 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: rottylover2
Date: 2008-11-24 05:22
Hello, I have been helping my mom clean out her attic and we came across an old clarinet. It does not have a name on it. It says made in France at the top, then inside a circle engraving it says Air Flow on the bell part. It has a serial number on it of D4045 engraved in two places. Is there anyone who can tell me who made the clarinet or do I need to take it to a Music Store? I would greatly appreciate your assistance researching this instrument. Thank you.
I tried to upload some pics but it didn't work. I can email them if anyone would like to see what it looks like.
Post Edited (2008-11-24 05:43)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-11-24 13:20
It may have been common practice with other makers to put the "Made in France" logo at the top of the U J, but I know that Noblet did this and suggest them as your maker. They also made "stencil" cls, which "AirFlow" onthe bell, ?original?, would indicate to me. Comments? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: rottylover2
Date: 2008-11-24 18:20
Attachment: clarinet-web.jpg (129k)
Attachment: clarinet2_web.jpg (178k)
Attachment: clarinet3-web.jpg (129k)
Thank you for your response. I went to the Noblet site but I didn't see the serial number. Does the prefix "D" just get dropped and you only look at the number? I am attaching pics which may be of some help. Thank you.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-11-24 19:14
It might help if you could show some photos of the keywork.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-11-25 00:49
On viewing the Made in France [poorly done] logo "strike" , it is quite diff. from Noblets I've seen, so, I dunno. Selmer and prob. others used a leading letter in their ser.# , so I'm at a loss, HELP, others. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2008-11-28 02:41
looking at the keywork and the logo I'm going to suggest that this is a Martin Freres stencil ( with a pretty good chance of being wrong - but that's what i'd follow up on first),,,,
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Author: rottylover2
Date: 2008-11-30 18:46
Thank you so much for your help. I will try researching surfing the web and see if I can find anything on it.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-11-30 19:47
Hi agin, rl2, While at a daughter's for TKSG, I retrieved a good wood cl from a guitar-playing [now, dern it!] grandson with a number of similarities to your pics. Mine has the "Made In France" semi-circles at the top back of the UJ, and bottom back of the LJ, and quite similar key structures. A {perhaps defining} somewhat unusual feature is the use of "set screws" at right angles to the pivot screws for the ring-stacks and long rods for adjustments to take up slack . I know that in the 30-50's Conn [USA] used this method, but don't recall it on French cls. My cl's logo is Rene DuPont, Paris, ser. #513. These cls have been discussed in our archives [Search] as to maker, yes, Martin Freres is a possiblility, as is Malerne ?one and the same?. Hope this may help toward "ancestry". Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: rottylover2
Date: 2008-12-01 01:21
Hi Don. I find all of this very confusing. The clarinetperfection.com site did show the prefix Dxxxx for the Malerne clarinet and says it was made around 1945 so that all fits if this belonged to my grandfather. I just don't understand why the name would not be on the clarinet and why it would have AirFlow stenciled on it? I have looked all over the case for some markings but there's absolutely nothing. I found an auction site that had sold a clarinet and it showed this as the listing: Lot 687 : An Airflow Clarinet in cocus-wood, Boehm system - but there was no picture so I'm not sure if it is even similar to this clarinet. I emailed them and requested a picture plus any information they may have had but I sincerely doubt they will answer. I think my next route will to take it to a music store and see what they can tell me.
Any other information would be appreciated.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-12-01 17:28
Hi RL2 - I suggest you look at our archived-Search thread, French "Stencil" Clarinet, to see if our best knowledge of this [?undocumented] import-selling business of the 1930 -60's is of any help to you. I tend to believe your "Airflow" [?on the bell only?] is most likely an American trade name on a Malerne made cl, as I believe my DuPont is. What I can see of your case [235k pic], its the same as mine, red color fabric, my ouside is about 60% [near] white and rest green, my U J fits best reversed from yours. Did you look at the pivot "posts" to see if they had the small "set screws" mine has? Mine [tweaked] plays and "feels" nearly as well/good as my best Selmer C T !! "Nuff said? Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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