 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mcaswell
Date: 2018-10-23 00:21
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I was given an old Selmer clarinet by a friend's father. He said he purchased it for $100 when he was in the 9th grade, and he's 93 now, so that would have been around 1940. However, with the "55" stamped on the top joint and the serial number of M6981, all indications I've been able to find indicate that it was made in 1945.
If there's no known reliability/accuracy issues of serial numbers from that WWII era, it would seem like there's no other explanation other than perhaps he is either mistaken about when he bought it (doubtful, as he specifically said he played it in high school, and then I believe he served in WWII, and subsequently went to medical school), or perhaps he mixed this instrument up with the one he actually purchased? That's mystery number 1.
Mystery number 2 is the middle ring around the bell, which I'm not able to find another example of on the web.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2018-10-23 02:50
The serial number indicates it was made in 1946, so the 1940 date was close but it is definitely post WWII. This is a "Model 55".
Edit: 1945, misread the number.
The metal ring on the bell is what's known as a band. It was a common repair for cracks back in the day, so it indicates the bell cracked at one point.
-Jdbassplayer
Post Edited (2018-10-23 02:51)
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2018-10-23 04:34
There is some more information and pictures at the Steve Sklar's site, Clarinet Perfection:
http://www.woodwindforum.com/clarinetperfection/selmer-paris/#55
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