Engraved Boston Three Star Cornet, 1900

This elaborately engraved presentation cornet was made in about 1900.  It is almost the same as the first Three Star Cornets built nearly 25 years earlier, showing just how popular this model was.  The recipient of this cornet was Carl W. Schmidt of Alameda California (a suburb of San Fransisco) who was a high school student at the time and who went on to dental school.  His father, Carl Sr., was a dentist and we could speculate that this cornet was a graduation present although nothing more is actually known.  The mouthpiece shown is a replacement, but it retains the original Bb and A slides as well as one with a quick change rotary valve as well as the two bits for playing in lower pitches.

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As spectacular as this engraving is, it was not the most elaborate Three Star cornet offered.  Shown above is an engraved image from Boston's 1887 catalogue showing what could have been ordered.   The last photograph by Mark Metzler, shows one owned by Tom Meacham, also built about 1900, with a very similar engraved pattern.  In 1887, this cornet was available silver plated with gold trim for $115 or all gold plated for $150.  The plain brass Three Star cost $55 and silver plated or German silver cost $65.  It is 12 1/2" long, bell diameter is  4 15/16" and the bore measures .475".