1940 MARTIN HANDCRAFT IMPERIAL MB .453" PRO Bb CORNET~COLLECTOR GRADE CONDITION

Description

1940
MARTIN HANDCRAFT "IMPERIAL" MEDIUM #2
BORE (.453") PROFESSIONAL Bb
CORNET IN COLLECTOR GRADE REST
ORED CONDITION
I have been playing horns for 65 years...collecting and restoring vintage trumpets and cornets, producing custom finishes, and building custom horns for 54 years. Over the decades I amassed a vast trumpet/ cornet collection.  During the past few years I have thinned out the herd and continue to do so.
All my horns are gig ready...they have been completely disassembled, cleaned, valves are hand lapped and precision adjusted & aligned with new corks & felts when necessary, all slide tubes are hand lapped and polished, and then the horn is re-assembled and play tested.  Lastly, the trumpet is disinfected and boxed in order to provide a Covid free purchase.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE OTHER HORNS I HAVE LISTED
For your consideration, here is an 82 year old Handcraft Imperial professional cornet in superb restored collector grade condition.  It exhibits no dents or dings.  I acquired this cornet from the original owner who was a music director.  The horn was his pride and joy and was only used for limited professional gigs over the years as his work demanded most of his time.  It is my understanding that he never used this cornet at work.  I am truly amazed at how well he treated and maintained the instrument.  He did have the horn re-lacquered many years ago as the original nitrocellulose lacquer severely deteriorated over time.  The tech did a very nice job with no obvious buffing loss...the bell engraving looks like the day it came off the factory floor, and the lacquer continues to look quite fresh.  The cornet comes with its original #1 mouthpiece and a 60's Conn thermoplastic case.
Before the release of the Committee models in 1938, Imperial models were Martin Handcraft's top-of-the-line offerings.  All production ceased after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941 when brass instrument factories were then relegated to helping the war effort.  In 1946 Martin once again began production, abandoned the name "Handcraft" and re-branded themselves as "The Martin".  Both the Committee and Imperial Handcraft models from this era (1938-41) are superb examples of quality craftsmanship and materials at their best.  The machining is precise, tolerances tight, and fit and finish are unrivaled even today.  All six valve caps as well as the valve stems are individually numbered to fit their respective casings and pistons!
This cornet is a somewhat lightweight 2 lb. - 3.7 oz. horn that will accommodate virtually any music style and acoustic venue,
and has the capability to fit perfectly into any performance situation and part assignment including symphony work where it absolutely shines.
Agile and efficient, and having an extensive range of tonal colors, this cornet offers a consistent core of sound throughout all registers and dynamics, with a pitch center to match all its other outstanding performance characteristics.  It easily matches and blends with other trumpets/ cornets and players.  The cornet has a compact sound with great depth of character and excellent sonority in all registers.  It is a free and open blowing horn with a rich, dark tone, and loves to be piloted in the stratosphere where it develops a sophisticated brighter edge with complex overtones.  This horn has superb intonation...the low register is not flat, and is very resonant.  The 5th harmonic is great, and so is the upper register intonation.  Slots are superb.  Responsive and flexible, this professional cornet makes an awesome symphony horn, but will preform beyond expectations playing most any style of music.
Mechanically, the horn is in awesome condition with lightning fast valves that are bright and shiny, without staining nor pitting, and exhibit excellent compression.  Additionally, I gave them a PVA (Precision Valve Alignment) and installed new corks and felts.  All slides function.  Cosmetically, the trumpet is in superb restored condition...no dents nor dings.  The only blemishes I can find are some very minor ripples on the top curve of the back bow that may be the result of a past dent removal.  However, they are so minor as to be more felt than seen.  There are some lacquer scratches and tiny areas of loss scattered throughout the horn, but considering the age of the re-lacquer, I think it has survived better than most instruments of this era.  I tend to be overly critical and as accurate as possible when describing my horns, so that no one receives any "surprises".  So, bid with confidence as I think you'll find my feedback speaks for itself.
Finish          -   Lacquer over polished yellow brass and nickel silver.
Serial #       -   138XXX
Bore Size     -   .453" medium #2 bore
Accessories  -   Non original Conn thermoplastic case in good condition with both latches functioning normally, and the original Martin #1 mouthpiece with some pliers marks on its mid shank.
Shipping is a flat fee of . via FedEx Home or Ground to the continental 48 States
with insurance and signature requirement
.  Alaska and Hawaii require more postage.  I will ship worldwide.  I accept PayPal ONLY.  Payment must be received within 4 days or the item will be re-listed.
Sales Tax:
Due to recent laws that were passed regarding Sales Tax being charged on internet purchases, eBay automatically will apply taxes to purchases made from the States affected by these laws.  I have no say in the collection of these taxes and I do not benefit from this.
International Buyers - Please Note:
Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price nor shipping cost.  These charges are the buyer's responsibility.  Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding or buying.
This item is being sold "As is"...no returns nor refunds will be offered unless I have somehow misrepresented the item.  I do my very best to be as accurate as humanly possible in my descriptions.  I am not an instrument dealer...just a musician and collector.  However, bid with confidence as my feedback speaks for itself.