Hawkes & Son "The Clippertone" (1925)

This B♭ cornet, a celebrated "The Clippertone" model manufactured by the prominent British firm Hawkes & Son, represents a premier design of the early twentieth-century brass band era. Based on its historical serial number, 51354, the instrument can be accurately dated to late 1924 or early 1925. The cornet features a dull silver-plated finish and has survived alongside its original hardshell case, providing excellent historical context for the object. Structurally, the instrument remains in remarkably good condition, though it does bear a prominent and severe crease in the bell flare that requires careful alignment.

A basic cleaning has yielded excellent acoustic results, revealing a highly responsive instrument that plays very well across its registers. Mechanically, "The Clippertone" was historically marketed for its innovative angled windway design 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 international adoption of low pitch standards, making it a valuable representative of British brass manufacturing just a few years before Hawkes & Son merged with Boosey & Co.