The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-07-17 04:18
HOLY S&@T!!!!! I'm amazed at the gumption this person has...
Would it really be worth that much? Even if I had the money, I don't think I'd spend it on that horn...
Katrina
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-07-17 05:32
Hahahaha....
You wouldn't spend that much, Katrina, because you still have all your marbles :]
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Author: Gnomon (Eoin McAuley)
Date: 2002-07-17 08:04
Am I right in assuming that the cork is incorrectly fitted around the G# hole in the tenon? In others of this type I seen, there is a round hole in the cork to match the round hole in the wood. In this one, there's a square hole in the cork. It doesn't look right.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-07-17 11:58
I wonder if Ralph will write up the provenance on this instrument - without a provenance it's speculation, and a write-up would have to have some historical (and comparable) basis for the attribution.
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2002-07-17 12:19
Even if it was assembled by Henri, it still isn't worth 10K. I do not know how much the listing fee for an item selling for this much is, but he spent some money listing it for that amount.
<a href="http://www.cork-and-pad.woodwind.org">jbutler</a>
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-07-17 14:50
Gnomon -
There's nothing wrong with the tenon cork. It's reasonably common for the C#/G# hole through the tenon (for the articulated mechanism) to be "framed" in a square projection. It gives a chimney that's solid wood and not rimmed by cork halfway up.
Ralph Morgan knows what he's talking about with Selmer history, but I've seen quite a few old Selmers with that trademark, so I don't think it's something that Henri Selmer put just on instruments he'd personally finished (unless he finished all the Selmer clarinets at that time, which is possible).
At any rate, it's certainly not worth $10K, IMHO.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Hat
Date: 2002-07-17 15:05
It's worth 10 grand if someone pays 10 grand. But the stock market dropping automatically lowers the number of people rich enough to act that stupid.
Henri Selmer would have been quite old in the 20s, no?
Even if he made the clarinet. . .$1,200 tops, and even then only for that reason. I can't imagine where you would play this clarinet, certainly not in an orchestra professionally.
David Hattner, NYC
www.northbranchrecords.com
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-07-17 16:33
The 7 ring model clarinet is less desireable to me as I like the feel of the bare wood and find it difficult to adjust the 7th ring mechanism.
In about the early 60s, I bought a fine Selmer alto sax with extra engraving that had allegedly been brought and promoted to Lockie's store in Los Angeles by Henri Selmer, himself. It was a 33,000 series with perfect laquer, a wonderful feel, and a bell that was slightly turned from the MK VIs. It had a very unfocussed sound and no matter what was done to it, it sounded very dull. I was glad to get rid of it. 30 years later, I ran into the buyer and heard the horn again. It still sounds dull!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-07-17 17:01
Ken,
I might be wrong but I don't think the seller has actually attempted to show the Henri's "personal stamp." I think he simply included a picture of the instrument's label (the standard Selmer label at the time the instrument was made) either for the sake of showing it or because he misunderstood Ralph Morgan. If you note, he said that the personal stamp was actually "under the mechanism." I think you would have to remove some keys to be able to see it.
The clarinet probably had reached a point where it wouldn't play without a reconditioning but would reconditioning in this case be sort of like refacing a Kaspar or re-laquering a Mark VI sax?
Otherwise, one would just be purchasing the "signature." (Wonder what Henri's signature goes for these days. I'd guess not much -- the appeal is too limited.)
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-07-18 03:43
Yeah, ron...when I think of the REAL damage I could do with that kind of money...
Trips to Bulgaria, odd folk instruments, other odd clarinets used in odd ethnic music...hmmmm....
LOL
Katrina
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Author: Mark M
Date: 2002-07-18 18:57
I live in the Seattle area. I sent an e-mail to the buyer to try it out. That'll be interesting.
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Author: Don
Date: 2002-07-20 17:50
Ten Grand! Maybe the seller would trade? Surely I've got something lying around here I could value at $10,000...
The "under the mechanism" comment is interesting to me because I have a Selmer BT (from 1936 if I interpret the L59xx serial number correctly) that also has an alphanumeric identifier under the mechanism. It's stamped twice: M2362 on the upper and lower joints under the keys.
When I purchased this insturment, the seller told me it had been overhauled by Ralph Morgan. I had no way to verify this, but now wonder if Ralph idendifies instruments he's worked on by placing an "M-number" under the keys. Anyone know?
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