 The Ethnic Clarinet
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Author: Peter
Date: 2002-04-29 06:18
I recently purchased an Albert system clarinet made by Auguste Buffet for the Holton Band Instrument Co., serial number 2146. It has 15 keys and 5 rings and seems to be a fine instrument, although I am sending it in for an overhaul.
I find it curious that the maker is Auguste Buffet and not Buffet-Crampon. I know next to nothing about the history of clarinet makers and would like to know something about Auguste Buffet clarinets.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2002-05-07 06:40
It is older than the Buffet Crampon company which is part of the Boosey Group. <www.boosey.com> This website has the Buffet history somewhere.
If you want to sell it let me know.
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2002-05-07 06:45
Sorry I forgot
Before you spend the money on an overhaul check that it is not high pitch. It should say somewhere on the horn or the barrell B HP or LP. If not check it against a normal clarinet physically.
If it is high pitch and you want to sell it let me know.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-10 02:32
Some info I've found on Auguste Buffet:
The Buffet-Auger fils workshop was established in 1825 by Denis Buffet-Auger. In 1930 Denis Buffet's son Jean-Louis Buffet took over the business and in 1844 changed the name of his company (Buffet fils) to Buffet-Crampon Cie, Crampon being the maiden name of his wife Zoe Crampon. This name change was probably done to distinguish his company from the rival company of his uncle, Louis Auguste Buffet.
Louis Auguste Buffet is the holder of the French patent (1844) for a "clarinet with movable rings" or "Boehm-system clarinet".
Louis Auguste Buffet is credited with the development of the needle spring on his Boehm flute and clarinet. Philip Bate states that these springs were made of tempered steel or gold in the article "Keywork" in The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments (London, 1984).
It is possible??? that Louis Auguste Buffet Jeune, father of Louis Auguste Buffet, made your clarinet.....V
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Author: ron
Date: 2002-07-10 05:39
hello,
i have found a similar clarinet to the one that you have mentioned. it is unique in that it has both the (Ab/Eb and the Db/Ab trill keys.) it also has a hole in the cork of the upper joint. these traits, i believe, are particular to the albert system.
this next link is to pictures from auction of such a clarinet on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=887732215
after a little bit of research with my friends at zeps music shop in burbank, california...we have determined that this clarinet looks to be quite rare.
interestingly, the reason that your clarinet reads holton-buffet is because it was made by both companies. holton, the famous american band instrument maker, in the forties (perhaps beginning in the late thirties and until the early fifties) was facing a blooming increase in demand for band instruments--however, holton evidently did not make clarinets at the time. rather than performing the research and development required to make quality instruments, holton contracted buffet, the world-famous french clarinet maker, to make their instruments. thus, holton-buffet was born.
it seems that the history behind this joint-effort is not well documented, as both holton and buffet have since been bought out by other companies, leblanc and B & H, respectfully. as even the dates are unclear--let alone the documentation of a list of serial numbers. if anyone knows more about this timeless piece of clarinet making history, please post what you can.
everything i have posted here was researched by myself. if there have been misrepresentations/errors in what i have posted, i am deeply sorry--for i am not perfect. however, i hope that what little i have said was informative--if not the least bit entertaining. thanks for your time.
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Author: ron
Date: 2002-07-10 06:34
please strike what i just said about the albert system...
<<<<<<
How is the Albert-System Different?
The Albert system has 13 keys and two rings, as opposed to the 22/5 in the Auler System and the 17/6 in the Boehm System. It is for this reason that the Albert System is often referred to as a type of simple system clarinet. Differences between Albert-System and Boehm system (from the Boehm perspective) are:
Fewer rings, and rearranged/missing keys in between rings.
G# key does not cross under A key.
Wraparound register key.
Two less trill keys at right.
Missing F# (below middle C) key at left and two missing keys from block of four at bottom of clarinet.
The fingerings for B/Bb (below middle C) are also changed around.
<<<<<
information copied from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A493931
sorry--proof that i make mistakes.
-ron
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Author: ron
Date: 2002-07-10 06:42
actually,
according to the pictures on these old ads, the clarinet mentioned is still considered an albert-system clarinet.
http://www.geocities.com/silverleafjb/albert.htm
sorry about the confusion.
-ron
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2002-07-10 14:10
>i have found a similar clarinet to the one that you have mentioned.<
Ron, clarinet you found on eBay is Boehm system, not an Albert-system clarinet.....V
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The Clarinet Pages
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