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Help....someone who knows something .......

Author: Don
Date: 2000-08-01 02:45

I have what looks like an old wood(ebony?) Buffet Crampon clarinet with what looks like a serial number 26C on the back. I think it is a different style key system than most newer models, it only has 2 holes with rings around them.....but not as many keys as newer ones. The instrument is just over 22 inches long with mouthpiece.....and I think it is circa 1888. Does anyone have any ideas as to what key it may be in, or its possible value, or anything?

Thanks,
Don

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RE: Help....someone who knows something .......

Author: Eoin McAuley
Date: 2000-08-01 07:19

This sounds like an Albert system clarinet. Many Albert system clarinets had only two rings, like you describe. The two rings are normally for the middle and ring fingers of the right hand. There are normally two keys beside the right ring finger hole for operation by the right little finger. Often, these have small metal cylinders ("rollers") built into the keys to make sliding from one to the other easier.

Can you get the clarinet to play a note? If you can, play a note without covering any holes and without pressing any keys. Compare this note with a piano. If the note is a G, your clarinet is in the key of C. If it's an F, you have a standard B flat clarinet. If the note is Bb, you have an E flat clarinet, sometimes known as a sopranino.

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RE: Help.... Will Try! ...

Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-08-01 14:13

Your plea should ring many bells!! I agree with Eoin, it sounds like an earlier Albert-Muller, later ones had two rings on each joint. You might look in Rendall "The Clarinet" where there are many plates of pics of old horns, Brymer has some as do others. Bear in mind that there were many makers in the 1800's, so there was much "overlap" of models and improvements [more keys]. Someone else asked about Forums on cl's, try a post on "EarlyClarinet@egroups.com" for expert opinions. Don

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