Clarinet in B-flat

Benjamin Ferris worked as a silversmith between 1802 and 1811 in Philadelphia, in Waterford and in Wilmington before settling in New York, where a partnership of Feris and Giffin was listed in 1822. (Waterhouse NLI, 114; Groce, Musical Instrument Makers of New York, 51)


Overall size: 596
Bore: c-hole 13.0; f-hole 13.6.
Conical part: 130


Technical description: Dark stained boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Five pieces: mouthpiece, barrel, upper section, lower section, bell. English style long tenon ebony mouthpiece grooved for cord. English style flask shaped mouthpiece. Speaker liner projects almost to the centre of the bore and has a small chimney on the back of the instrument. Pins in blocks to prevent the wood from cracking. 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.
R2:   T.
R3:   T.
R4:   T; G♯3/E♭5.



Keyhead type: flat square.
Keymount type: blocks and swelling.
Inscribed on all pieces except for unstamped mouthpiece "FERRIS / & / GIFFIN / NEW YORK" (very faint)
Decorative features: Silver label on bell, engraved in sripts "S. J. Leonard".
Playing accessories: one reed and a cord (not original).
(Heike Fricke, 2014)