Clarinet in C

John Hale was working for the London woodwind instrument maker Thomas Collier presumably since 1770. In 1785 he became his successor and was active till 1804. He made keys for other London clarinet workshops like Astor, Cahusac, Collier, Kusder and G. Miller. On this instruments the bascule keys are stamped "I H". He was succeeded by John Wood. (Waterhouse, NLI, 157)

Overall size: 585
Bore: c-hole 12.9; f-hole 13.0.

Technical description: Boxwood with ivory ferrules and brass keywork. Four pieces: Mouthpiece with integral barrel, upper section, middle section for the fingers of the right hand, lower section with keys and integral bell. SATK. Original boxwood mouthpiece grooved for cord. Two square turned wooden rings on the upper section, one round turned wooden ring for the bascule key. Turned guide lines in upper rings and in lowest. Speaker liner projects almost into the centre of the bore. Levers for L4, tone-hole and key for R4 mounted in a bell-shaped swelling. Bevelled G♯3. Zig-zag F♯₃/C♯₅.

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: turned wooden rings, swelling.
Inscribed on all pieces with fluer de lis / "J. HALE / LONDON" on uppers section also ""LATE / COLLIER".
Engraved on both bascule levers "I H" [John Hale].
Playing accessories: one reed and a cord (not original)
(Heike Fricke, 2014)