The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jrct
Date: 2004-12-30 17:51
Hello anyone,
I have a Henry Pourcelle Boxwood Clarinet in "A" completely restored. Can anyone help me to identify it's age. It has all brass keys, black rings at each joint , each section is connected with string wrap and the mouthpiece is wood with a brass tightener. There is one crack at the thumb key, but it has beed professionally sealed. I would like to know it's age and also more inco on Henry Pourcelle. Thanks, Rich
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2004-12-30 17:58
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=27591&t=27572
Is it modern fingering system or closer to albert like the one in that thread?
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Author: jrct
Date: 2004-12-30 18:05
Hello, Can you see the photo I have posted of the clarinet? I believe is is more like an Albert System instrument. Rich
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Author: Dee
Date: 2004-12-30 20:45
From the picture, it looks more like the earlier Müller system or perhaps even one of the earlier simple systems rather than an Albert system. However that doesn't help a lot in dating it. People continued to buy Müller system and simple system instruments for many decades after the Albert and Boehm systems were developed.
It's difficult to determine the cup shapes for the keys from the photo. However that can be significant in determining the age of the instrument.
Are they shaped like today's key cups or are they more like the "salt spoon" style? The latter would push it well back into the 1800s. If they were flat (which these aren't), it would be even older.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-12-30 22:11
maybe a relatively modern replica.........
Bob Draznik
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2004-12-30 23:19
I am not an expert on early clarinets but I can tell you it is not a Muller model. Muller's clarinet had 13 keys (as did the basic Albert). Yours (assuming a register key on the back) is a 10-key clarinet. From Mark C.'s info from "The New Langwill Index" and the fact that the clarinet is boxwood with brass mountings, my guess would be late 19th to early 20th century. Someone else may be able to narrow the range a bit. I find a reference in Baines that, late in the 19th century, 10-key boxwood clarinets were still being produced as "Cheap Clarinets, suitable for beginners." It wouldn't surprise me if that is what you have.
Best regards,
jnk
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