Rudall Carte and E.A. Couturier Conical-bore Instruments Compared

In 1903 the British wind-instrument manufacturing firm of Rudall Carte & Co patented brass instruments with a ‘conical bore’ which had less cylindrical tubing than conventional designs; their ‘Patent Conical Bore’ instruments were produced commercially. Over a number of years from 1913 the U.S. manufacturer E.A. Couturier patented a series of ‘conical bore’ brass instruments which were put into production. This article compares the designs of the two firms and draws conclusions about their originality and impact.