 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-03-03 03:46
Admit it. You clicked in to watch Mark bust me.![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif) Guess what. I
got this posting pre-approved.
For those who tuned in late, we are not allowed to use the
bulletin board for commercial purposes and Mark is tired of
checking each eBay link to make sure it was really a ha ha and
not somebody shilling something. Besides, the links go bad
pretty quickly. What you will find below is the annual survey of
metal clarinet prices on eBay. Write to me offline if you want a
spreadsheet version of the file including auction numbers, etc.
153 metal clarinet auctions closed in February 2003. This
doesn't include a whole bunch of auctions for new, Turkish albert
system metal clarinets in the key of G.
The listings show my best guess on whether each instrument was
pro, intermediate, or student quality. In many cases, this is based
on catalogs and direct experience. However, in many cases, I am
guessing based on the appearance of the key work and the name.
To my knowledge, the pro models always listed the maker name.
I have combed the New Langwell Index, the archives and catalog
listings for information on makers and model names.
Of the 153 listings, 18 either had the auctions ended early or had
no bids. Of the remaining auctions, 118 were for student models.
Of these student models, 14 were seriously damaged or were
missing the barrels. The average bid for these was $54. This
leaves 104 auctions for restorable (or working) student metal
clarinets. The average price for those was $63. The median
price was $51. Interestingly, folks bid an average of $20 more
for instruments made in foreign countries.
Conclusion 1: You should be able to get a good looking,
undamaged, repairable metal clarinet for under $60.
Of the remaining instruments, I believe that 12 were professional
quality instruments. Most of those sold for between $200 and
$400.
Conclusion 2: Between 5% and 10% of metal clarinet auctions
are for professional models. This was true in the three previous
surveys.
Some of the instruments were listed more than once during the
month. 147 individual clarinets were listed and of these, 94 (2/3)
were made in the U.S. I do not know the country of manufacture
for an additional 22. I am guessing that most of these also were
made in the U.S.
I am pretty sure who made 95 of the clarinets. The list includes
25 manufactures. The leading makers were Cundy Bettoney
(20), C.G. Conn (14), H.N. White (11), and Holton (10). The
most common models were the Conn Cavalier (10), the Holton
Collegiate (9), the Cundy Bettoney 3 Star, and the LeBlanc
Noblet (6).
Feb-01-03 $367.00 No model name Holton U.S. Pro (sterling silver keys)
Feb-01-03 $36.00 Madelon Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $39.75 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $20.50 Pathfinder Gretsch U.S. Student, badly tarnished
Feb-02-03 $35.75 Gladiator H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $368.00 Harry Pedler Model Pedler U.S. Pro
Feb-02-03 $84.02 Madelon Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $76.00 Hamilton H. Grossman U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $40.00 No model name Unknown Maker Student
Feb-02-03 $42.00 Capital Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-02-03 $28.60 Brilliante Penzel Muller U.S. Student - damaged
Feb-03-03 $59.00 American Standard H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-03-03 $33.00 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-03-03 $55.69 Revelle Unknown Maker Italy Student
Feb-03-03 n.b. rsv=$90 Paul Renne Paris Unknown Maker Italy Student
Feb-03-03 $17.16 No model name Unknown Maker France Student
(bell missing/sawn off)
Feb-03-03 $45.69 No model name Unknown Maker Student
Feb-04-03 $52.00 Silvertone (Sears) Unknown Maker Student
Feb-04-03 $23.00 Victor Unknown Maker Student
Feb-04-03 $138.62 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student (good one)
Feb-05-03 $50.00 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-05-03 $150.01 Pan American Special Conn U.S. Student
Feb-05-03 $51.00 Noblet LeBlanc France Student
Feb-05-03 $183.20 No model name LKohlert Bohemia Looks pro, 4 piece,
great case
Feb-05-03 $46.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-06-03 $26.00 Capital Unknown Maker Student
