Clarinet in E-flat

ca. 1840
Not on view
Thomas D’Almaine (born ca. 1780; died 1866) established D’Almaine & Co. in 1834 as successors to Goulding & D’Almaine. After his retirement in 1847 his nephew Thomas Mackinley took over the business. (Waterhouse, NLI, 80)

Overall size: 488
Bore: c-hole 11.8; f-hole 11.8.
Conical part: 96

Technical description: Boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. English style long tenon mouthpiece grooved for cord. English style flask shaped barrel. Speaker liner projects ca. 4mm into 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 block.

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

Keyhead type: flat round.
Keymount type: blocks and swelling.
Inscribed on all pieces except for unstamped mouthpiece: crown / "D’Almaine & Co."; on bell: crown between garlands / D’ALMAINE & Co. / LATE / GOULDING & D’ALMAINE / SOHO SQUARE / LONDON"
Playing accessories: one reed and a cord (not original), a reed-cap (probably not belonging)
Mouthpiece varnished black.
(Heike Fricke, 2014)

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Clarinet in E-flat
  • Maker: D'Almaine Co.
  • Date: ca. 1840
  • Geography: London, England, United Kingdom
  • Culture: British
  • Medium: Boxwood, ivory, brass
  • Dimensions: L. 49 cm (19-3/8 in.)
  • Classification: Aerophone-Reed Vibrated-single reed cylindrical
  • Credit Line: Gift of William J. Maynard, 1997
  • Object Number: 1997.219.7
  • Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments

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