 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joel Parks
Date: 2000-02-14 20:01
Hi All,
I would greatly appreciate any information on Alexandre Robert and the Clarinets he and his family produced. The only information I have now is that they were made by Mr. Robert(b.1895-?) and his family in France and are known to be a very well made. I have searched the web and found nothing.
Please feel free to send your information directly to my e-mail address if you wish, but I will check back to this board, as others might be interested in this information too. Thank You in advance for your time.
Sincerely,
Joel
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-02-15 02:22
I have seen the name on insts., and it is listed by Rendall [1950's ed., as a maker] in Paris 1895-. Perhaps Mark C can find something more in Langwill. Don
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Author: A. Porter
Date: 2000-08-01 15:15
I am having exactly the same problem. We bought a rosewood (?) and nickel silver A. Robert clarinet at a flea market ( not, perhaps, the best place for information). Our local repair person, who is very good and knows a lot, couldn't tell us much, just c. 1900, Paris, excellent reputation, and made instruments for professional musicians. I have also spent a lot of time surfing around finding nothing. Apparently, the firm went out of business by the end of WWI?Any info would be appreciated.
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2011-09-22 00:29
I have found myself in possession of one of these clarinets -- which seems very well made, plays nicely in its very limited current range, but needs an overhaul badly -- and interested in learning more. There doesn't seem to be much more information even 11 years later! Anyone?
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2011-09-22 02:03
There is an article in the November 13, 1926 Music Trade Review that discusses both Henri Leroy and the Alexandre Robert clarinets. Lovers of 1920s mouthpieces will treasure both of these men's mouthpieces, but the article discusses how Leroy, at that time the head of Robert's factory in Paris, tuned and adjusted each clarinet and personally placed every clarinet in the case for shipment to the U.S. and Canada. Fred Gretsch Manufacturing Co. was the exclusive representative for Robert at the time. Leroy had previously played in various symphonies in New York City after winning awards as a student in Paris.
here is the link: http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1926-83-20/index.php?page_no=36&fname=MTR-1926-83-20-36.pdf
(Thanks to Sasha Potiomkin for sending me the pdf of the article, available at the link).
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2011-09-22 10:05
Thanks, Biill, very interesting. I wasn't aware of the link to Gretsch. That provides another avenue to explore to better understand this nearly forgotten maker of high quality instruments.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2011-09-22 12:09
A.Robert worked for a number of makers in Paris in late C19. He became foreman at Thibouville-Cabart before taking over a WWI business from Claude Rive in 1895. He continued this business until 1924 when it was taken over by Henri Leroy, who continued to run it until the later 1940s. AFAIK Leroy continued using the Robert trade name - I don't see where he ever made instruments under his own name.
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2011-09-22 14:59
OK, Ken, I took up the challenge. My review yielded four other links of interest; the third has a picture of Gretsch's showroom. BTW Chris, my reference to Leroy was to his making mouthpieces, not instruments. I have three of his mouthpieces, and they are wonderful. (And two of Robert's, which are sublime).
Here the links:
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1924-78-6/index.php?page_no=39&frame=MTR-1924-78-6-39.pdf
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1925-81-15/index.php?page_no=39&frame=MTR-1925-81-15-39.pdf
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1924-79-16/index.php?page_no=41&frame=MTR-1924-79-16-41.pdf
http://mtr.arcade-museum.com/MTR-1925-80-23/index.php?page_no=37&frame=MTR-1925-80-23-37.pdf
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2011-09-22 15:15
I owned and played an A. Robert clarinet in A , for many years. I obtained it in 1952, through a friend , who told me he bought it from the widow of a Boston Symphony clarinetist. All the joints were silver lined and the barrel had a slip joint , which allowed pulling the barrel without creating a discontinuity in the bore. The bore was as smooth as glass and the instrument of artist quality in every respect. I gave it to the principal clarinetist of the San antonio Symphony about 20 years ago.
richard smith
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Author: alto gether
Date: 2011-09-22 18:40
Marginally off-topic: In high school near Montreal in the late 1950s, the clarinets we bought through the band were branded Sieur Robert. Probably not great instruments, but unbelievably robust. I can't find anything about them - related maker or just a coincidence of names?
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Author: salzo
Date: 2011-09-22 18:53
I have an older clarinet marked "Roberte, Paris".
Any one know if this is the same maker, or perhaps someone trying to get around the trademark?
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2011-09-23 01:43
Thanks for all of your responses and references -- very helpful. IN addition, via some searching I also cam upon another string on this board on the topic. See link:
http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=287938&t=287938&v=t
We will get to the bottom of this mysterious manufacturer yet!
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