 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: robw1976
Date: 2012-02-06 10:39
my girlfriend has this clarinet, and i am trying to find out a bit more information about it, i.e age, how much it is worth, should we insure it etc etc
Post Edited (2012-02-06 10:57)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-02-06 12:18
robwe1976 -
The allexperts posting is about Boehm system clarinets. Yours is an Albert sytem. It was probably made close to 100 years ago.
While Hawkes Sonorous Class clarinets were top-quality, the demand for non-Boehm models is low. Also, the instrument is seriously in need of refurbishing. I doubt that its value will reach $100, and it will need at least $200 of work to make it playable. It's probably not worth insuring.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-02-06 12:45
It's a simple/Albert system with Barret action on the top joint (the lowest top joint side key and rings for LH fingers 2 and 3).
Although it is nicely made (and probably made for Army bands stationed in India or somewhere else in the former British Empire as it's in ebonite instead of wood), there isn't much commercial interest in these (only real interest will be with enthusiasts or collectors of old instruments) and as already said, not worth insuring.
It doesn't state wheter or not it's high pitch (HP - tuned to A452Hz) or low pitch (LP - tuned to A439Hz or A440Hz) - low pitch is more desireable as they can be played alongside modern instruments, but high pitch instruments aren't really worth anything, again except to enthusiasts or collectors.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2012-02-06 21:16
This was a beautifully made clarinet at it's time.
I doubt that it was ever a military instrument as the quality of fittings with rollers on top joint levers as well as lower and the Barret action would be highly unusual in that environment.
To get a rough check on it's pitch you can compare the overall length with a modern instrument, an HP model is noticeably shorter than LP.
As to value that's dificult, as stated in posts above probably not a real lot but to a collector who appreciates such quality it could collect a few more bucks..
Probably best to leave in it's present condition and let any potential buyer sort that out. Inappropriate repair/restoration could actually reduce rather than enhance it's worth.
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