I was set straight by Josh Landress, confirming the number that he could see was original. There is a small "19" stamped on the mouthpipe shank receiver, that I originally thought might indicate that this was a replaced part, never having seen this on a Besson instrument before. On first examination, this cornet has no serial number and presumably predates the earliest known instruments that he stamped serial numbers on, in about the mid- to late 1850s. Besson established his own shop in about 1842 and moved to 7 rue des 3 Couronnes in about 1845 and that is where this cornet was made. According to the Langwill index, Gustave Auguste Besson apprenticed with another Paris maker, Dujarez, of whom even less is known. In view of these facts, it is surprising how little we seem to know about Besson's earliest years of production. Also, Besson went on to design the modern trumpet. Most of us with more than a casual interest in brass instrument history would agree that Besson and Courtois were the two most important makers in the development of the French style cornet.
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