This C.G. Conn Eb Cornet is marked Elkhart and Worcester Mass.   Charles Gerard Conn(1844-1931) was a cornetist and among several occupations was also an inventor.  In 1874 he came up with the idea to make a cornet mouthpiece with a rubber rim (see inset at left).  in 1876 he teamed up in Elkhart with Eugene Dupont (who had several patents for brass instruments). Together they made Cornets until 1880, when Conn took over the company. The factory suffered a serious fire in 1883, and as part of his recovery and expansion planning, he  established  a subsidiary plant in the Issac Fiske factory in Worcester, Massachusetts. In December 1886 he bought the Fiske Plant and horns made there from 1886-1896 were marked "Elkhart and Worcester."

This cornet, with a serial number of 11577, indicates a manufacture date of 1885-86 and had to be one the earliest made in Worcester. The engraving is profuse and highlighted in gold. The inside of the bell, valve caps and other  trim items are also gold plated.  Despite the age- this cornet still plays sweetly.