Klarinet Archive - Posting 000743.txt from 1996/03

From: Richard Lahrson <tripspud@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: First Appearance of Plastic Clarinets
Date: Wed, 27 Mar 1996 17:22:14 -0500

Though Goege Eastman died in 1932, I beleive it is not uncommon for his
estate, which is very large, to make donations decades after his death.

On Tue, 26 Mar 1996, Donald Yungkurth wrote:

> A number of people have been dating plastic clarinets from the '50s or
> earlier. I have a Boehm Bb clarinet, presented by a friend, who bought it at
> a local repair shop as "junk" for $3.00 a few years ago. It is clearly
> plastic, but I don't know what variety.
>
> Both sections of the clarinet are stamped, "C. G. Conn, Elkhart, Indiana",
> with the serial number B49570L. The bell does not have the Conn logo, but
> has an eagle with spread wings and the words "trade" and "mark" or either
> side of the eagle. In addition, the bell has the following inscription:
>
> "Property of the School of Music, University of Rochester, Given by George
> Eastman". Eastman died in 1932.
>
> Clearly, I don't know if the bell and the two sections of the clarinet
> originally belonged together. Whether or not the bell originally came with
> the two sections, it certainly is plastic and dates from the '30s or earlier,
> based on the inscription.
>
> Does anyone know if Conn ever used an eagle as a trade mark? Are there
> sources relating Conn serial numbers to manufacturing dates?
>
> As for the instrument being junk - One of the upper joint side keys for the
> right hand was broken. I repaired
> that and found the instrument playable and with quite good response and
> intonation.
>
> Don Yungkurth (DYungkurth@-----.com)
>