Feb-06-03 $202.00 Silver King H.N. White U.S. Pro/restored/ 3 piece,
double walled barrel, articulated C#/G#
Feb-06-03 $26.00 Capital Unknown Maker Student
Feb-06-03 $57.51 Pan American Conn U.S. Student
Feb-06-03 n.b. rsv=$30 Rene Duval Unknown Maker Italy Studetnt-
missing barrel/damage
Feb-06-03 n.b. rsv=$260 Velvetone Unknown Maker Italy Student
Feb-06-03 $102.54 Hoosier Pedler U.S. Student
Feb-06-03 $22.27 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student (some damage)
Feb-07-03 $26.00 National Paris Unknown Maker France Student
-missing barrel
Feb-07-03 $92.00 Noblet LeBlanc France Student (barrel missing)
Feb-07-03 $43.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-08-03 $210.49 Robert Durand Durand France Student
Feb-08-03 $36.51 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-08-03 $51.51 No model name Pedler U.S. Student
Feb-08-03 $86.05 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-08-03 $40.00 Academy Unknown Maker Student
Feb-09-03 $665.55 Master Selmer France Pro 5 piece, adj barrel,
7 ring artl C#/G#
Feb-09-03 $31.00 Prep Wm. Frank U.S. Student
Feb-09-03 $117.50 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-09-03 $27.51 Columbia Bettoney U.S. intermediate -
missing barrel
Feb-09-03 $62.51 Noblet LeBlanc France student - missing barrel
Feb-09-03 $1984.00 No model name Haynes U.S. Pro Eb double walled
Solid Silver (really)
Feb-10-03 n.b. rsv=$300 Bundy Selmer France Intermediate
Feb-10-03 $297.00 Truetone 730 Buescher U.S. Pro - standard keywork,
attached barrel.
Feb-10-03 $47.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-10-03 $42.99 Gladiator H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-10-03 $42.01 P.X. Laube Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-10-03 $51.00 Henry Gunckel Trade name for U.S. import
instruments France Student
Feb-10-03 $139.95 La Monte Trade name for U.S. import instruments
Student
Feb-10-03 $61.00 Superior Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-11-03 $266.00 No model name Pruefer U.S. Eb unknown quality
Feb-11-03 withdrawn Silver King H.N. White U.S. Pro
Feb-12-03 $31.00 The Lark Stenciled by Larkin Music House U.S.
Student
Feb-12-03 $69.00 American Standard H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-12-03 $58.00 Durabilt Unknown Maker Student
Feb-12-03 $112.50 American Perfection Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-12-03 n.b. rsv=$300 Bundy (relist) Selmer France Intermediate
Feb-12-03 $36.00 Collegiate Holton US Student - missing barrel
Feb-12-03 $72.00 American Standard H.N. White US Student
Feb-12-03 $218.00 Silva Bet Bettoney U.S. Pro Eb missing barrel
Feb-13-03 n.b. rsv=$100 No model name Conn U.S. Student
Feb-13-03 $75.00 Gladiator H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-13-03 $60.00 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-14-03 $62.33 American Standard H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-14-03 $46.01 Capital Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-14-03 $202.50 Harry Pedler Model Pedler U.S. Pro 4 piece
(attached barrel, separate bell)
Feb-15-03 $46.99 Pathfinder Gretsch U.S. Student
Feb-15-03 $22.50 Gladiator (relist) H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 n.b. rsv=$79 No model name Hiller Kruspe Germanh Student
Feb-16-03 $175.00 Baronet Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 n.b. rsv=$225 Velvetone (relist) Unknown Maker Italy Student
Feb-16-03 $132.50 Custombilt Pedler U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 $72.00 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 $190.00 Master Selmer France Pro 5 piece adj barrel
articulated c#/G# (may have been private auction)
Feb-16-03 $202.50 Henri Villere Unknown Maker France Student
Feb-16-03 $50.00 Dixie Leader Unknown Maker Student
Feb-16-03 $52.58 Collegiate (relist) Holton U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 $31.00 All American Made Unknown Maker Student
- missing barrel
Feb-16-03 $39.88 Getzen Delux Probably Wurlitzer or Holton
U.S. Student
Feb-16-03 n.b. rsv=$69 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-17-03 $75.99 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-17-03 $71.00 Cadet Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-17-03 $76.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-17-03 $45.00 American Made Easy Play Unknown Maker U.S.
