Klarinet Archive - Posting 000261.txt from 1996/04

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.EDU>
Subj: Please help identify this clarinet
Date: Wed, 10 Apr 1996 14:28:37 -0400

An old clarinet was donated to the University of Evansville many years
ago, and we would like to find out more about it.

It appears to be a D or Eb soprano. It is made of rosewood, and the bell
rings and 4 other rings on the body are of ivory. There is a logo
stamped on the instrument 4 times, but none of these are completely
readable. There are three words in the logo: The first is "Husson," the
second is undecipherable but it might be "& Bitnod," and the third indicates
the instrument was made in Paris. There is no serial number.

The body is in 5 pieces rather than the normal 4. What we would think of
as the lower body joint has been divided into two parts. The tenons are
corked in the modern manner.

There are 8 keys of brass. On the upper body joint are a register key, A
and G# keys, and a C# and a D# key. These keys are mounted on a fairly
modern appearing system of posts and screws with leaf springs. There are
cork bumpers under some of the keys.

On the lower half of the lower body joint are three keys, which would
compare to the modern Ab/Eb for the right little finger and the E/B and
F#/C# for the left. These keys are mounted on pins which run through a
bulbous section on the lowest body joint, and again have leaf springs.
The smaller springs seem to have been soldered to the keys, while the
larger ones are attached mechanically by two pins.

The key cups are rounded. Some of the pads are missing, but the ones
which remain are of white leather.

There is a mouthpiece which appears to be of relatively modern design.
It is black, and seems tobe of blackwood, but it could possible be hard
rubber. When we received the instrument, there was a reed, attached with
a string ligature, but the mouthpiece shows signs of a metal ligature
having been used at some point.

The lengths of the various joints are as follows. In each case, these
measurement exclude the tenons.

mouthpiece: 62 mm
barrel: 38 mm
upper body joint: 134 mm
lower body joint, upper half: 73.5 mm
lower body joint, lower half: 95 mm
bell: 81 mm

I would appreciate it if anyone has any suggestions as to the origin,
date and history of the instrument.

Ed Lacy
*****************************************************************
Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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