Hawkes & Son "The Clippertone" (1925)

This B♭ cornet is a celebrated "The Clippertone" model by the prominent British firm Hawkes & Son, representing a premier design of the early twentieth-century brass band era. Based on its serial number, 51354, the instrument can be dated to late 1924 or early 1925. It features a dull silver-plated finish and has survived alongside its original hardshell case. Structurally, the horn is in remarkably good condition, though it does bear a prominent crease in the bell flare that could use some careful straightening.

A basic clean-up yielded excellent acoustic results, revealing a highly responsive instrument that plays very well across its registers. Mechanically, "The Clippertone" was marketed for its innovative angled windway through the valve block. This particular specimen is tuned to the traditional High Pitch standard, firmly placing its production within the era prior to the universal adoption of low pitch standards. It stands as a great representative of British brass manufacturing, built just a few years before Hawkes & Son merged with Boosey & Co.