 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Billk
Date: 2010-07-30 16:39
I have a wood clarinet that I've spent weeks trying to identify....I'm hoping that I can get lucky on the BBoard. It was given to by a friend who himself puchased it used 30 years ago. The serial number is A32470. One inch from the bottom of the bell is the word PARIS in gold lettering--about 1/4 inch high. Just above the word PARIS is a star that is very very faint--it looks to be about a 1/4 inch high or so. There also appears to be an even fainter star on the barrel of this clarinet. There are no other markings.
I would appreciate any information--I've checked serial numbers and have looked at numerous pictures of Buffets and other clarinet brands and nothing seems to match! The reason I think it may be a Buffet is that I saw a Buffet Auguste clarinet on Ebay with a similiar but smaller star on the bell and barrel of that instrument.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-07-30 17:21
Auguste Buffet clarinets are NOT Buffet clarinets. they come from a different maker, and have nothing to do with Buffet-Crampon clarinets.
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: SteveG_CT
Date: 2010-07-30 18:43
The fact that the maker is not even marked on the instrument suggests that this is likely a stencil instrument. I wonder if this instrument might have been a Malerne stencil as the serial number is similar to those used by Malerne on his Bb clarinets and some of his instruments were also marked with stars.
See if it looks like any of the instruments on this page:
http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clsnMalerne.htm
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2010-07-30 21:37
SteveG_CT wrote:
>>I wonder if this instrument might have been a Malerne stencil as the serial number is similar to those used by Malerne on his Bb clarinets and some of his instruments were also marked with stars.<<
Not necessarily, Malerne serial numbers ("with a prefix") had only "four" digits.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2010-07-30 21:58
"Not necessarily, Malerne serial numbers ("with a prefix") had only "four" digits."
I checked again and it looks like you're right. Chances are if it's a stencil it probably wouldn't follow the normal serial number convention anyways. I still think it may be worth looking into due to the star markings and the fact that Malerne was heavily involved with the stencil market for both clarinets and saxophones.
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Author: Billk
Date: 2010-07-31 00:38
Thank you all for your kind help. While the clarinet has not been positively identified.......... as was noted above, it may be a stencil and virtually impossible to trace.
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Author: wkleung
Date: 2010-07-31 22:44
Auguste Buffet was the uncle of Jean-Louis Buffet (the one who established Buffet-Crampon) and was one time fierce competitor with his nephew. Auguste died in 1885 and I believe the firm folded at around that time (maybe earlier). If your clarinet is an Auguste Buffet clarinet, it would be very old.
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Author: jnswickard
Date: 2010-08-02 16:57
Being possessed with three Auguste Buffets (regular Boehm, a nearly full Boehm, and an Albert) I would agree with the history of the company. I believe that it was Auguste Louis along with Klose who were the creators of the Boehm Clarinet system. However the two Boehm Clarinets I have were more likely made in the early to mid 1920's.
I was also possessed by an Auguste Buffet when I was a student in Junior high school--as I was later possessed by a Buffet Crampon.
None of these had serial numbers starting with a letter. All were only 4 digits.
they did have a star on them.
Jack
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