General usage of type: Possibly intended for band use, but two-valve technique provided complete chromatic scale to orchestrally trained players in France to the turn of the century.

Notes

P. Lewis, 1987; R. Parks, 02.02.91, 9.3.96.

Measurements

Corpus diameter 320; bell diameter 275.

Provenance

Formerly stock of Messrs J. and R. Glen. ; on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

2504