Fiske E-Flat Cornet: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This cornet was made by Isaac Fiske in Worcester, Massachusetts around 1868 to 1872. It is an E-flat cornet, in helicon form, made of nickel silver and has 3 string action rotary valves. This cornet is engraved:

ISAAC FISKE MAKER WORCESTER MASS PATENTED Nov. 12. 1867. FEB.11.1868

This cornet features the following patents issued to Isaac Fiske:

United States Patent #70824, November 12, 1867 for an “Improvement in Crooks for Musical Instruments"

United States Patent #74331, February 11, 1868 for an “Improvement in Cornets, etc.”

Isaac Fiske (1820-1894) established his firm in 1842 in Worcester, Massachusetts. In 1887, on his retirement, Fiske sold his company to G.C. Conn.

Materials, dates and provenance

• date made: 1868-1872
• maker: Fiske, Isaac
• Object Name: cornet
• Physical Description: nickel silver (overall material)
• Measurements: overall: 12 1/2 in x 4 3/4 in x 15 in; 31.75 cm x 12.065 cm x 38.1 cm
• Measurements: overall: 12 11/16 in x 12 1/4 in x 4 1/2 in; 32.22625 cm x 31.115 cm x 11.43 cm
• place made: United States: Massachusetts, Worcester
• ID Number: MI.363090
• accession number: 117166
• catalog number: 363090
• Credit Line: Gift of Myra Wallace
• Data Source: National Museum of American History

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of American History through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed.