T. Harper’s Improved Royal Kent Keyed Bugle
No. 242
Manufactured solely by Muzio Clementi & Co.
26 Cheapside London
6 keys
In the late 1700’s and early 1800’s, various attempts were made to redesign the trumpet with the addition of keys, piston valves and rotary valves. This Royal Kent keyed bugle was made in London by Muzio Clementi and Co. and was patented in 1810. Notice that the keys look similar to those found on a saxophone. The keyed bugle proved to be an inferior instrument to those with piston or rotary valves, and largely disappeared around the time of the Civil War.