Student
Feb-17-03 $80.00 Paul Renne Paris (relist) Unknown Maker
Italy Student
Feb-17-03 $39.88 Romain Braude Unknown Maker Student
Feb-18-03 $52.51 Gladiator H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-18-03 $56.98 Sorkin Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-18-03 $111.05 Pan American Brilliante Conn U.S. Student
Feb-18-03 $29.10 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-18-03 $296.00 Silva Bet Bettoney U.S. Pro (std 3 piece,
adjustible barrel)
Feb-18-03 withdrawn Artist Model Moennig Bros Germany Intermediate
Feb-19-03 $51.00 Continental Clarion Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-19-03 $37.00 Noblet LeBlanc France Student
Feb-19-03 $43.22 Hoosier Pedler U.S. Student
Feb-19-03 $62.51 American Pedler U.S. Student
Feb-19-03 n.b. rsv=$400 Boston Wonder Bettoney U.S. Intermediate Albert,
newly restored
Feb-20-03 $24.49 Benal Henton Knecht Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-20-03 $42.51 Greville - Paris Trade name for U.S. import
instruments France Student
Feb-20-03 $51.00 MacLede Unknown Maker Student
Feb-20-03 $89.33 Noblet LeBlanc France Student
Feb-20-03 $83.51 Odell [Vega and Thompson & Odell both used name,
but around 1900] U.S. Student
Feb-20-03 $42.00 Commander Gretsch U.S. Student
Feb-20-03 $240.00 Bundy (relist) Selmer France Intermediate
Feb-20-03 $565.06 No model name Cousenon France Pro double
walled 5 piece
Feb-21-03 $35.00 Whiting Unknown Maker Student
Feb-21-03 $42.01 Gladiator H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-21-03 $49.00 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-21-03 $78.00 Regent Ohio Band Instrument (probably H.N.
White or Reynolds) U.S. Student
Feb-22-03 $40.25 P.X. Laube Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-22-03 n.b. rsv=$499 Columbia Bettoney U.S. Intermediate Eb
Feb-22-03 $62.00 Paramont Artist Penzel Muller U.S. Student
Feb-22-03 $62.09 Elkhart Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $37.54 American Perfection Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $51.00 P.X. Laube Bettoney U.S. Student -looks bent in pix
Feb-23-03 $51.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $37.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $20.50 Champion H. Grossman or Lyon & Healy U.S. Student
- junker, keys missing
Feb-23-03 $76.00 No model name Unknown Maker Student
Feb-23-03 n.b. rsv=$69 Three Star (relist) Bettoney U.S. Student restored
Feb-23-03 $32.00 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $46.87 American Standard H.N. White U.S. Student
Feb-23-03 $56.00 Noblet LeBlanc France Student
Feb-23-03 n.b. rsv=$100 Diplomat Unknown Maker England Student
Feb-24-03 $22.03 Collegiate Holton U.S. Student
Feb-24-03 n.b. rsv=$75 A Fontaine Fontaine France Student
Feb-24-03 $64.57 Supertone Imported by Sears Student
Feb-25-03 $217.50 Rene Dumont Unknown Maker Student restored
Feb-25-03 $51.71 A. Fontaine Trade name for U.S. import
instruments Paris Student
Feb-25-03 $56.00 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-25-03 $293.69 Silva Bet Bettoney U.S. Pro (std 3 piece,
adjustible barrel)
Feb-25-03 n.b. rsv=$50 No model name Unknown Maker Student
Feb-25-03 $92.00 A. Fontaine Trade name for U.S. import
instruments Paris Student (looks good, great case)
Feb-25-03 $10.01 Cavalier Conn U.S. Student
Feb-26-03 $76.00 Regent Ohio Band Instrument (probably H.N. White or
Reynolds) U.S. Student "plays well"
Feb-26-03 $43.00 Esquire Unknown Maker Student
Feb-26-03 $149.00 Revere Trade name for U.S. import instruments
France (probably) Student bent bell & broken key
Feb-27-03 $43.02 Peerless American Unknown Maker Student
Feb-27-03 $34.00 Wolverine Grinnell Brothers U.S. Student
Feb-27-03 $102.50 American Student Unknown Maker Student
Feb-27-03 n.b. rsv=$40 Mastertone Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-27-03 $81.00 Marked U.S. - made for military Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-27-03 $61.00 Supertone Imported by Sears Student
Feb-27-03 $120.00 Three Star Bettoney U.S. Student
Feb-27-03 $161.50 Bundy Selmer France Intermediate
Feb-28-03 $61.00 No model name Unknown Maker Germany Student
Feb-28-03 $36.00 Topper Unknown Maker U.S. Student
Feb-28-03 $36.00 Regent Ohio Band Instrument (probably H.N. White or
Reynolds) U.S. Student
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Author: William Hughes ★2017
Date: 2003-03-03 14:55
Jim:
Thanks, as always, for your informative comments and detailed survey.
