Expert: Kenton Scott - 3/19/2007

Question
I have an old horn that was purchased used around 1960. I played it through my school years, and my band instructors always made fun of the strange design.  It is short like a cornet with a 4 3/4" dia bell, but otherwise looks more like a trumpet and the mouthpiece tube leads into the 1st valve, not the 3rd. One instructor nicknamed it the "cornpet". The bell has a large "Pan American" name longitudinally in front of 3rd valve, and nearer the end of the bell flare is a smaller round logo with Pan American and "Made in USA  Elkhart Ind" under it.  The 2nd valve has number 233908 stamped on it.
I still play it occasionally but it needs a new shellac job and some nicks and dents fixed. I've never seen another horm like this. I am wondering if this strange instrument is a rare collector's item or if it is just an unusual design that was never successfully adopted. How old is it? Aside from my own sentimental value, is it worth restoring?  

Answer
Does it look like:  http://www.horn-u-copia.net/picture.php?show=./instruments/Conn/Pan-Am-Cornet-21...
If so, what you have is called a long model cornet.  

Actually, quite a few makers made long cornets.  So, it isn't particularly rare. It wasn't the most common design for cornets, but not that unusual.  

I would think it is worth restoring, but I don't know that I would re-lacquer it.  Rather, you may want to consider removing the existing lacquer and leaving it as raw brass.  (they play better).  All it would then need is a periodic polishing with a brass polish.