DescriptionTechnical description: Fruitwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. Mouthpiece not original, modern ebonite, with ligature. Barrel slightly curved externally, but its bore is straight. Upper section: straight speaker. Speaker liner projects c 3mm into bore. Lower section: Right-hand finger-holes slanted bassoon-wise. Pillar used as thumb rest and for a sling ring. Ferrules flanged on barrel, half-round on lower section, arched on bell; the straight bell has a wide ivory rim.
L0: @I{T; Speaker .
L1: @I{T; A♮; A♭.
L2: @I{T.
L3: @I{T; E♭/B♭.
L4: @I{C♯/G♯; E/B♮ bascule; F♯/C♯.
R1: @I{T; A♮/B♮ trill; F/C♮.
R2: @I{T.
R3: @I{T; cross B♭/F♮; curved side B♮/F♯.
R4: @I{G♯/E♭; F/C♮ bascule (not the usual hinged key).
Keymount type: unusual brass `bracket-saddles' recessed into wood.
Keyhead type: shallow saltspoons.
Overall size: 883; to top edge of barrel 813.
Sounding length: 883.
Bore: (Mouthpiece 16.6); upper section at top 18.4, at bottom 17.8.
All parts except mouthpiece stamped with sunburst / "CUVILLIER / A ST. OMER" / asterisk; Mouthpiece stamped "HAWKES & SON / MAKERS / LONDON"; Ligature stamped "H. SELMER / PARIS".
Usable pitch: A₄ = 444 450 Hz.
Specific literature references: Puttick and Simpson's auction catalogue 25 April 1946, lot 105; G.S. (1968) No. 190.
Illustration references: G.S. (1968) Plate VIII (2); Follan 1987a, p.22. |