Clarinet in C

John Ashton jr. (born in England ca. 1813, died Boston 6 March 1849) was a music publisher, musical instrument dealer and umbrella maker. (Waterhouse, NLI, 11.)


Overall size: 592
Bore: c-hole 13.0, f-hole 13.4.
Conical part: 167


Technical description: Dark stained boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. English-style ebony mouthpiece with a log tenon grooved for cord. English-style flask shaped barrel. The keys are mounted in round wooden rings, which is rather old-fashioned. Speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Zig-zag F♯3/C♯5 lever guided in a rudiment of a round turned wooden ring. Bevelled G♯3/E♭5 touchpiece.


L0:   T; speaker.
L1:   T; throat A♮.
L2:   T.
L3:   T.
L4:   E3/B♮4; F♯3/C♯5.
R1:   T.
R2:   T.
R3:   T.
R4:   T; G♯3/E♭5.


Keyhead type: flat round.
Keymount type: turned wooden rings, swelling.
Inscribed on barrel, upper and lower section "J. ASHTON. / BOSTON.", on bell "eagle / J. ASHTON. / BOSTON. / C"
Playing accessories: one reed and a string (not original).
(Heike Fricke, 2014)