Bass clarinet. Nominal pitch: B♭.

H Douglas

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Instrument

Bass clarinet

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

H Douglas

Place Made

United Kingdom ; Europe ; Glasgow ; Scotland

Date Made

Circa 1870

Description

Technical description: Stained wood with brass ferrules and bell; crook seems to be nickel-plated. Four pieces: mouthpiece, crook, section and bell. Body in one piece, made like a bassoon, but with "upper section" permanently fixed (one key-rod crosses the joint). 10 keys plus 2 spectacles and finger-plate, saltspoon, plated brass, in pillars. Sling-ring and small thumb rest. Bell angled forward, formed from sheet brass. L0: Speaker (liner projects to centre of bore); thumb-hole. L1: throat A♮; straight A♭; finger-hole with spectacle ring and F₃/C♮₅ vent. L2: Finger-hole with spectacle ring for forked F₃/C♮₅. L3: Cross E♭₃/B♭₄; finger-key for C₃/G♮₄. L4: Straight C♯₃/G♯₄; double cross-key to opposite "barrel" for F₂/B♮₃; similar single cross-key for F♯₂/C♯₄. R1: F₃/C♮₅ (to extension-section); finger-hole with spectacle ring for F♮. R2: Finger-hole with spectacle ring for B♮+2/F♯₄ (as Boehm). R3: Finger-hole. R4: Closed rod-and-axle G♯₂/E♭₄; open rod-and-axle F₂/C♮₄. Keymount type: pillars. Keyhead type: saltspoon. Bore: At crook, 20.0; at bell, 23.6. Bell stamped "H. DOUGLAS & SON / MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS / ?? -42 / BRUNSWICK ST. / GLASGOW". Usable pitch: A₄ = 440 Hz. Specific literature references: G.S. (1968) No. 202. Illustration references: Vol. 1 p.103; G.S. (1968) Plate IX (2); Follan 1987a, p.22; Follan 1987b, p.39.

Notes

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

Collection

Rendall Collection ; MIMEd

Accession Number

0096

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