Russian Bassoon. Nominal pitch C

E Pretty

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Instrument

Russian bassoon/Serpents/Wind/Musical Instrument ; Russian bassoon

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

E Pretty

Place Made

London ; Europe ; England ; United Kingdom

Date Made

Second quarter of the 19th century

Description

Overall size: 1053; bell 182. Sounding length: overall length 2525; tone hole distances from bell 1631, 1533, 1494, 1453, 1277, 1180, 1138, 1095, 778. Bore: distal end of crook 23.7. Dia of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. 13.7 not tapered. Technical description: Wood with brass crook and trim. 6 finger holes and 3 keys, all originally fitted with ivory bushes. Ring on butt section for sling. Stamped in two places on uppermost face of butt section "E. PRETTY". Decorative features: Brass ferrules (approx 50mm wide) with scalloped edges, originally at six positions; plain brass bell rim ferrule; brass plate (separate from ferrule) on bottom of butt section. Two decorative ferrules missing from bell section; all other ferrules loose. Bell rim cracked in several places; approximately one third of original length now missing, the remainder in four pieces. Springs on all keys broken; the broken portions present for two lower keys, but absent from uppermost key. Ivory bushes missing from R1 and R3 holes, loose in L3 hole. Tone holes of upper two keys closed with stoppers. Ring for sling loose. Diagonal split in bell (approx 140mm long); tear (approx 28mm long) in bow of crook. Two large patches and several dubious solder poultices on crook. Probable fourth key on bell section has been removed; hole closed by rectangular wood patch approx 47mm  35mm. Lent with, possibly formerly used with and possibly supplied by maker with mouthpiece (3308). Illustration references: Borland 1906, Fig. 106 (4).

Notes

R. Parks 12.4.93.

Measurements

1053; bell 182.

Provenance

Formerly on loan to the Collection. ; Accepted in lieu of inheritance tax by HM Government in 2025 from the estate of John William Phillips and allocated to The Musical Instrument Collection, University of Edinburgh

Collection

MIMEd ; Shaw-Hellier Collection

Accession Number

3307

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