Conn 10A Artist (Late Model)
Date: 1959, owned by Brent Peters
Notice the coprion bell and leadpipe and the nickel trim. The "Late" models built after 1958 have an adjustable 3rd slide finger ring, a wide wrap, a coprion leadpipe and topspring valves of a style common throughout the 1960's. This later model is styled after the 28A/38B Connstellation. The 1957 version of this instrument is called "Victor", while the 1959 instrument is called "Artist". Apparently Conn played around with the names a bit. While the early model 10A is a cornet and has a coprion bell, I expect it sounds somewhat dark since all these factors add to an instrument being "dark". The later model 10A with the additional coprion leadpipe should sound even darker. Only the facts that it is a #1 bore and a long model make it probably not quite as dark as its successor, the 9A Victor Coprion short model. Production on the 10A ceased probably sometime around 1961 when the 9A Victor (short model) was introduced.
How to tell a 10A Victor long cornet and a 10B Victor trumpet apart? The differences are quite subtle, but you should be able to tell if you know what you are looking for. All models for which there is both a long cornet and a trumpet (6A/6B, 10A/10B, 28A/38B) have a letter "A" or "B" stamped on the mouthpiece receiver. An "A" indicates a cornet leadpipe, a "B" indicates a trumpet leadpipe. The second way is to look at where the leadpipe widens out to accomodate the main tuning slide. On a trumpet this happens directly after the leadpipe finger hook, on a long cornet about an inch further down the leadpipe from the fingerhook. See picture. For a discussion on the merits of long model cornets such as this one, see The Long Model Cornet: Fish Nor Fowl?.
See also the "Early" version, called the 10A Victor.
What Conn said in 1959:
New "tone and dimension" design plus the exclusive seamless bell and tone chamber have given this
cornet "true band sound". Easy response and mellow tone helps any player improve his playing. Exclusive
Conn features: seamless Coprion bell and tone chamber, Cali-bore and pin-guide Crysteel valves. Highly
polished. Coprion with brass trim protected by Lustre-Conn finish. Length 21 3/8", bell size 5 1/8". Complete with
accessories in Connstellation case.