Klarinet Archive - Posting 000605.txt from 2004/01

From: Nick Shackleton <njs5@-----.ac.uk>
Subj: [kl] Selmer clarinet
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 04:43:27 -0500

Bill Hausmann wrote "Apparently some of the early Selmers had the "K" in
the serial number and
some did not. The K's, naturally, precede the "L"-series, though, placing
them before 1931. K999 should fall between 1927 (start of production) and
1929. It probably has the older, oval shaped Selmer logo, too, I'd
imagine."
I don't know why this myth that production started in 1927 is in
circulation. I have an "ALEXANDER SELMER Importer and Distributing Agent"
catalogue that dates from about 1910 and includes testimonials saying how
good Selmer clarinets are going back to 1899. The catalogue says they were
awarded the Gold Medal at the St Louis World's Fair in 1904. It is possible
that the earliest instruments did not have serial numbers but I do not
believe I have seen one without.
I have never seen any letter below K so I assume that this was when they
started with the letters.
I seem to remember being told that the oval shaped logo was replaced around
1924 (my 1910 catalogue shows this logo).
Alexander Selmer became principal clarinettist of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra in 1898 and I believe that this is how Henri Selmer (his brother)
got into the US market.
Nick

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