Klarinet Archive - Posting 000476.txt from 2001/10

From: Bill Page <bill.page@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Old clarinet
Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 08:34:56 -0400

Good morning folks,

In an antique shop just north of the Ill/Wi state line yesterday, I came
across an old clarinet, standing upright on the floor in the back room...no
mouthpiece or second joint, obviously no case. The wood appeared to be
rosewood, a deep red, but the bell was black. What pads were there were
(duh) cracked and falling apart.

Clarinet has the name Boosey, with the address in London, on the bell, and
Boosey with a five-digit serial number on the body. No cork on the tenons,
just string.

Fingering seemed odd...I've been playing Boehm system all my life (well, 38
of my 48 years), so I don't know if this is an early version or something
else. It doesn't have all of the keys one normally sees for left or right
pinky, and the throat Bb key wraps around to a hole in the front of the
instrument.

I still had a hard time leaving my $20 in my pocket...

Bill Page
Kenosha WI

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