Natural trumpet, nominal pitch: E♭, with ceremonial banner

Hofmaster

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Instrument

Natural trumpet/Trumpets/Wind/Musical Instrument ; Natural trumpet

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Hofmaster

Place Made

London ; Europe ; England ; United Kingdom

Date Made

Circa 1760

Description

Technical description: Silver; demountable at three ferrules. Distal bow wired to bell, probably not an original feature. Overall size: 675; bell 111. Sounding length: 2039. Bore: minimum (mouthpipe) 10.3; at 1019mm from bell end, c 10.3; at c 236mm from bell end, 14.6; at 11.4mm from bell end, 73.6. B = 0.82. Bell cutoff = 1400 Hz. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. 12.1 - 11.2. Inscribed on bell with ornate Hellier family crest, with motto beneath: "PRO REPUBLICA SEMPER"; on bell garland "HOFMASTER LONDON". Decoration: Bell garland embossed with foliage motifs; decorated ball with groove; two finely-turned bands on each ferrule. Thin cord binding (not original) to bell and mouthpipe. Performance characteristics: Impressive ceremonial trumpet sound in lower and middle registers. 11th natural note can serve either for F or F♯; octaves need to be lipped in tune; extreme upper register quite hard work; the input impedance and harmonicity of the air column resonances are reported in Myers and Campbell 2006. Usable pitch: Plays c 20 cents below A⁴ = 440 Hz. Playing accessories: With trumpet banner embroidered with the royal coat of arms as used from 1714 to 1801. The original red leather case is lost. Lent with, probably formerly used with but probably not supplied by manufacturer with mouthpiece (3281). Specific literature references: Blaikley et al. 1900, item C298; Day 1891, No. 294; Galpin, Hill et al. 1909, p.206; Halfpenny 1965; Halfpenny 1971; Hellier 1965; Simon 1985, item 221; Frew and Myers 2003. Illustration references: Workshop drawing by Raymond Parks published by the Collection, 2000; Borland 1906, Fig. 107; Galpin Society Journal XXIV Plates 9 12, 14a; Simon 1985, p.242 item 221; Galpin Society Journal LVI colour section; World Wide Web picture at http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/ Specific usage history: Probably one of the instruments acquired by Sir Samuel Hellier (1736-1784) for orchestral use at Wombourne, Staffordshire. Technical drawing available from the Friends of St Cecilia's Hall. Please see http://www.stceciliasfriends.org.uk/

Other Information

Specific usage history: Probably one of the instruments acquired by Sir Samuel Hellier (1736-1784) for orchestral use at Wombourne, Staffordshire.

Notes

R. Parks, 13.2.93, Dec 2000, 3.2.01; A. Myers, Mar 1993, Dec 2000; T. Hewat, 30.12.00.

Measurements

675; bell 111.

Provenance

Formerly on loan to the Collection. Accepted in lieu of inheritance tax by HM Government in 2025 from the estate of John William Phillips and allocated to The Musical Instrument Collection, University of Edinburgh