Klarinet Archive - Posting 000820.txt from 1998/11

From: "Gordon Gillan" <gmgillan@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] An old clarinet?
Date: Sat, 21 Nov 1998 11:28:01 -0500

Thanks for the info, answering your further questions as follows:

-----Original Message-----
From: Jack Kissinger [mailto:kissingerjn@-----.EDU]
Subject: Re: [kl] An old clarinet?

Hi Gordon,

It sounds to me like your old clarinet is probably some variant of the
Albert
system -- most likely from around 1890-1920. They are actually fairly
common
and turn up regularly on the eBay auction. Are there only two pinky keys in
the cluster on the bottom of the lower joint? YES, both for the left and
right hands.
Also, is there a ring on the
upper joint thumb hole? NO, a plain hole!!How many of the tone holes have
rings on the upper
joint? 0 the lower joint? 2

The greater spacing between tone holes probably means either: (1) you have a
Bb clarinet with a bigger bore than your 926 (the bigger the bore, the
longer
the clarinet will be) or, (2) you have an A clarinet. What is the overall
length of the instrument (including mouthpiece)? 26 1/4 inches

Am I right in inferring from your comments that this older instrument is
also
a Boosey? YES, no 2202 stamped on all bits, lower joint has an extra
stamping which says B, L.P., 1409. Upper and lower joints are wood, not so
sure of the other bits.(If it's a Boosey & Hawkes, I believe it would have
to be from
after 1935.) If it isn't a Boosey, is there any logo with the maker's name
on
any part of the instrument (other than the mouthpiece)? If this is an
Albert
system instrument, depending on its condition, the maker and its pitch, I
would guess it is probably worth somewhere between £40 (US$70) and £120
(US$200) -- at least that's what they tend to bring on the eBay auction.
Where do I find that?

Now if you have an old boxwood instrument.......What is one of them?

Best regards,
Jack Kissinger
St. Louis

Gordon Gillan wrote:

> Although learning to play, and I stress learning, on a modern Boosey and
> Hawkes 926, I have acquired an old style clarinet as well. It has much
> fewer side keys and the holes feel wider spaced. It is obviously older as
> the serial no on all parts is 2206, wheras my current one is in 6 figures.
>
> So what have I got and roughly how old is it?
> Should I insure it? It is in quite good condition, the corks have been
> redone at some stage. I only paid £40 for it
>
> Many thanks
>
> Gordon Gillan
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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