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Martin Handcraft Imperial Cornet, 1936, Gold Plated andElaborately Engraved
This one is an eminently playable museum piece! The Handcraft Imperial was the pinnacle ofthe Martin product lineup in 1936, and this cornet is as nice an example as youwill find. The gold plate is intact,marred only by a few incidental scratches and the inevitable small dingsassociated with 90 years of usage. I’vetried to capture the dings in the photos, and invite you to pay particularattention to photos 9, 10, 11, and 20,which show dings on the top of the bell bow (9), the bottom of the leadpipejust before the water key (10), the bottom of the bell bow (11), and the sideof the bell, adjacent 1st valve (20).
Those imperfections—the battle scars of making music fornearly a century—pale in comparison to the remarkable engraving and theexcellent play qualities of this instrument.Picture 2 captures the full length of the bell engraving, from a leafywreath around the bell flare (see also picture 15), the diamond patternsurrounding the number 37 (perhaps indicating the bell mandrel?), the elaborateMartin / Handcraft / Elkhart / Ind/ USA at the center of the bell, and thescrollwork which extends from the Martinlabel all the way to the bell bow. Theunderside of the bell bears a stylized treble clef (14).
So, it’s a very attractive horn, but does it play? Yes!The valves are quick and smooth.The compression is very good, and produces excellent tone all the waydown to low F# and as high as you can go.It’s a medium bore horn—Martin #2 bore, which I measure as 0.449”. The main tuning slide is AFTER the valveblock, at the entrance to the bell, and when pulled about ¼ - ½” the intonationis spot on from first line E to top space G (with the usual slight variationsfor 4th line D) The horn isequipped with the typical 3rd valve crook adjustment ring whichfacilitates intonation adjustment for low D and C#.
You will note from the pictures that this cornet has bottomspring valves, and also that all the slides and top and bottom valve caps comeoff and go back readily—no cross threading or sticky slides.
The original hardshell (plywood) case doesn’t live up tothe rest of the horn. Both latches willstay closed, but one has a broken spring.The top of the case has separated from the sides, both front andback. The interior is still fluffy anddoesn’t have any major off smells, but the case really needs to bereplaced. I’ll be offering a very niceMartin case from the 1950’s/60’s immediately after the close of this sale,which the prevailing buyer can obtain at a reasonable price—If you buy thehorn and you want the newer case, be sure to communicate as such. The trumpet stand which appears in a numberof the photos is NOT included.
If this is such a great little horn, why am I selling? I’ve acquired more horns than I canreasonably play, and far more than my new (and much smaller) house canaccommodate. I am therefore liquidatingmy collection. Buy-it-now for $850, ormake me a reasonable offer. This is arare and highly desirable instrument in unusually good condition. You’ll love it!
