The earliest cornets are stamped "HN White Sole Agent" and were imported to Cleveland around 1893-1907. From The H. N. White's Company's earliest days (1905-1910), they made the finest cornets on the market and led the way in innovation and quality. Early cornets will have a "lion head" by the serial numbers. Most models were designed by H. N. White, including the Master model cornet which set the industry standard. The Master model cornet is also known as the "under slung" cornet because of it's unusual entry point into the valves. In 1918 the company was incorporated and "Co" was added to the engraving of all instruments, before 1918 the engraving read simply as "H. N. White." The list of H. N. White cornet players is impressive including: Red Allen, Herbert Clark, "Wild" Bill Davison, Dr. Frank Simon, and the great Del Staigers. The H. N. White Company made the following brands: King, American Standard, Cleveland, and Gladiator (which was produced from 1940-1953) cornets. In 1926-1928 H. N. White introduced Sterling Silver bells to his cornets, which produces better tone, being clearer, richer, with a more pleasing quality. Not to mention some of the best looking bells ever produced in the music industry. Even today H. N. White "King" cornets are still played in bands all over the country. The H. N. White Company made all of its own cornets and did not stencil any for other companies (that I know of).

This page is designed to show the first known year of production (based on my catalogs) and any changes that are made over the production cycle of the instruments including model numbers and any unique specifications. In the production years of 1893-1910 it is important to consider that production of trumpets and cornets stated slowly and that the serial number list may not be 100% accurate, and that the company did not have "considerable" production until 1905.

Please note all the "www.hnwhite.com" watermarks on the catalog pages, sellers from www.ebay.com have used information inaccurately and without permission from this website and it is essential that buyers know the source of information. Sellers may use watermarked catalog pages, please do not edit out the website address. This website strives to provide the best information possible.

Serial Numbers

 
 

Famous Short Model Cornet

King Long Model Cornet

King Large Bore Cornet

King Eb Cornet

King Combination Cornet

King Military Cornet

Vocal or C Cornet

King Slide Cornet

King Junior Bb Cornet

King Perfecto No 1

King Perfecto No 2

King "Commander" Model Cornet

Master Model Bb Cornet

Super 20 Master Model

 

Cornet Models:
1911 First Famous Short Model Cornet

Specifications:

 

Model Numbers: #201...Brass highly polished.

#202...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished bell, and points.

#203...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#205...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#207...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
 
Production started in 1899-1905. Shown in the 1911 Christmas Catalog. Designed by H. N. White. By the 1919 catalog this cornet is no longer in production.

1911 First King Long Model Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 15 Inches

Weight: 35 oz.

Model Numbers: #230...Brass highly polished.

#231...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#232...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#233...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 

Production started in 1899-1905. Shown in the 1911 Christmas Catalog. Designed by H. N. White. By the 1919 catalog this cornet is no longer in production. Then in 1931 the long model reappears until WWII. This information my change with additional catalogs added to the archive.
 

1931 King Long Model Cornet

For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.

Specifications:

Medium Bore

Length: 19 Inches

Model Numbers:

#1069...Made for band work in Bb only, with Sterling Silver bell option.

 
1911 First King Large Bore Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 14.5 Inches

Weight: 35 oz.

Model Numbers: #275...Brass highly polished.

#276...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#277...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#278...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
 
Production started in 1899-1905. Shown in the 1911 Christmas Catalog. Designed by H. N. White. By the 1919 catalog this cornet is no longer in production.

1911 King Eb Cornet

Specifications:

Model Numbers: #0201...Brass highly polished.

#0202...Silver plated, satin finish, barnished bell.

#0203...Silver plated, satin finish, and gold lined bell.

#0205...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#0207...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
 
1924 King Eb Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 12.75 Inches

Weight: 24 oz.
Model Numbers: #1072...
 
Production started in 1899-1905. Shown in the 1911 Christmas Catalog. Designed by H. N. White. Production of the King Eb Cornet ended with the start of WWII and never resumed.

1911 King Combination Cornet

Specifications:

Slides for B, Eb, & A

Model Numbers: #209...Brass highly polished.

#210...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished bell, and points.

#211...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#212...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#214...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
 
1919 King Combination Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 14.5 Inches

Weight: 38.5 oz.

Model Numbers:

#209...Brass highly polished.

#211...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#212...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#214...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
By 1924 this Combination Cornet evolves into the Vocal Cornet.

1919 Military Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 14.5 Inches

Weight: 36 oz.

Model Numbers: #800...Brass highly polished.

#801...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, barnished points, and gold lined bell.

#802...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#803...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points.
 
