Clarinet. Nominal pitch: B♭.

Henry Distin

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Instrument

Clarinet

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Henry Distin

Place Made

United Kingdom ; Europe ; England ; London

Date Made

Probably early 1868

Description

Technical description: Brass `skeleton' body with brass keywork. Four pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section with integral bell. Ebonite mouthpiece is a later addition. Tuning slides between barrel and upper section and between upper section and lower section may be fixed by brass screws. Curved speaker with a chimney on front of the instrument. Long tailed throat A♭ key enables a British as well as a Continental fingering. Elegant L4 levers. Astonishingly the tone-hole for C♯₄/G♯₅ goes through the tenon of the upper section, so that the tuning-slide cannot be used. 12 keys, 2 rings. 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; F♯₃/C♯₅. R1: T; side F₄/C₆; side trill key for throat A-B♮ and B♭-C. R2: T + spectacle. R3: T + spectacle (forked B♭₃/F♮₅); cross B♭₃/F♮₅. R4: G♯₃/E♭₅; F₃/C₅. Keymount type: between pillars. Keyhead type: salt spoon. Playing accessories: reed and ligature. Repair History: The mouthpiece is a replacement. With copy of a receipt for instruments dated 1869, for sending this and other items to Utah, U.S.A.

Other Information

With copy of a receipt for instruments dated 1869, for sending this and other items to Utah, U.S.A.

Notes

H. Fricke, Oct-Dec 2006.

Measurements

577

Provenance

William Maynard, N.Y.; Center for Musical Antiquities; according to the firm's archives [Distin & Co. stock books], "Brass Skeleton 13 Keys B-flat Clarionet"; in stock by 15 Jun 1868; sold 31 May 1869 to Almond J.B. ; Bequest of Sir Nicholas Shackleton, 2006.

Collection

Sir Nicholas Shackleton Collection ; MIMEd

Accession Number

4941

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