William Hughes
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2003-03-03 16:49
Two comments:
Due primarily to your work, and the availabity of eBay, I want someday to bring a metal clarinet back into my life. I started on a metal Conn in about 1955, was the only one with a metal clarinet in my Jr High band, and wanted a wood clarinet more than anything else ever in my life!! I lost my old Conn somehow at Humboldt State in the 70's when I was there.
I have mentioned this before, I think. Some years ago there was a work of Art in the San Diego Museum of Art consisting of metal clarinets (many, many metal clarinets) imbedded in concrete. As I remember it was a panel, perhaps 10 by 8 feet, covered in bent and misshapend clarinets. I ought to research this and report back. Seeing your report makes me wonder if there are any $2000 solid silver instruments in there....
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Author: wyatt
Date: 2003-03-03 20:47
My God you did a lot of work to gather all of this data. good work.3
bob gardner}ÜJ
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Author: Shakiki
Date: 2003-03-30 17:49
Attachment: haynes1.jpg (20k)
Attachment: haynes2.jpg (22k)
Attachment: haynes3.jpg (8k)
Attachment: haynes4.jpg (16k)
Hi. I, personally, own an old Pan American Special metal clarinet serial no. 123*** (http://www.geocities.com/silverclarinetpics) and have been trying to research and find out just when it was made... Well, anyways, I saved the pictures (and attached them to this) from the ebay auction: Feb-09-03 $1984.00 No model name Haynes U.S. Pro Eb double walled Solid Silver (really). If anyone knows anything about the Pan Am. serial numbers, please let me know. thanks
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Author: Dee
Date: 2003-03-30 18:57
Shakiki wrote:
> Hi. I, personally, own an old Pan American Special metal
> clarinet serial no. 123***
> (http://www.geocities.com/silverclarinetpics) and have been
> trying to research and find out just when it was made... Well,
> anyways, I saved the pictures (and attached them to this) from
> the ebay auction: Feb-09-03 $1984.00 No model name Haynes U.S.
> Pro Eb double walled Solid Silver (really). If anyone knows
> anything about the Pan Am. serial numbers, please let me know.
> thanks
>
>
Your posting is very confusing. Are you talking about two different instruments?? Pan American was Conn's rock bottom student clarinet and none were good. On the other hand, the Haynes was a top professional instrument. Also Haynes was a totally separate company.
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Author: Shakiki
Date: 2003-03-30 19:08
Sorry if I confused you... I was talking about my Pan Am. Special, and I just wanted to add that I had attached pictures of the Eb soprano metal clarinet made by Haynes in the post as well in case people wanted to see it...
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-03-30 21:52
William Haynes continues to be known for top quality flutes and the
only one that I know of who made top quality metal clarinets. (Although William
Haynes' son went into competition and supposedly also made a clarinet.). The Eb is
a double walled metal clarinet, which is why it looks different from the clarinet that
you have. (Up close, it does not actually resembles a flute.) A few other metal
clarinets have fetched between $1500 & $2000 on eBay, but these are by far the
exceptions.
