France
Fontaine Besson, Paris & London

Brass
Patented in 1890
Height: 16 in; Bell Diameter: 5.75 in
Wind Instruments – Brasswinds – Saxhorns 

The cornophone was invented by the instrument maker Fontaine Besson (at that time operating both in Paris and London) around 1880.  It was Besson’s attempt to create a unified family of brasswinds.  These instruments ranged in size and pitch from the cornettito, to the alto and tenor, to the large contrebasse.   Their usage includes being played in the orchestra of the Lamoureux Concerts, to take the place of the Tuben of Bayreuth during the first performances of fragments of Wagner’s Tétralogy in Paris. 

The instrument was originally called the “cornon,” and was patented in 1890 under the name cornophone.  It is similar to the saxhorn but uses a narrow mouthpiece more like the French horn mouthpiece. This alto cornophone in F has a tuning slide extension for Eb.

Resource:  Arnold Myers, Eugenia Mitroulia. “The Groves Dictionary of Musical Instruments.” 2^nd ed. Vol. 1., Laurence Libin, Editor in Chief. Oxford University Press.