 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clonestar
Date: 2014-02-26 23:34
I've searched through some of the archives at clarinetpages.net for their vintage-odd-brands info on Whitehall clarinets. I only found a picture of a 1960 ad for a Whitehall student model grenadilla wood clarinet. The Whitehall I have is a grenadilla wood model, but does not resemble the picture of the student model on the ad. The serial number is either a "C7175" or "G7175". Because of the way the "C" or "G" is stamped, it's not really possible for me to be 100% certain of the letter. At any rate, I acquired it a couple of years ago in pretty miserable condition, although the wood had no serious cracks. I've since restored (except for 3 keys that I really want to re-electroplate) it and it's quite a nice easy-blowing, easy-playing and nice sounding instrument.
I'm wondering if anyone might be able to offer some assistance or advice on how I might be able to determine the manufacturing year for this particular specimen. The Whitehall trademark (which I think expired in 2009) was listed as having been the property of a Wexler Music Co, first located in Chicago and, when the trademark expired, being listed as located in Scotsdale, AZ. Since Wexler Music was listed as an exclusive distributor, I'm wondering which company actually manufactured the Whitehall instruments. I couldn't find anything on the clarinetpages.net site, so any help anyone could provide would certainly be very much appreciated.
Don
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2014-02-27 00:21
In the sax world, Whitehalls were stencil instruments made by Yanagisawa before the latter company began marketing the intruments under their own name. I don't know about the clarinets though.
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Author: clonestar
Date: 2014-07-27 07:17
I did a trademark search on the "Whitehall" name as it relates to the manufacture of musical instruments. According to USPTO records, the name "Whitehall" (for musical instruments) was first issued or put into practice in 1946. I've located a printed advertisement for a Whitehall grenadilla student clarinet (1960) that was advertised (new) for $125.00 by David Wexler & Co. (as exclusive distributors) located at 823 S. Wabash, Chicago 5, Illinois. (The USPS was still using the old "zone" numbers at that time.)
The last registration date for "Whitehall" was in 2003 (the filing was submitted on 7/15/2002) by the Wexler Music Co. of Scottsdale, Az. Presumably, this is the same company that produced the ad in 1960 (relocated to Scottsdale, Az.) However, as of 12/19/2009, the USPTO lists the status of the trademark as "Cancelled - Section 8". This means that the registration was not renewed by the original filer within six years of the last registration date and was therefore listed as cancelled, under Section 8 of the applicable law, by the USPTO. I can find no historical records dating at or near the 1946 date when the Whitehall trademark was first issued for the musical instrument classification.
I have found listings of people offering the wooden Whitehall clarinet for sale on eBay (the latest one is listed for $120.00), but I can't seem to locate any serial numbers for any other Whitehall clarinets out there.
Don
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Author: felix
Date: 2022-05-02 08:41
To update an eight year old thread ...
I have a Whitehall clarinet, but it's not wood. It appears to be hard rubber with a steel bore in the upper stack. My serial number is G13010, and is located on the back side of the lower stack. On the opposite end, and in very, very small print, appears a stamp "Made in France". I could only read it with a strong eye loupe.
I guess this dispels the Yanagisawa theory. I see no other marking or logos.
That notwithstanding, I compared the clarinet's Whitehall logo against the ones used on Yanagisawa saxes and it is 98% identical. This tells me that whoever owned the Whitehall names (Wexler?) had different sources for clarinets and saxes.
What houses, in France, were manufacturing clarinets besides Selmer, Buffet, LeBlanc, and SML? And of those, which were doing stencils? SML and LeBlanc, for sure.
The word "blanc" in French means "white" in English, does it not? Is Whitehall a play on words, meaning, "From the halls of LeBlanc?" 
BTW, this clarinet plays fine, but I'm only a sax guy trying to learn clarinet, so what do I know?
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2022-05-07 21:59
Robert Malerne made a great many stencil clarinets. As far as I know, they were the only French maker who produced significant quantities of ebonite instruments with metal bore sleeves. It's thus extremely likely that your Whiltehall was made by Malerne.
It would be interesting to compare and contrast your Whitehall to one of the many Pruefer "Silver Throat" variants, which were also ebonite with a metal-lined upper joint, and have something of a following among sax doublers.
Post Edited (2022-05-07 22:10)
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