Combination clarinet. Nominal pitch: B♭/A.

Jacques Albert

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Instrument

Clarinet ; Clarinet/Clarinets/Wind/Musical Instrument

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Jacques Albert

Place Made

Belgium ; Europe ; Central Europe ; Brussels

Date Made

Circa 1895

Description

Technical description: ebonite, with flat german silver ferrules and arched german silver bell-rim. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. All parts of the body are connected by a coaxial rotating metal tube. Mouthpiece contemporary, ebonite, with ligature and reed cap. Barrel long and hardly bulbous. 12 keys plus spectacle and patent C sharp linkage, of modern type but with abnormally large heads to cover wide tone-holes. When the bell is twisted through about 120° either the B♭ or the A series of holes in the liner come under the keys; the upper section is then slid in or out, its travel being limited by a locking-screw in a slot; the barrel, which also has a locking-screw, slides in and out on a helical guide, but when fully in it can be twisted to bring it into line with its original position (the concealed slot must presumably be shaped like the figure 7). L0: T; speaker. L1: T; throat A♮. L2: T; throat A♭. L3: T; cross E♭₄/B♭₅. L4: C♯₄/G♯₅; E₃/B♮₄ bascule with patent C sharp link; F♯₃/C♯₅. R1: T; side F₄/C₆; side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C. R2: T + spectacle for B♮₃/F♯₅. R3: T + spectacle (forked B♭₃/F♮₅); cross B♭₃/F♮₅. R4: G♯₃/E♭₅; F₃/C₅. Keymount type: pillars. Keyhead type: modern-type cups, but larger than usual size. Serial number: 137. The instrument is only stamped "MADE IN BELGIUM", but Kroll (1965, p.25, footnote) states that this model was made by Jacques Albert. Overall size: in B♭ 647, to top of barrel 568; in A 676; to top of barrel 596. Sounding length: In B♭, 647; in A, 676. Bore: at F₃ hole 15.1. Upper section stamped "JAMES CLINTON / PATENT / 137 / MADE IN BELGIUM"; mouthpiece stamped "BUFFET / Crampon & Cie / A PARIS". With reed cap and long wooden case. Repair History: There is a small screw or spigot missing from the bell ferrule. Reed cap damaged. Crack in the lower section. Upper section chipped at top. Usable pitch: c A = 452 Hz. General literature references: G.B. Patent No. 3638 of 1891. Illustration references: Vol. 1 p.96.

Notes

T.K. Dibley, August 1992; T.K. Dibley, August 1991; H. Fricke, July 2005.

Measurements

in B♭ 647, to top of barrel 568; in A 676; to top of barrel 596.

Provenance

on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

2599

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