 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2015-02-20 01:05
Attachment: Bell.jpg (1024k)
Attachment: Lower Joint 1.jpg (74k)
Attachment: Lower Joint 2.jpg (71k)
Attachment: Upper Joint 1.jpg (121k)
Attachment: Upper Joint 2.jpg (114k)
Any information would be appreciated about this old Couesnon clarinet.
The bell is inscribed Universelle Exposition de Paris and I believe the stamped date is 1885 (when an exposition took place.) Additionally Hors Concours Membre du Jury which I think (correctly?) means "not in competition".
The barrel, not pictured, has no marks, both joints are stamped Bb LP, the upper joint has the same logo as on the bell; the lower joint simply says "France"
Age of manufacture? Any clue how long the 1885 date continued to be stamped? Perhaps till 1900 when they exhibited again.?
It plays, but barely. Clearly needs a complete overhaul to be useful. $ value as is?
Thanks
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-02-20 01:41
Being a simple or Albert system with an additional side Eb/Bb key, it won't be of great value to anyone except an avid enthusiast or collector or a Trad Jazz clarinettist who prefers playing simple/Albert systems.
Fortunately with it being Low Pitch (the 'LP' stamp) it is compatible with modern instruments that play at 440Hz (as opposed to High Pitch or 'HP' instruments built to 452Hz), so it will stand a better chance of being played rather than becoming an ornament or put away in an attic or cupboard.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2015-02-20 02:03
You have a basic Albert system Couesnon (sometimes aka "simple system"). Probably dates to late 19C or early 20C. The name "Couesnon et Cie" began to be used in 1888 - before that it was "Couesnon, Gautrot".
The address at 94 Rue D'angouleme was used from 1883 to 1937. Being stamped LP makes me think that it was made for export either to UK or USA. Also makes me think again end of 19C up to around 1920. Couesnon was the largest manufacturer of WI in their heyday so there's probably any number of these still around in barns and haylofts and so on.
It won't have a great deal of interest for most except for, as Chris notes above, possible enthusiasts or trad. musicians and there is also a thriving Klezmer, Middle-eastern music subculture where these types of systems are still used. In good playing nick it might fetch a couple of hundred dollars - maybe more at some of the overpriced London dealers. You might just get the cost of the overhaul back.
The good news is that you can probably rehabilitate it yourself if the wood is still in good condition. Setup is a lot less tricky than a Boehm or (shudder) an Oehler.
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