Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-07-09 05:22
Tracy and John,
FWIW, here are some observations I have made.
In general, within a given brand and line (but there are probably exceptions):
Clarinets with no adjusting screw on the throat G# key tend to be older than clarinets with an adjusting screw.
Clarinets with a shared post for the G# and A throat key tend to be older than clarinets with independent posts for both keys.
Clarinets with a shared pivot for the the F#/C# and E/B keys in the left hand cluster on the lower joint tend to be older than clarinets with two pivots.
My A-series Evette & Schaeffer has no adjusting screw, a shared post for the G# and A throat keys and two (individual) pivots for the F#/C# and E/B keys on the lower joint.
John, your B-series E&S and, if my memory serves, another I saw on eBay has the same features except that it has an adjusting screw. Tracy, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that your instrument has the same features as John's. The shared post is easy to overlook and you were going from memory.
As I mentioned before, the Boosey website, starts its serial numbers for E&S at K4000. Based on an instrument that I own, byy around K10500, E&S clarinets had all the newer features in my list above. However, starting at K4000 and continuing up to some point between K4144 (from a recent auction on eBay) and K10500, E&S models have the same features as John's B-series. That means that I can place the changeover between 1952 and 1961. In an earlier thread, Vytas indicates that an instrument with this feature was made prior to 1955. That seem reasonable but I don't know the source of his information or how precise he is.
From these observations, I would like to conclude that the order of E&S series to be: first A, then B, then K(4000+?). My A-series instrument has identical keywork to a pair of 1934 R13's owned by a friend so I suspect mine was made around that time -- maybe a little earlier, maybe a little later. The B-series would probably then fit in the 40's and perhaps even the early 50's. Everything nice and neat so far but ....
there are K-series E&S instruments below K4000. One, that sold on eBay, numbered K512, had a bill of sale, presumably for the instrument, dated 1943. Vytas has one numbered K179 that has no adjusting screw, a shared post for the G# and A throat keys, and only one pivot post for the F#/C# and E/B keys on the lower joint. These features suggest that his clarinet is even older than mine!!!!!!! I can't explain these anomalies, there are too many possibilities.
So Tracy, if you're confused ... welcome to the club. My best guess, based on your and John's descriptions is that your clarinet dates from the 1940's but I can't be sure.
Best regards,
jnk
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