Klarinet Archive - Posting 000313.txt from 1997/08

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: H Bettoney metal clarinet
Date: Sat, 9 Aug 1997 22:16:36 -0400

At 05:47 PM 8/7/97 +0200, you wrote:
>
>Is anyone familiar with the clarinets made by H. Bettoney company?
>I need to find out the value of one of their silver-plated metal
>clarinets for insurance. It is a full-Boehm with both an alternate
>E-flat/ A-flat key for the left hand, as well as a range down to the
>low E-flat, with the extra key on the right side next to the B/E key
>(just like with bass clarinets). The model is "Silva - Bet" and it
>has "SI 480" written on the instrument (perhaps a serial #/). Other
>than that it says just " H. Bettoney CBC Boston." It is in mint
>condition and plays incredible. If anyone has any info about it's
>value, date of manufacture, or anything else, I'd appreciate hearing
>from you.
>
>Alan Greenfield alang@-----.il
>
>
By and large, metal clarinets are worth their weight in scrap metal. Some
make suitable lamp bases. I have one that I keep as a third instrument
that I can leave in the car without worrying about it cracking or melting.
Yours sounds like it may be a cut above the norm with its extra keys. I
think H. Bettoney later became Cundy-Bettoney, which published music and
sold some instruments. I know someone who has a silver-plated Bettoney
tenor sax from the 1920's or so. Not much help, but maybe it will start
the ball rolling.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.