 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Pete
Date: 2004-08-07 20:47
I have a Selmer clarinet # K 5741 that an older gentleman wants me to sell for him. Finding information on the "K" series clarinets is hard to come by and alot of that information is conflicting.
If the "K" series is in proper order of the rest of the Selmer clarinet series, that places manufacture prior to the "L" series of 1931. However, information from Allied Supply, a repair parts supplier, says that the "K" series was produced during WWII and that Selmer records are very sketchy.
Also, the round Selmer insignia on all of the parts would indicate that the instrument is of much later vintage that the '20s.
Does anyone have any verifiable information?
Thanks,
Pete
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2004-08-07 23:01
I have a "K" a couple thousand earlier than the one you have. Mine has a triangular image on the bell. Either your bell has been replaced, or they changed them in that 2000 stretch. This is not offered as verified information, but I've been watching these for several years as an owner of one. The best I can tell the "Ks" were the first Selmers with a letter starting the serial number and were indeed made prior to the "Ls" of 1931.
My best educated guess is that yours is from approximately 1930.
John
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Author: larryb
Date: 2004-08-08 00:31
The triangular stamp on the bell was added by the US Selmer distributer in Elkhart, Indiana (Sole Agent for US and Canada). Clarinets that didn't pass through them wouldn't have the triangle.
Funny thing about my #K6147 A clarinet is that it has another set of numbers stamped under the key work on both joints (1237) - I've never understood who put those number there and why.
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Author: jo.clarinet
Date: 2004-08-08 06:24
I've got a K-Series Selmer which I bought through ebay, unexpectedly actually - I put a low bid on, but no-one else seemed to want it! I'm not sure of the number - there isn't one on the upper joint that I can see, but the instrument has been banded at the top of the upper joint, and I suspect the number is under that. The lower joint's numbers are partially obscured by an old scratch, but the letter is definitely a 'K'. The seller told me it dated from 1929.
It has the circular logos on both joints, and both the circle and triangle motifs on the bell. I got three barrels with the clarinet, all Selmer and all of different lengths (one seems really short, although I haven't measured it). Two have the round logo, but the one that works best for the tuning, which I suspect is the original because the aging of the wood seems to match the rest of the clarinet best, has 'H. Selmer, Paris' in a sort of dotted oval with a symbol underneath almost like a dollar sign - perhaps 'H' and 'S' superimposed? - then on top of the oval there is something like a pair of wings with a lyre on top.
Hope this helps!
Joanna Brown
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