Several other companies made double walled metal clarinets including Triebert &
Cousenon (both french). and Conn & Penzel Muller (both American) and Rampone
(Italian) The double walled clarinets were more expensive to make. By 1930,
almost all metal clarinets were the single walled types.
Around 1930, most top metal clarinet makers had a top quality metal model. Some,
like Selmer & Bettoney, advertised that these were their top models and superior to
wooden instruments. By the late 1930s, however, most had gone back to offering
wood clarinets as their top models.
Conn started selling double walled metal clarinets before 1900. In the late 1920s,
they started offering a 'clad' clarinet that was hard rubber inside, with a metal tube
outside. The also offered their professional quality single walled instrument that had
the six digit serial numbers with a leading letter to indicate key and a trailing letter --
H for high pitch or L for low pitch. The only model name on that clarinet was the
C.G. Conn.
Conn also made many -- perhaps dozens -- of student models. The most common
was the Cavalier, which people say was a good student model. I do not have a Pan
American Special, but do have a Pan American Moderne and a Pan American
Brilliente. The latter is interesting, because it looks very similar to the Conn pro
model. However, I restored and it barely plays using my favorite mouthpieces. It
plays ok with a mouthpiece that doesn't work well on any other clarinets. I know
someone else who restored a Brilliente and who dislikes it, as well. I suspect that
the other Conn models will be comparable to student models made by other
companies, and better than some.
jim lande.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-03-30 22:44
I wonder if the selling prices may be skewed by a hidden variable.
How many of the >$100 selling prices were motivated by desire for the MOUTHPIECES included?
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-03-31 03:57
Every once and a while a mouthpiece goes for many hundreds of dollars on eBay. Many of the Bettoney mouthpieces were made with Chedivelle (sp) blanks. As a result, some 'mouthpiece guys' will bid on Bettoney clarinets if they have a Bettoney mouthpiece. I once got outbid on a Silva Bet by someone who thought that the clarinet itself was a piece of junk. (I had a bettoney mpc that I hated. I swapped it plus a hundred for the Silva Bet.)
I don't remember seing any high bid mouthpieces in the Feb. auctions, but 1) I wouldn't recognize most of the good ones, and 2) the sellers often don't mention makes. The mouthpiece bidders write to follow up. I don't.
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-04-01 19:52
Jim
Wow! You did some fantastic research here.
I wonder, have you ever seen a metal Buffet sold on eBay?
I have one and according to the serial number, it would have been made sometime in the late 20's or early 30's. My sister picked it up at a yard sale somewhere in Long Island, she says, for $5. It sat under her piano for years and one day she gave it to me. I had no idea what it was - it looked way too skinny to be a clarinet. Then I started cleaning it, saw the logo and discovered that clarinets could be metal and skinny. It's not silver, some other white metal. I had all the pads and corks replaced and it has a lovely mellow sound.
I'm not interested in selling, just in knowing the approximate value.
tetiana
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-04-02 00:43
I have seen three or four on eBay. I bought the first one I saw (several years ago)
for $303. The others have gone for as much as $600. There were at least two
different models. Mine has an articulated C#/G# with a most peculiar mechanism for
lifting the pad. They were silver plated over a mostly nickle alloy. I have an ad
suggesting that they were offered for about $135 in the early 1930s, which was close
to the price charged for other 'pro' quality metal clarinets. However, I suspect that
unlike Selmer and others, Buffet never pushed the metal clarinets and made relatively
few of them. (At least a dozen Selmers show up on eBay each year and perhaps 30
Silver Kings.) For comparison, some student models sold for as little as $40.
In case you have not studied much economics, the cost of living is much higher
today. Back in the early 1930s, many people did not make $135 in a month. The
consumer price index has risen by more than 10 times since then, meaning that
something that costs $10 today cost less than a dollar then
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Author: tetiana
Date: 2003-04-03 17:17
Hi Jim
Thank you for your reply. After I read it I pulled out my metal Buffet and checked out the c#/g# key. It's located on the lower joint (on my R13, it's on the upper joint), sort of on the flange and a hole actually had to be cut in the cork to accomodate the hole that is there for that key. Actually it's where the clarinet got the most wear and tear and a patch had to be applied here when I had it reconditioned. The clarinet is in three pieces (bell, lower and upper joints) with no barrel as such - the upper joint is just longer. All of the keys are covered (as opposed to the keys on my R13 where some are open rings). Is it the same one as yours?
