Old Henri Gautier "Virtuoso" cornet

[John Brock]

Does anyone know anything about the Henri Gautier "Virtuoso" cornet? It is
convertible between Bb, A, and C. The tuning slides have marks to set the
keys. I have everything but the C lead pipe. This cute little horn has a
nice old cornet sound but it doesn't center as well as my other horns. No
air leaks but I think the valve ports could line up better in the cylinders.
Has anyone seen one before?
--

John Brock

[WiCAdam]

I got one of these about a year ago from Richard
Dundas - geat fun to play. Unfortunately, the
inner tube of the tuning slide has splt, & I haven't
yet had it repaired.
Mine has a doubled slide arangement, with 2 parallel
sides right above the uning slide proper - removing
both sma slides & inserting one crossways cuts off
a tne & put it in 'C'.

Bill Adam
Dallas, TX USA

[John Brock]

Bill:
That's it! Mine has the same cross-over slide arrangement. Do you have
the C lead pipe for yours? I don't want yours but I'd sure like to
see/dimension it so I could have one made. I bought my horn about 7 years
ago and had the dents removed and had it re-silver plated. It is a nice
little horn.

John Brock

WiCAdam <wic...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:19990623200848...@ng-fp1.aol.com...

[WiCAdam]

My horn has a bit, which was a pretty standard
feature of Cornets in the 1890's (when Dundas
fgured it was made) and sometimes there would
be bits of diferent lengths for Bb, A, C etc.
However, since the crossover takes care of
changes to C, and since there is a longer slide
replacing the forward-facing slide, to tune the
horn down to A, I don't think there would be any
other bits for the Gautier, except one for hi pitch,
mabe. If so, that one has been lost. The bit
that came with it is 3 13/16" overall length, &
the tapered portion is 5/8" long.

Mabe I don't understand the situation with the bit on yours.

[Donald L. Winters]

This describes the construction of my Gautier as well. I have only one
bit, which is exactly the dimensions you note. I assumed that since the
"crossover" allowed for the appropriate reduction in tubing length when
the horn was in B-flat that no other bit was necessary. Does your horn
carry a serial number? Mine does not. Also, have you figured out what
the "B & F" inscription on the middle valve casing means?

Don Winters

[John Brock]

Mine has the same missing serial number and B & F too. I found on a page
some where that they were built by "Lyon & Healy" so that's not it either.
Very mysterious.

John Brock

Donald L. Winters <donald.l...@vanderbilt.edu> wrote in message
news:3773AD6F...@vanderbilt.edu...

[WiCAdam]

Mine has no ser #,either. Not that unusual for European
instruments. B & F may be the firm that made
the valve casings, as I understand instruments
are assembled from major components made
by specialty firms (in Germany, anyway - whether
true in Austria, I don't know) or the Henri Gautier
line may be a sencil line & B & F made the entire
instrument, w/Mr. Gautier providing the bell
engraving only..

[chux...@gmail.com]

I realize it has been a few years since anyone has posted on this thread but hopefully someone is still out there listening. I have had a Henri Gaultier Virtuoso Cornet in the back of my closet for about 25 years and this thing is in near perfect shape - if you don't count a little silver tarnish. It has several slides and the mouthpiece as well as the music lyre.
Is this horn desirable or worth anything. Sorry to sound ignorant about this thing but what do I know? I am a trombone player.

Chuck Hockenheimer
Central Ohio

[vikingm...@gmail.com]

Hi Guys, I have a Gautier as well. The B and F refers to Bohland and Fuchs, made in Czechslovakia. http://www.horn-u-copia.net/Reference/display.php

[fel...@his.com]

I have a Gaulier Virtuoso tenor trombone in B Flat, with tuning slide extension pieces to put it in A. I'd be interested in selling it if anyone is interested. Slide is in good shape. Usual dents. W3...@ARRL.net
Frank Eliot