 
Shown only in the 1919 catalog this cornet had a short production life and is thought to only have been produced for the military during WWI. May also been known by the Cavalry Model

1924 King Vocal or C Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 14.5 Inches

Weight: 38 oz.

 

Model Numbers:

#1060..."Rotary change"

Note: Six finish options available.
 
 
Production of the King Vocal Cornet ended with the start of WWII and never resumed. Sterling Silver Bells were never an option on the Vocal Cornet.

1924 Slide Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.375 Inches

Length: 20.5 Inches

Weight: 17 oz.

Bore .437

Model Numbers:

#1073..."Like the slide trombone"

Note: Six finish options available.
 
 
Production started some time between 1919 and 1923. The King Slide Cornet remained unchanged until it's production stopped in 1939.

1924 King Junior Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 16.5 Inches

Weight: 35 oz.

Model Numbers:

#1070..."Long Model"

Note: Six finish options available.
 
 
Production started some time between 1919 and 1923. In 1925-26 The Junior Cornet became the Cleveland model number 601.

King Perfecto No 1

(As shown in the 1932 catalog)

Specifications:

Unknown

 

Model Numbers:

Unknown
 
 
Around 1910-1911 the King Perfecto No 1 Model was introduced. By the early 1916 the Perfecto was replaced by the number two version.

King Perfecto No 2

(As shown in the 1932 catalog)

 

Specifications:

Unknown

 

Model Numbers:

Unknown
 
 
Around 1915-1916 the King Perfecto No 2 Model was introduced. By the early 1922 the Perfecto was replaced by the Master Model.

1931 King "Commander" Model Cornet

Specifications:

Bell Diameter: 4.5 Inches

Length: 15 Inches

Weight: 35 oz.

 

Model Numbers:

#1067...Medium Bore.

#1068...Large Bore.
 
 
First introduced in 1928-29. The Commanders last year of production was 1935.

1916 King Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 15.5 Inches

Weight: 37 oz.

Made in high or low pitch

Model Numbers: Medium Bore or (Large Bore).

#700...Brass highly polished.

#701...Triple Silver plated, gold plated inside of the bell.

#702...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#703...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points
 
 
1919 Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 15.5 Inches

Weight: 37 oz.

Made in high or low pitch

Model Numbers: Medium Bore or (Large Bore).

#700...Brass highly polished.

#701...Triple Silver plated, gold plated inside of the bell.

#702...Triple Silver plated, satin finish, gold bell and trimmings.

#703...Quadruple gold plate, satin finish, barnished points
 
1924 Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 16.5 Inches

Weight: 36 oz.

Model Numbers: Medium Bore or (Large Bore).

#1065..."Finest Cornet..." Medium Bore.

#1066...Large Bore.

Note: Six finish options available. Silver Bell offered after 1925-26. For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.
 
1934 Master Model Cornet No. 2

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 16.5 Inches

Weight: 36 oz.

Model Numbers: Medium Bore

#1065..."Finest Cornet..." Starting in 1934 only Medium Bore is offered.

Note: Six finish options available. Silver Tone offered after 1925-26. For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.
 
1948 Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 16.5 Inches

Weight: 36 oz.

Model Numbers: Medium Bore

#1065..."World famous Cornet..." Only Medium Bore is offered.

Note: Five finish options available. The first Silversonic offered in 1947-48. Starting in 1952-53 Silversonic models were known as 1065-S. For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.
 
1953 Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Length: 16.5 Inches

Weight: 36 oz.

Model Numbers: Medium Bore Only

#1065..."World famous Cornet..." Brass bell.

#1065-S...Silversonic

#1066...Super 20 Master Model with brass bell and nickel trim.

Note:Only one finish option available. For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.
1963 Master Model Cornet

Specifications: Medium

Bell Diameter: 4.625 Inches

Bore: .458

Sterling 39 ounces

Regular 38 ounces

See 1963 catalog #21B

Model Numbers: Medium Bore Only

#1065..."World famous Cornet..." Brass bell.

#1065-S...Silversonic

#1066...Super 20 Master Model with brass bell and nickel trim.

Note:Only one finish option available. For more information on Silver Bells Click Here.
 

The first master model cornet entered production in about 1914-1915. Most production units were medium bore. The addition of a Sterling Silver bell sets these cornets apart from all others, and has some of the best engraving for a production cornet. The 1963 Master Model Cornet remained unchanged until the company was sold in 1965.

01/10/2011 Special Note: In the past the 1963 Master Model #1065 was marked with bore size .475. This early information was provided via a collector, we have now changed the bore size to reflect what is in the 1963 (White Way #21B) catalog which is .458. There seems to be enough evidence that there was a larger bore (.475) produced but no "catalog" evidence exists.

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