 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: haberc
Date: 2008-04-05 20:58
This mouthpiece plays beautifully for me. right in the middle of where the ligature sits it says "steelebonite"
Under the lower ring there is a signature very hard to read, Starts with a C and the rest is hard to make out. Looks like the third letter might be an l. There is some fancy scroll work above the letters. It does not look like Chedville.
There is also a serial number to the right of the table : N 412x25
Above that there are a few letters, the only one I can make out is E.
I've never seen a serial number on a mouthpiece.
Any ideas?
Thanks much for whatever resonse you might have.
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-04-05 22:50
pictures speak louder then words
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: haberc
Date: 2008-04-06 01:55
sorry, picture wont help. need strong magnifying glass to see the serial number, logo, etc.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-04-06 13:55
A bit of archives search will shed light on the mp business, where inter-alia [among others, I believe] Vytas identifies "SteelEbonite" as Woodwind Co.'s hard rubber material, from which they made cl et al mps for many sellers, "stencilling" the desired tradenames. I hope Vytas may respond here and on other mp threads, also other mp noted makers-sellers, such as Brad Behn, Ben Redwine and more. We are blessed by these experts. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-04-06 16:00
a picture would certainly help
Steel Ebonite i believe was used by more than one maker (such as Woodwind). but then other makers used them as blanks as well.
If you don't know how to post it here maybe email me a pic and I'll post it for everyone else to see. check my profile for my email address.
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Author: 53engine
Date: 2008-04-07 16:06
When I had an Ebay business, I sold dozens of these mouthpieces. Many thought that the term "steel ebonite" was somewhat equivalent to the much sought after "qualite superieure", but I think that this is not true. The "steel ebonite" mounthpieces were usually made by Woodwind, and were good solid players. However, I was told by a symphony player and a guy that knows a lot about mouthpieces, that the term "steel ebonite" is being confused with the term "steelite ebonite" and that these indeed were like the "qualite superieure". I also was told, at some point, that the older Riffault blanks that James Kanter used to make his excellent and much sought after mouthpieces were "steelite ebonite."
I don't know if this is true and perhaps someone can give us some guidance here. Interestingly, I sold over 4000 mouthpieces and had everything from "wooden Buffets with the crest below the 3 lines" to
"many qualite superieures" and good number of Kaspars, many Selmers with the inscriptiion on the table and the crest below the lines on the back but I never got my hands on either a "steelite ebonite" or a Kanter, which I understand were very fine mouthpieces.
Or course, as I've written many times, I tried all of them, sold them and continued to play my Greg Smith. Now that I am reading the thread about his wooden mouthpieces, I'm getting an itch for one.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2008-04-07 21:39
The "Steel Ebonite" trademark appeared on Woodwind Co. and Chedeville/Lelandais mouthpieces. Some better Riffault mouthpieces had similar "Steelite Ebonite" trademark.
The Egyptian scrolling first appeared on A. Lelandais mouthpieces in the late 30's and later in the 40's-50's was used by Chedeville. I've seen three different scrolling patterns on Chedeville mouthpieces.
Riffault Company also used two different scrolling patterns sometimes along with the "Steelite Ebonite" trademark.
I've never seen any Woodwind Co. mouthpiece with the scrolling at the base.
Brad Ben wrote:
>"If an old mouthpiece has the "Steel Ebonite" trademark it may have been made out of rod stock but it may not have been as well, so I typically discount this trademark as a definitive marker in any way. Additionally it is important to note that many of the newer Woodwind Co. mouthpieces used a "Steelite Ebonite" trademark and they were made either from Riffault blanks or more recently from molded rubber blanks that come from New York Hamburg http://www.nyh.de New York Hamburg is the same manufacturer of blanks for Zinner, Vandoren, Bari, Woodwind, and many more".<
The "Steel Ebonite" trademark can be used as a definitive marker. If you look more closely you find huge difference between the "Steel Ebonite" trademark on Chedeville/Lelandais and the "Steel Ebonite" trademark on Woodwind CO the ORIGINAL SERIES mouthpieces. On Woodwind CO mouthpieces this trademark is wider/more spread than on Chedeville/Lelandais mouthpieces but the most important thing that sets these trademarks apart is:
The "Steel Ebonite" (or "Metal Ebonite") trademark on Chedeville/Lelandais mouthpieces is STAMPED
The "Steel Ebonite" trademark on Woodwind CO the ORIGINAL SERIES mouthpieces is ENGRAVED.
Vytas Krass
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Professional clarinet technician
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: haberc
Date: 2008-04-08 23:54
thank you so much, Vytas and all for your responses. This mouthpiece came with an E. Jehring A clarinet. Eduard Jehring died in 1893. The clarinet is obviously very old, with a wrap around octave key (but still plays beautifully with a very 'warm' sound).
From what Vytas says I am believing this an early Chedeville-Lelandais.
The steelebonite is close together and stamped, not engraved.
Thanks all for your info.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2008-04-09 19:47
I finally found my OLD Woodwind Co. [HR] mp, facing G 8! Under STEEL EBONITE it has Reg US Pat Office on its back, and, below, The Woodwind Co New York. So, I believe that WW had/has? a Trademark on S E, I'll see if I can find it and also search US patents for WW's inventions. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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