Jim, what kind of mouthpiece were these clarinets designed to be played with ? When I put on my black mouthpiece (an M14) I found the result not particularly aesthetic. My husband bought me a Selmer crystal mouthpiece (#1) which looks outstanding on the clarinet, but I find it hard to play. What do you use on yours.
Thanks!
tetiana
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2003-04-04 00:39
Tatiana
You have a 'cover-type' or 'plateau' system instrument. A few people make these today. They frequently are used by children whose fingers are too small to close a hole, and by folks with arthritis and other hand problems. It sounds like it is a close relative of mine. I am guessing that the C#/G# pad is right line with the all of those covered finger holes and indeed, this means that it is articulated. (Articulated means that it is not at the other end of a lever, but rather you press one key that presses another.
Mine has the same no barrel construction, but has a separate bell.
Sounds like a very lovely instrument.
j
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-04-04 00:44
Jim - fascinating - what do you do in your spare time?
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Author: Sebp
Date: 2009-10-02 16:53
i wonder if this post will get seen. new to this forum, but here goes.
Just a question about an OXFORD (label on bell) silver clarinet, with 'made in england' at the top just before the barrell. Just bought on ebay for $50, wondering if there's any info on this piece...?
Many thanks!!!
condition ok, missing a couple of pads.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-10-02 18:05
I had (or perhaps still have?) an Oxford metal clarinet, design-wise it appeared very reminiscent of Boosey & Hawkes non-metal clarinets, so I would guess yours was made by B&H.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2009-10-02 19:23
Made a nice table lamp out of a Cundy-Bettony Three Star......
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2009-10-02 20:57
Jim -
Years ago, I played both Haynes (Bb) and H. Bettoney (Bb/A set) silver clarinets at Charlie Ponte's store. I'm still kicking myself that I didn't buy them.
The Haynes was of course exquisitely made, but I thought the Bettoneys were just as good.
I liked but didn't fall in love with the playing qualities of the Haynes. I've been told it was based on a Selmer, and it played very much like one. That's not my style -- I'm a Buffet man. Also, the left little finger keys were shorter than usual, and I kept missing them, though I'm sure I could get used to them. There was a hole you could blow into to warm up the air between the inner and outer barrels, to bring the pitch up, but I think it would create mold in there.
The Bettoney's used a (pre-R13) Buffet model. I liked the tone quality better than the Haynes. Alexander Williams (principal in the NBC Symphony) told me he played a silver Bettoney Eb when he was in the NY Philharmonic, and there's a picture of Gaston Hamelin (principal in the Boston Symphony) with what's almost undoubtedly a Bettoney Bb. There's a story (which I really don't believe) that he was fired for using it.
I own a Bettoney silver Eb. It's stamped U.S. Navy and is very plain, presumably because the military didn't want decoration. The top socket is too small for a Bb mouthpiece, but too big for an Eb. If I were a serious Eb player, I'd have it altered. When I wrap dental floss around my Eb mouthpiece tenon to make it fit the socket, the instrument plays quite well.
The Haynes patent is at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1119954.pdf, and see http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/Clarinets/Haynes/HaynesClarinets.html, http://www.cph.rcm.ac.uk/Catalogues/Wind%20Catalogue/Illustrations/RCM326C29.htm, http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/S?ammem/dcm:@field%28TITLE+@od1%28DCM+1431a++and+1431b:+William+Sherman+Haynes+++Clarinet+in+A+and+Clarinet+in+B+flat%29%29.
The Bettoney patent is at http://www.freepatentsonline.com/1705634.pdf
There used to be a Haynes clarinet collectors' group, but I haven't been able to relocate it.
Ken Shaw
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The Clarinet Pages
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