Author: JoeIvers
Date: 2017-01-29 23:50
I also have an oldish Bundy wooden clarinet, and am curious about its history. It's in great shape, and I play it regularly. I've recently upgraded to a new Buffet R13, which is becoming my main horn. But still, I'm curious...
My Bundy has serial # 111556. Serial # lists I've seen claim this to be from the 1920s, and I don't believe it. It doesn't appear to be nearly that old.
Further, the Bundy logo stamped into the wood of the upper body joint and the bell appear, stylistically, to be something from around the 1970s, '60s at the oldest. This logo also has a circle-R trademark just below the logo stamp, which is cut into the wood. I think I've seen earlier Bundy logos, sometimes including G.M. Bundy (with initials), and sometimes reference to Selmer. This has none of these markings. The horns with the G.M. Bundy markings that I've seen appear from the style of the markings to be much older clarinets.
Another clue: the case (which may or may not be original) is made of molded plastic, something that you'd encounter in the '70s or later. The Bundy logo on the outside of the case is different; sort of a grayish field with BUNDY in blue, and red and blue stripes in a wavy design that suggests a waving flag. Those two red and blue stripes terminate in a star, right above the letters USA.
Based on this case logo design, I'm guessing it to be a design that was common in 1976, during the US bicentennial. Anyone old enough would remember how every business was adopting some kind of USA stars-and-stripes theme to their product logos at that time.
Anyway, based on the case, but especially based on the logo stamp on the clarinet itself, I'm guessing that this horn dates to the late 1970s.
Does anyone here know whether Bundy still made wooden horns as late as 1976?
Someone in a post (above, from years ago) claimed that Selmer has a source of information about these old Bundy clarinets. Certainly their USA English-language site does not have these data. And it seems that the clarinet-owning community doesn't care about old Bundies, since they are a dime a dozen, and not esteemed. But surely someone owns the history to this line of horns, and must know.
I'd gladly post some photos to illustrate what I've been describing. I don's see that this BB system allows photos.
Let me know if you have a clue to date this horn, or if you know how I might post pics.
Joe Ivers
Joe Ivers, joeivers@att.net
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